by ERIN BEDFORD
Blushing to my roots, I collapsed onto my bed. "Don't you have class to get to?"
Chapter 11
“Are you going to ask her?” I shoved a French fry into my mouth and pointed another one at Trina. “Valentine’s day is next week.”
Trina stuck her fork in the salad on her plate, not taking a bite as she scowled. “I don’t know. Libby and I haven’t gotten past the flirting stage yet. I’m not sure we’re ready for a Valentine’s Day date.” She glanced over toward the table that held her current crush, Libby Moreling. Libby sat snuggly between her best friends, Monica Magenski and Sabrina Craftsman. While Sabrina might be a complete horror, Monica had proven to be pretty nice, Libby too though she wasn’t very bright.
“What happened?” I swirled my French fry in some ketchup. “I thought you were going to ask her out at Halloween?”
“No.” Shoulders sagging, Trina picked up a cherry tomato and popped it into her mouth. She looked like a chipmunk with the tomato sitting in her cheek, and she bit down onto it with an annoyed expression, like it was the tomato’s fault she chickened out.
“Why not?”
Her lips twisted into a grimace, she muttered, “Not the right moment.”
“What, the aftermath of Sabrina’s meltdown not romantic enough?” I sniffed, cracking a smile. “I would think that would be the perfect moment. You would have become her knight, or rather witch, in shining armor.”
“Yeah, right. She was too worried about Sabrina getting hurt to pay me any mind.” She stabbed at the lettuce on her plate, grumbling under her breath and shooting pitiful looks in Libby’s direction.
I hated to see her like this. Trina was great and attractive too – you know for a female. Boobs weren’t really my thing. She was the best roommate I’d ever had. Always good for a late-night snack run. If that wasn’t a good trait for a girlfriend, I didn’t know what was?
“Well, it’s her loss, but I still think you should ask.” I saw Aidan out of the corner of my eye, and half stood to wave him over. To Trina, I said, “You never know.”
“Hello.” Aidan nodded to Trina and then sat beside me, his bulky form forcing his arms to brush against me. A pleasant tingle formed where our skin touched, but I pushed it off.
“Get a vision of me craving fries?” I smirked at him waving a fry in his face.
Aidan's eyes narrowed. “I do eat.”
Flushing at his intense gaze, I stared down at my plate. “Oh. Sorry.”
“However, I did glimpse ahead to make sure you would be here.”
Looking up from my plate, I crinkled my nose at his self-satisfied grin – a mere twitch of the lips really – before launching a fry at his face. Of course, Aidan opened his mouth and caught the fry, chewing it with a smirk.
“So, did you want something, or did you just want to make googly eyes at my girl?” Trina mocked, something that few people would dare.
Aidan didn't bother to answer her before getting up and heading to the cafeteria line.
“Well, isn't he delightful?” Trina mused, shoving a forkful of salad into her mouth. In between chewing, she pointed her fork at me. “You know if you’re going to start collecting strays you could at least get some with some real talents.”
“I'm not collecting strays,” I scoffed at her crossing my arms over my chest. “And besides, plenty of them have great skills.”
Trina arched a dark brow. “Like what, besides having hot bods? You can't spend all day getting your freak on. Not that I’m against sexathons, but come on, there's got to be more to a relationship.”
I sputtered in my drink and glared at her. “I'm not having a sexathon. I haven't done it with any of them yet.”
“Really? That's really too bad. If people were going to talk shit about me, I’d at least want some of that shit to be true. You know, the good parts.” She wiggled her brows at me suggestively and frowned. “But for not even one part of it to be true? That's just sad.”
I snorted. “Well, if someone hadn't interrupted us, I'd have at least gotten—"
“Gotten what?”
I choked on my words and blushed red at Aidan's question. I didn't even hear him return. How a guy that big could be that quiet took some mad skills.
“Gotten a good grade on that assignment,” I quickly spat out and then started to Trina for confirmation who looked way too amused. “Isn't that right?”
