She tensed as Alice drowned her drink, watching the motions without saying anything. Muscle by muscle, she forced herself to unclench her body, falling back against the wall (or as much as her dress allowed her to lean, she wasn't sure how anyone found these gowns comfortable when all she wanted to do was go upstairs and change).

""We are friends, Alice," Calla drawled, unsure now of what to say. What to do. She knew what she thought. That Alice was a fool for not taking help because there was no way that with all of them working together they couldn't find something that would work. That would solve the problem. But that was Alice for you. To Calla, it felt like Alice just wanted to make herself miserable. And it wasn't fair that outof all of them, the one who cared the most and would go the furthest was the one stuck here.

"Fine. I'll stop bringing it up."