The Party Comes to an End

Kate continued to scold the trio, her voice stern but not unkind. "You guys need to think before you act. We're all friends here, and there's no need for fights to break out."

At first, Lucius, Mark, and Alex were quiet and defensive, their heads hung low as they absorbed Kate's words. But as her lecture went on, they realized she was right. They had let their emotions get the better of them and were responsible for allowing the conflict to escalate.

"We're sorry, Kate," Mark finally said, with Lucius and Alex echoing his apology.

With a sigh, Kate turned her attention to Lucius, who was still reeling from the punch he had received. The area around his eye was already starting to bruise and swell. "Let me take a look at that," she said, concerned.

"I'm alright," Lucius insisted, but Kate was having none of it. She took him by the arm and led him to the kitchen, determined to help him with his injury.

As she rummaged through a first aid kit, Kate gently chastised Lucius. "You really shouldn't get involved in fights, you know." Her tone was softer now, and a faint blush colored her cheeks.

"I know," Lucius admitted, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I guess the alcohol and my emotions got the best of me."

Kate nodded understandingly as she continued to tend to his wound. "So, why did you move here to go to school?" she asked, genuinely curious.

Lucius hesitated for a moment, considering how much he should share. "Well, my parents moved away for work, and I wanted a fresh start. This place seemed as good as any."

Kate smiled softly. "I'm glad you chose our school. I think you'll fit in well here, despite what happened tonight."

Feeling more at ease, Lucius asked Kate a question of his own. "Are your parents going to be mad that you threw this party?"

She chuckled, "Well, they're out of town for the weekend, so they don't know about it. But I'll make sure everything is cleaned up before they get back. I've done this before, so I know how to cover my tracks."

Their conversation flowed naturally, and the two found themselves enjoying each other's company. However, their moment was interrupted when the kitchen door swung open, revealing a beautiful girl with long, wavy blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes. She wore a stylish off-the-shoulder top, paired with high-waisted jeans and ankle boots.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" the girl teased with a mischievous grin, her eyes darting between Kate and Lucius.

Kate rolled her eyes playfully. "Lucius, this is my childhood best friend, Emily. Emily, this is Lucius."

Emily extended her hand to Lucius, who shook it with a smile. "Nice to meet you, Lucius. I've heard a lot about you from Kate here."

Lucius raised an eyebrow, glancing at Kate. "Oh, really?"

Kate blushed, quickly finishing up with Lucius's wound. "Alright, you should be good to go now. Just be more careful next time."

With a final, lingering look, Kate and Emily left Lucius alone in the kitchen. The party's atmosphere had returned to its previous excitement, and Lucius couldn't help but feel a mix of relief and anticipation for what the rest of the night might hold.

The trio gathered in a quiet corner, where they started discussing what had happened and who Ethan was.

"So, guys, who exactly is Ethan?" Lucius asked, still trying to make sense of the earlier altercation.

Mark sighed and began to explain. "Ethan's parents are pretty wealthy. His dad is a well-known politician, and his mom is a successful lawyer. He's used to getting his way, and I guess he doesn't like it when someone new shows up and steals his spotlight."

Alex chimed in, "Yeah, he's been acting like he's the king of the school ever since he got here. He's always trying to stir up drama, and unfortunately, we got caught in it tonight."

Lucius nodded, starting to understand Ethan's motivations. "I see. So, he's just a spoiled rich kid who can't stand someone else getting attention. Honestly, I didn't mean to cause any trouble. I just wanted to have a good time with you guys."

Mark patted Lucius on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it, man. You didn't do anything wrong. It's Ethan who took things too far."

Alex agreed, "We've all had our run-ins with Ethan, but we shouldn't let him ruin our night. We still have plenty of time to enjoy the party."

Lucius smiled, appreciating his friends' support. "You're right. Let's not let him get to us."

With that, the trio tried to get back into the party mood. Although they couldn't completely immerse themselves in the festivities like before, they still managed to have a nice time. They mingled with other students, enjoyed some snacks, and even participated in a couple of games.

As the night wore on, the party started to wind down. People began to say their goodbyes and head home, leaving behind the memories of a night filled with both fun and unexpected drama.