Trina nodded, her afro bobbing with the movement. “Oh yeah, Max is all about getting it good.”
Glowering at my now ex-friend, I stood up. “I hate to cut this short, but I have class.” To Aidan, I offered a small smile. “Catch you next time?”
With a wink that surprised me, Aidan said, “I'll be seeing you.”
Shaking my head as I chortled, I made my way out of the cafeteria and headed toward my next class. Potions.
So far, the class hadn’t been too bad. I was far from a master at it, but I hadn't blown anyone up yet. Today, however, we were choosing our projects for our final exam. There was a mixture of different ones I could end up getting, all of which could be difficult on their own out of a classroom setting.
Ones I'd heard could be assigned were things like the draught of death. It could put its drinker into a death-like sleep, but Lady’s Luck was what I hoped to get. Not only because it had a short ingredient list but because I could use a bit of luck on my side. Unfortunately, it was one of the harder ones to brew.
Many of the females in the class wanted things like a love potion, which really wasn't real love but obsession or lust. I so didn't need any more of that in my life. I had a hard enough time juggling the ones I had.
When I arrived at the classroom, I was happy to see I was one of the first ones there. Our professor, Alice Bromwick, nodded at me in greeting before going back to whatever she was working on at her station. As far as teachers went, she was nice, if a bit odd, way better than last semester's professor. At least, Professor Bromwick kept her feet on the ground when she taught.
I sat my bag on the table I’d taken to sit at. The table was not quite so far up front that I had the professor’s attention but not so far back that I seemed like a slacker. A happy middle ground. Somewhere I hoped I'd find between my witch and human life.
My magical life, whether I wanted it to or not, seemed to have taken over the majority of my time. I rarely could do any normal human girl things anymore. Everything was magic this and spells that, and don't make friends with humans or they’ll find out!
Little late for that.
As if knowing I was thinking of her, my phone buzzed.
Callie: Man, can this class get any lamer. Business 101 what a snooze fest.
Me: LOL. I feel ya.
Callie: What fun magical things are you doing? Any wand measuring?
I blushed at Callie's question and started to type out a reply when my phone was ripped out of my hands.
“Oh, what have we here?” Sabrina held my phone up high as she walked back to the last table where she and Monica usually sat.
“Give it back, Sabrina,” I bit out, my hand going to the necklace.
“Or what? You'll sic me on another student?” she sneered.
At the reminder of what happened last time I made a wish, I released the necklace. I started to think of some argument or comeback, but before I could let it out, my phone floated out of Sabrina’s hands and back into mine.
“Now, that's enough of that. Unless you’d like me to make this a partnered assignment?” Sabrina and I gaped at Professor Bromwick before shaking our heads. “Good, then I suggest you take your seats, so we can begin.”
Sabrina shot me the evil eye but went to her seat. Monica, who had already taken hers, gave me a small wave when Sabrina wasn’t looking. Why she was still friends with her was a mystery to me. Sabrina was the ultimate mean girl. She'd say nice things to your face and nasty ones behind your back. Sometimes she wasn’t even that nice and would just say the mean crap to your face.
I learned from
Monica that she not only terrorized everyone around her but her friends as well. When Monica wanted to major in Potions, she was told she couldn't because Paul, Sabrina's ex, was majoring in Potions. A shit reason to kill someone's dreams but then again Monica let her do it. I couldn't help stupid.
“So, as you all know today, we will decide on your class project.” Professor Bromwick stood at the head of the class, her hands behind her back. Her eagle-like eyes scanned the room for anyone not paying attention, not that anyone would dare. No one wanted to repeat her class.
The classroom door opened loudly, and everyone's eyes turned to it. Trina froze in the doorway and then ducked her head in shame as she hurried over to take the seat next to me.
“What'd I miss?” she whispered.
“Just Sabrina’s bs.”
Professor Bromwick cleared her throat, and Trina and I clammed up with equal looks of contrition on our faces.
