Angela stood in the corner, glaring out at the crowd. Johnny eyed her stormy expression and tense body language. "So, are you having a nice time with the fern?" Johnny ventured, referring to the plant Angela was standing next too.

Angela rolled her eyes. "Yeah, me and the fern over here, we're real close. We're going to elope tonight. His parents wouldn't approve of marriage to a human," she added sarcastically. Angela sighed and shifted her weight, standing up straighter. "You know, I felt sorry for Clara at first, getting sent to Boston by accident and having to stay with people she's never met before. But then it occurred to me...you'd have to be awful stupid to �accidentally' get stuck on a train. It's just not that easy," Angela said dryly.

"Someone's bitter," Johnny observed, running his finger around the rim of his punch glass.

"With good reason!"

"All right, all right. Yes, with good reason," Johnny complied.

"Clara, can I talk to ya?" Jack hissed. Clara turned and glared at Jack. "What is it?" Jack rolled his eyes. Obviously chatting about inane subjects like tennis and and new dresses was more important than anything else. Jack felt stupid and self conscious standing there with Clara hanging off of his arm. But it would be rude to just up and leave and moreover, he knew that Clara would become incredibly upset if he left. Still, he had to get away, before he passed out from boredom or before Angela's evil glare burned a hole through his skull.

"Excuse us," Clara smiled sweetly. She turned at dragged Jack away from the group, leading him to a secluded corner of the ball room. "Now," she said softly, placing her arms around Jack's neck, "what was it you wanted to tell me?" she asked coyly. Jack looked at her with a combination of fascination and disgust. He shook his head, his face hardening.

"What do ya think you're doin'?" he asked abrasively.

"What?" Clara looked at Jack confused.

Jack shook his head sadly. "Get your hands offa me," he muttered, reaching up to remove Clara's grasp around his neck. "Look, I'm sick �a dis! I don't know what chu were thinkin' but I came here ta see Angela. Do ya understand that?" Jack looked at Clara upset and wide-eyed.

"Yeah, I knew you were upset because Angela went to Boston and you missed her. So I thought you could use some cheering up and-"

"Clara, that was way outta line! Ya don't do stuff like that!" Jack sputtered, completely aghast. "Ya knew full well dat I came here to see Angela, and yet ya," Jack shook his head in disgust, "look, I'm sorry but I don't like you that way, all right?" Jack sighed in exasperation and turned and walked away.

"That's it, I can't stand it any longer," Angela grumbled, standing up straight. She and Johnny had been standing in the corner for nearly the entire party. Johnny had attempted to steer the conversation elsewhere, but it hadn't worked very well. Especially after Jack and Clara disappeared from Angela's sight, lost in the crowd. Marching past Johnny, Angela began to cross the huge room, her eyes roving the crowd for any sight of Jack or Clara.

Passing through a pair of double doors into an adjacent room, Angela pushed past several couples until she spotted Clara standing alone in the corner of the room.

"Listen to me," Angela growled, spinning Clara around to face her, "I am getting sick and and tired of you always hanging off of Jack and throwing yourself at him! What are you trying to do?! I don't care if you like him but your behavior is revolting and completely unethical!! You don't try to...to...seduce someone!! You don't do that-it's wrong! Do you understand that?!? And I don't want you to be pulling any of that crap around me; have I made myself clear???"

Clara narrowed her eyes in contempt. "Maybe I'm just showing him a good time, after all, you certainly don't seem to be able to make Jack very happy. He needs a little excitement," she said tauntingly, her voice soft and sweet.