I'M GOOD, I'M GONE ? george weasley

# 011 ━━ jealousy, jealousy

   Without a second thought, Deleine moved to follow them, her jaw set, and Cassia and Indigo quickly fell in step beside her, sensing the shift in her mood. The carefree party vibes were gone; Deleine wasn't about to let this slide.

   The three girls moved over to the couches, where their friends had begun to gather. Deleine wasted no time, her gaze zeroed in on George, who looked up at her immediately, sensing the shift in her demeanor.

   "Get up," she demanded, her voice firm and leaving no room for argument. George, who had been sitting next to Phenix, obeyed instantly, as if on autopilot. There was a tension in the air, a palpable shift that made his actions seem almost instinctual.

   Deleine didn't hesitate to slide into the space he'd vacated, grabbing his wrist and pulling him back down beside her. Her move was deliberate, staking a claim and setting a boundary.

    Kenneth and Fred exchanged a glance, both of them catching the unspoken tension. Lee, meanwhile, couldn't take his eyes off Deleine, watching her intently as if trying to figure out what had set her off.

    Before the boys could react or speculate, Indigo stepped in with a tight, almost too-sweet smile directed at Phenix. She slid into the narrow space between Deleine and Phenix, effectively widening the gap and keeping Deleine from snapping.

   Cassia, ever the diplomat, cleared her throat and took a seat nearby, trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy. But even she could feel the tension radiating from Deleine. Something about Phenix's earlier behavior had lit a fire in her, something deeper than jealousy, more like a protective rage.

   Perhaps it was the firewhisky coursing through her veins, but Deleine felt an intense heat bubbling up inside her, an almost primal urge to lash out.   Fred caught it too, the way Deleine's eyes flickered with something dangerous, the way Indigo kept throwing glances at Phenix, and the look of guilt that flitted across Phenix's face.

   George, however, seemed oblivious, too far gone from the drink to fully grasp the situation. But Fred, always the perceptive one, could see it clear as day. He knew something was brewing, and it was only a matter of time before Deleine decided to let it loose.

   Deleine's hand still rested on George's wrist, her touch gentle despite the simmering anger beneath her skin. George noticed the unusual warmth radiating from her, as though she were a furnace about to burst into flames. He pulled her hand into his, frowning slightly at the heat, but said nothing.

"Cracking party," Lee chimed in, attempting to lighten the mood. Cassia merely nodded, the silence hanging heavy despite his efforts.

"Yeah, totally," Indigo and Phenix echoed in unison, their forced laughter filling the awkward space. Angelina threw a questioning glance at Cassia, who just shrugged in return. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.

Moments later, a few more of the boys' friends gathered around, a fresh bottle of firewhisky on the table as they settled in. The chatter was subdued, a far cry from the earlier lively atmosphere, but it was at least more comfortable than the strained silence that had come before.

"Oi, Phenix!" A girl with a drink in hand called out from the side. "Why'd you and Kenneth go to the Yule Ball together?"

Kenneth looked up, his response quick and casual. "Didn't have a date," he said with a shrug.

"Same here," Phenix added, nodding in agreement.

"But come on, was there someone else you had in mind?" the girl pressed, her tone playful yet probing. "Maybe someone you were too late to ask?" She grinned as a few other girls giggled.