“This assignment counts for sixty percent of your overall grade, so it is safe to say if you mess this up there's no helping you.” Professor Bromwick's gaze scanned the room.
A guy in the front raised his hand with a doofus grin on his face.
“Yes?”
“So, what you’re saying is we can pretty much ignore all the homework and only do this assignment and still pass?” All eyes turned from the guy to Professor Bromwick.
Trina stifled a giggle next to me.
Sighing with clear disdain, the professor fluffed the collar of her maroon button-down shirt before answering. “Yes. You could say that.”
“Awesome.” The guy in front grinned and slapped hand with his buddies.
“However,” the sharp tone to Professor Bromwick’s voice pulled all of our attention, “anyone who thinks they can go through life with a half-ass understanding of potions is a walking accident waiting to happen.” Her eyes zeroed in on the guy in front who had stopped laughing. “I would think hard on skipping the coursework altogether if you value your limbs.”
The guy nodded and swallowed visibly, his friends no longer laughing either. Some people.
“We will be choosing your assignment in the fairest way possible, and to make sure there are no repeats and no chances of copying someone else's work, I have selected the potions.” The papers she had been working on at her desk floated into the air. They ripped themselves into halves and then further down to fourths and then eighths, so there were more than enough papers for each of the fifteen students in our class.
Professor Bromwick picked up a bowl from her table, and the papers promptly flew into it. Holding the bowl up high, she walked by each student, allowing them to take only one. The expressions on the student's faces as they saw their assignment either said they were going to pass or fail this one.
My leg jiggled as I waited for my turn. Trina chewed on her thumbnail, her eyes following our professor around the room. Sabrina squealed with delight, making me jump and whip around to see her. A smug expression covered her face as she settled in her seat. Soon enough it was our turn.
Trina was first. She reached a shaky hand into the bowl and scrambled for a slip. Pulling it out, she unfolded it and sagged with relief in her seat.
Good news, it looked like.
My turn.
Holding my breath, I reached into the bowl and grabbed ahold of one of the ripped-up papers. Pulling it out of the bowl, I brought it down in front of me. I started down at the folded paper not daring to open it yet. My fingers brushed against my necklace as I wished with all my might to get a good one.
“Guardian Light?” I must have been mistaken. This couldn’t be my assignment. This was like Advanced Potions. Not easy at all.
“Oh, man. That blows.” Trina gave me a side hug.
The person in front of me turned in their seat and snorted. “Sucks to be you.”
“Hey, mind your own business.” Trina snapped at them, then turned to me. “Don't listen to them.”
Sighing again, I stared down at my slip of paper. I'd wished for a good assignment. Was the necklace broken?
“As well as making the potion, you will also be required to write a five-page essay about the uses and precautions if it,” Professor Bromwick went on to say as if she didn't realize she had given me something a first year would not know how to do. I stared at my paper until she had dismissed class and approached my table. “Miss Norman? Class has dismissed. Did you have a question?”
Licking my lips, I held up my paper.
She took it from me and read over it before handing it back to me. “Guardian Light?” Even her eyes widened in surprise. “I do not remember placing such a potion in the bowl.”
My head jerked up. “You didn't?”
Lips pressed together tightly, she quipped, “No, but these things are not unheard of. Magic had a way of doing what it wants. Clearly, it feels you would benefit from such a potion.” She tossed the paper back to me where I fluttered down to the tabletop. “The Guardian Light potion creates, for lack of a better word, a sort of guardian angel. It’ll give you warning when you are in danger and, when created properly, can last for several years. It’s a pretty complicated spell with the ability to give you a great advantage. I suggest you not screw it up.”
With those words of encouragement, she stalked back to the front of the room. Well, no one ever said this school would be easy.
Chapter 12
Tapping my pen against my notebook and my leg jiggling beneath the desk in my room, I sighed.
Besides dealing with grade changing projects, I also had the booth for the spring fair. I had no idea how I was going to pull that off. I'd never made a booth before, let alone one for political science.
Sighing again, I laid my head on top of my notebook.
