Sugar and Cyanide ||

Ondrea didn't think she'd every seen Karma smile, let alone at her. She'd sneered a time or two, that she recalled.

She felt a hint of irritation. Merlin, she hoped that was not an intentional impersonation of her former nervous stammering.

"That's right," Ondrea answered pleasantly. "I attended Hogwarts last year, for my third year. I was in Ravenclaw. I do believe we had a few classes together."

Outside, the Popov's held what happened to be a weekly arguement. Iva and Pieter grappled togethers each other, their large father holding them apart.

"You little freak!" Pieter growled, "How dare you say that!" Iva, being held back by her father, spat at him.

"I will say whatever I want!" she paused, giving her signature grin, "Fag,"

A hand found Iva's cheek and she gaped in surprised. Their father yanked both of them in front of him. He wasn't his normal angry self, but seething.

"If either of you say anything in there that disrespects our family, so help me God, I will pull both of you out of school so fast your head will spin!" he gave his son a little shake, "I will send you to a reform school. In Siberia. You won't be coming back either!" He turned to Iva, growling, "You will be married off to the first person I see fit, got it?"

He let go and all three adjusted themselves accordingly. Pieter opened the door, a glum expression on his face. Jan walked ahead, his cold smile appearing as he greeted the adults.

"Petra, go talk to some girls, okay?" he waved, using the affectionate term. Pieter awkwardly walked away, cursing under his breath. Iva gave her father a hug, knowing her role as the 'cute daughter' should be seen here.

"My little innocence," her father pushed her towards the others, the only way she didn't want to go, "There are some nice boys here; much better than your mudblood crush, yes?"

Iva winced at the term. "Papa, I really-"

"Iva. Go,"

Both children feeling rejected, they sauntered together other to the others, sickly sweet smiles on their faces.

Faye smiled slightly, "What gave me away?" She gave a little laugh and nervously fiddled with her dress once more. She gave a shrug and her smiled dimmed ever so slightly, "Parents. They've gone temperarily insane and decided to remember they actually have a daughter."

She blushed at having spewed out such honesty about her life, and brushed her hair behind her ear.

"Oh I am fine, my father speaks like that all the time," she stated passingly, thinking about a few moments before, before she released the last time she had seen Roman - outside of class - and what he was refering to. "Oh, you meant, you know..."

She trailed off, and shrugged.

"I am fine. Really - it, it wasn't so bad. There was food... and blankets, and people."

Lisette narrowed her eyes, "There's no way that's true. Even I'm not perfect, though that is subject to change. No, there has to be something."

She leaned in toward him a little closer, whispering in his ear, "Besides, how can I know until I've tested you at everything?"

Karma smiled at her. "I remember that." She looked around the floor and stepped closer to her. "Are you enjoying the party, or is your smile ready to fall off and run away too?" she asked. She looked around. She had to distract herself from the smell of werewolf that was overpowering her from the girl next to her. "I think my chaparone has disappeared, let's go find some fun, what do you say?"

Grinning at her, Julian ran a finger through Lisette's dark hair, "Maybe you've finally met your match, Lissy. It's been a long time coming,"

Raising an eyebrow at her, his grin broadened, "Well then, we'll have to find out, won't we?"

Tre walked into the giant house, following behind the Popovs. He hadn't been spotted yet, but that was probably for the best, seeing as the last few witnesses for the Popov's weakly fight had been left in a ditch somewhere.

He nodded respectively at Papa and went to follow Iva and Pieter. He slung an arm over each of them, smiling. "Hey there, Popovs." He said with an infectious grin. "How are you feeling on this glorious day?"

Ondrea gave a faint snort, then murmured back, "My parents drag me to dozens of these. I think this might be the worst one yet." Her eyes also swept the room, their color a medium brown rather than their natural dark.

"I could do with some fun," Ondrea agreed with a smirk. "Otherwise, I'm liable to go nuts."

"It's funny how aristocratic parents always seem to be the worst, no? I wish mine actually listened to a word I said, instead of thrusting their "perfect son" into the faces of all their coworkers."

What had her father said to her? He looked across the room at the man, instantly disliking the look of him. How dare he say anything to Faye that could hurt her. He looked at the girl, forcing out a smile in the midst of all his negative emotions, "But this is a party, is it not? Tonight, we cast away all our problems!"

This, of course, was much easier said than done.

Karma grinned as her eyes landed on a great target. "Popovs." She said happily. Looking around once more for Jet, she was surprised to find him already talking to them. "Come on Drea. We've got to move before my loser of a chaperon ruins all the fun."

Jet spotted the Popovs and grinned, making his way through the crowd and leaving Karma behind. She could go without killing someone for a few minutes couldn't she?

"Hey there, Songbird, Piete." he took Iva's hand and kissed it sweetly, almost immediately after slipping her some hand sanatizer through their hands.

He held out his hand for the other kid. "Hi. I'm Jet. Jet Zambini."

Ondrea followed Karma's gaze. Jet Zambini. The pretty boy. Actually, pretty enough perhaps...

"I could take him," she remarked, "if it became necessary, of course."

She clapped her hands together. "Right, then. Let's do this."

A chill ran up the girl's spine, and a dazed expression came across her face "It certainly has." She mentally shook herself, Well, he's certainly able in the romance department... Maybe he was perfect, but she wasn't about to lose her wits.

Lisette smiled, "You know, we haven't even started dancing yet. I'm beginning to doubt your claim."

Karma waltzed up to them, slipping in front of Jet and bumping him backwards with a quick hip check. "You guys! I missed you!" she hugged Iva, then Pieman. "Where have you been?!" She leveled Iva with a glare. "What have I told you about disappearing after we party? That happens entirely too often."

