Connor gets up, looks over Callie’s shoulder at her schedule, then glances at Gina who I’m pretty sure never stopped scowling at us from across the room.
“We’ll walk you,” he offers, his voice low and soft. A wise decision that I was about to suggest myself.
She looks startled then offers a peek of a smile, tucking her hair behind her ears. “Thanks.”
Connor nods, picks up Callie’s bag, and hooks it over his shoulder, then patiently waits for Callie to move ahead of him.
We file out of class and head downstairs and toward the south side of the building. Fortunately, the art classrooms aren’t too far from the garage that Connor and I have our next class in.
Connor and I have positioned Callie between us with her arm looped through mine. Unlike earlier, I don’t have to deal with random brushes of people, because they’re too busy leaping out of the way of Connor. He can do a hell of lot of damage if he wanted to, so they’re not wrong to want to stay on his good side, but he wouldn’t be a dick just because someone bumped into him. Ah well. I’m enjoying the space to breathe.
When we reach the door of her classroom, Callie retrieves her backpack from Connor and thanks us again before making her way inside. Surprisingly, this will be her first class of the day one of us isn’t in. I half expect Felix to pop up out of nowhere so she isn’t alone, but he disappeared after lunch. Not unexpected considering everything that happened.
I sigh and walk with Connor towards auto shop. Damn it, I really like hanging out with Callie, and I pray it doesn’t bite me in the ass.
I take a deep breath and glance up at my friend. “What did you mean by different?” I ask him seriously.
He looks down at me with one raised brow.
Okay, I deserved that.Connor wasn’t intentionally being obtuse with Callie.
“Leaking magic means something, right?” I continue, trying to puzzle out how to ask the right questions. “So what do you think power wise? Compared to Gina?”
“Don’t know,” he huffs, shrugging his shoulders. “Just different.”
I groan, scrubbing at my face. “That’s what worries me.”
Connor rests his big hand on my shoulder, stopping us in the middle of the hall. We’re like a giant rock in a river, students splitting in wide berths around us.
He waits until I look up, meets my gaze, and says, “We’ll figure it out.”
I nod in understanding, and we go back to walking towards class. Despite his promise, I still have a sinking feeling in my stomach.
∞∞∞
I’m leaning against a wall in front of the school, dicking around with an app on my phone, when Callie strides breathless through the front double doors.
“Sorry for keeping you waiting,” she puffs, walking up to me. “When I got my books, I had to track down my locker. Didn’t really feel like carrying seven books around when I only needed two.”
“It’s fine,” I tell her, getting up from the wall. I sling my messenger bag over my shoulder and motion towards the parking lot. “Shall we?”
She nods, tugging on the sleeves of her red hoodie. Quietly, we walk to my car, her short legs having to take extra steps to catch up with mine. She’s so freaking tiny, I wonder how long it will take before we’re picking her up and carrying her everywhere. I smirk over the thought of her inevitable grumbling expression.
The sun is once again back in full force, and the world looks rich in color. There’s still a dampness to the air that smells of earth and green things. Unsurprisingly, the parking lot is pretty much empty, and the aged asphalt is mostly dry with patches of puddles scattered about.
“Where’s everyone else?” Callie asks as we approach my car. She pulls her hair out from under her sweater and splits it over her shoulders.
“They went on ahead. Alicia makes a mean spread for us after school,” I answer, pulling my keys from my bag and hitting the key fob to unlock my car.
She’s a stunning gunmetal grey, 2017 Audi R8 with a V10+ automatic manual transmission. This beauty sticks to the road like no other, and it’s a damn shame I have to put all purpose tires on her. She deserves a set of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup, but street racing tires and rain don’t really mix.
“Alicia?” Callie inquires, eyeballing my car.
“Our chef,” I reply, walking to the passenger side to open the door for her. “She comes over and preps meals for us during the week.”
“Uh huh,” she mumbles, cautiously sliding into one of the black, bucket seats and putting her backpack between her legs.
I close the door behind her and with a few long strides, I’m on the driver’s side getting in. I throw my bag behind my seat, pull on my seatbelt and press the button for the starter. Out pours the throaty growl of 610 horsepower. Damn, this car is sexy.