“Well, that sounds like you’ve made great progress.” Trina closed the door behind her. She stood next to me, drying her face and neck off with a towel.
“I know.” I stuck my tongue out at my blank page.
“I thought you were sure you'd figure something out before I got back from my run.”
Yeah, I know. Trina was one of those people, the ‘I love to run for fun’ kind of people. She was lucky that she was my roommate, or I'd have never talked to her.
“Yeah, well, I lied.”
Trina tapped her chin in thought and then a devilish grin curled up her face. “You know who you should ask for help?”
I stared at her suspiciously and then asked, “Who?”
“Well, who do you know that has an exclusive insight into the magical world of politics?”
I winced and raised a brow. “My grandmother?”
Trina made a face. “No way. After the stunt she pulled? I wouldn't suggest asking her if she was the last person on earth.” When I still didn't know what she was talking about, she shook the back of my chair with vigor. “Hello? The Broomsteins! Your boy toys are from one of the major magical families in the whole state!”
“Pfft.” I pushed her away from my chair. “One, they are not my boy toys.”
“Yeah, okay.” Trina rolled her eyes.
“Two, I’m not sure they’d appreciate me using them for my school work.”
Trina winked and parroted back my words from the other day. “Can't hurt to ask.”
Pursing my lips together, I scowled. Then I had an idea. Grinning, I picked up my phone and pointed it at Trina. “I'll ask them to help if you ask Libby out.”
Trina crossed her arms and pouted. “You don't fight fair.”
“Well,” I picked up my amulet and held it up, “I could always use one of my wishes.” Trina gasped and darted toward me, reaching for the necklace.
“Don't you dare!”
Laughing and holding it out of her reach, I exclaimed, “It's for your own good. I’m just thinking of your future.” I rushed away from her to stand on the bed with Trina hot on my heels.
“Well, I can tell you what's not in my future,” Trina growled, her hands up poised and ready to attack. “A blonde-haired witch.
”
“Oh yeah?” I countered, jumping from side to side. “And why's that?”
“Because I’m going to tickle her to death!” She launched herself at me, knocking me on my back and the air whooshed out of me. Then it was a fight for dominance. Trina's fingers found my sides, and I struggled to breathe through my laughter, all while holding onto the necklace.
“Do you give up?”
“Never!” I shouted at her through chuckles. A throat clearing interrupted our fight, and we both sat up.
Ian stood in our doorway his hands tucked in his pockets, a mischievous glint in his eyes. I shoved Trina off me, quickly adjusting my hair out of my face which was quickly turning red from pure mortification.
“I knocked but then I heard the yelling and thought someone might need help, but I can see I overreacted.” His grinned so broadly my heart skipped a beat.
“Why, look who it is?” Trina gave me a sly grin before sliding off the bed and walking toward Ian. “We were just talking about you.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, Ian smirked. “All good, I hope?”
“Of course!” I rushed to answer, jumping to my feet before Trina could say otherwise. Twisting my hands behind my back, I shyly glanced up at Ian. “I’m surprised to see you. You haven't been around lately.” I tucked my hair behind my ear and dipped my eyes down to the ground. “I thought maybe you saw the—"
“The craziness Sabrina started?” Ian offered, coming closer to me. His fingers tipped my chin up to meet his swirling brown and green eyes.
“Yeah,” I breathed, the room suddenly feeling stifling.
“It'll take a lot more than that to get rid of me.” Ian leaned forward and brushed his lips against mine, sending a thrilling zing down my body and out my toes.
“Wow, is it hot in here or just me?” Trina announced, waving her hand at her face.
Flushing brightly, I stepped away from Ian and his tempting lips. If Ian was bothered, he didn’t show it.
Trina shifted from side to side and then turned and grabbed her toiletry bag. “Well, I'm going to go grab a shower then head to the library. I have an essay on the uses of dried newt versus fresh due on Monday.” Grinning, she headed for the door. Before she left, she winked. “Don't do anything I wouldn’t do!”