She dragged Drea over to them, Jet completely forgotten behind her. "Ignore the chaperon. Let's sneak off and just, you know... this is a big house." She smiled widely.

Iva and Pieter glanced at each other uncomfortably as Tre hugged them. THe Russians gave the same sarcastic smile to the boy, pulling away.

"JUst super," Pieter chimed in, "Absolutely super,"

Iva was about to reply when Jet came over. She greeted him softly, letting him kiss her hand. Her father was watching contently; she couldn't say no.

"Hey, Jet," she greeted, giving Tre the cold shoulder. She pulled away as Karma headed over. Pieter started heading in the opposite direction, uncomfortable.

"I have classes when I am at home," she explained, "Home education, languages, and so forth,"

Smirking at Lisette's expression, his blue eyes flashed with - something, it was usually rather hard to tell what was running through Julian's head, and tonight was, well different than most parties. So far, it was shaping up to be better. So, so much better.

Right now, he didn't even care how much trouble he'd be in when he got home. He'd just live in the moment.

Gripping her hands in his, he raised a sly eyebrow in response. Twirled her around, he grinned, "Still doubting my claim?"

Ondrea allowed Karma to drag her along behind her. Oddly enough, she was starting to get a bit accustomed to such treatment; seemed there was at least someone at every party dragging her all over the place.

"Hello," she greeted the others. She gave Iva a small smile; she often wondered how the other girl was faring. She thought she might recognize the boy with glasses, and Jet, of course, but the other boy was unfamiliar. And smelled weirder than anything she had encountered as yet.

"Sounds good to me," Ondrea agreed. It was more crowded than she liked, anyway. She never would be one for crowd; especially when they came with so many blasted smells.

Tre smiled at the boy and shook his hand, giving him the noted look of one playboy to another. He greeted the girl too, smirking as both he and Jet took one of her hands and kissed it in perfect union. "Hey there." They said in union. They glanced at each other, then turned back to her. They introduced themselves one at a time however.

Tre was distracted by the girl, the other one. The one who'd ignored him and hugged Iva. She was... a Vampire. Just as the one next to him was a werewolf.

"Hold on. Are you Karma Black?" he asked her, taking her hand in his and raising it to his lips. "The Infamously Beautiful Karma?" He winked at her. "I'm Tre. Treshawn Beneparte."

Ondrea raised a brow at the boys. Did they really think that was charming? Yeah. She definitely preferred girls. Now, if that brunette over near the punch were to kiss her hand...

She reclaimed her hands. "Ondrea Montgomery," she returned with a polite smile.

A small laugh escaped her as the weird-smelling one turned to Karma. Merlin, she'd hate to be the last member of such a prestigious family. The worst she ever got was, 'Aren't the Montgomeries... pale, and blond-haired?' Fame, Ondrea did not want. Not at all.

Lisette noticed how her dress twirled as she spun, grateful that she chose a something with a slightly loose skirt. She laughed and brushed her hair out of her face, "Only a little bit. You should know better than anyone that I take quite a bit of convincing."

She bit her lip coyly, "But I do have to admit that you're good."

Karma raised an unimpressed eyebrow at the boy. "You'll have to do better than that." She said dismissively. "But yes, I am Karma Black." She looked him up and down. She was always appreciative of a good male specimen, and this guy had one. But he was sooo not her type. She stepped closer to him, taking a deep breath through her nose and standing on her tip toes to bring their lips millimeters away from each other. "Aw... you're too nice for me."

She stepped away, giving Iva a look that obviously said who invited the Angel?

Roman thought he saw someone familiar near the entrance. He ignored it for a minute or so, then was forced to look over out of curiosity. Oh no. This could not be happening. He smiled at Faye and Aquila, "Sorry, guys. I have to go take care of something. Y'know, the pleasures of being a host, and all."

He walked towards the entrance, having to occasionally duck around servants and guests alike. The two men from before showed up again, apparently a little tipsy, and he almost ran between them to avoid having another time-wasting conversation.

Finally, he made it to where the group was assembled. The only people he recognized were Karma and Pieter. There was a girl there who was obviously Pieter's sister, Iva. His parents had drilled him on the names of all the Popovs, since they were determined to become acquainted with such a powerful family. His mother nearly fainted when he mentioned Pieter earlier.

Roman was about to threaten Karma to leave, but he spotted his father not too far away, and so he put on a friendly smile, knowing how severely he would be punished if he were caught kicking someone out, especially someone who was friends with the Popov's "Such a pleasure to see all of you made it. Karma, I didn't know you were coming. I had no idea my parents knew you. What a surprise!" He had hoped she would pick up the tiny hint and have the grace to leave, but he knew better.

Karma turned to Roman with a happy smile. "Funny story, I didn't plan to come at all, but this loser." She smiled lovingly at Jet. "Forced me. Being the last of the line of Regulus Black gets you into most pureblood parties." She smiled. "If I could leave, I would." She mumbled under her breath so only he could hear, wrapping Roman in a hug. "But I have family obligations to uphold too."

She stepped away from him. "How are you, Roman-the-German?"

Ondrea eyed the newcomer momentarily, quite certain he was the progeny of the hosts - which he confirmed by making pleasantries a moment later. Apparently, he didn't care for Karma, that much.

Ondrea couldn't help it. She laughed.

"You sound - and look, for that matter - like someone is ripping your toenails off," she stated once Karma was done speaking.

Kassidy sighed as she looked around. She didn't even know why she even bothered to come, it wasn't like she was enjoying herself. And it looked like the only person who came up and talked to her was gone. If only there was a way to make time go faster.

She then remembered why she hated this parties, Kass always found the borning.