“Deal.” He stands up, wringing his hands. “I’ll make it airtight by tomorrow morning.”
“But you don’t even know what my idea is.”
“I imagine it has something to do with the Peace Corps acceptance letter that’s lying on your desk?” He looks at me expectantly.
Completely caught off guard, I struggle to find words. I hadn’t expected him to glean any valuable information while he was snooping around my room. It seems I underestimated him. “How could you possibly know that’s what I was thinking?”
“Because it’s what I would be thinking, if I were you.” He runs his hands along his shirt, straightening out the wrinkles, before slipping his fancy jacket back on. “It’s a good plan. I’ll get the details taken care of while you’re packing and saying your goodbyes.”
My chest tightens. “How long do I have?”
“Will two days be enough?”
“Two days?”I screech, then cover my mouth. “Shit.”
“Don’t worry. I sound shielded your room the first time you started shouting.”
“You what?”
Dusk shrugs off my question, choosing to make a show out of looking around my room. “You have a lot of things here that you don’t actually need to bring with you. It’ll be easy for us to get you new clothes and amenities once we’re there. Stick to the things you don’t want to live without, and it shouldn’t take you too long.”
I’m baffled by his nonchalance. “This is just…bonkers.”
“Bonkers?” His head tilts to the side as he eyes me.
“Crazy, improbable, mind-blowing?—”
“Yes, yes. It’s so very hard to believe. I know.” The angel sighs in a way that declares I’m a silly, feeble-minded subspecies. “You’ll get used to it. We leave Friday morning at first light. I’ll text you the details before then.”
“You have a cellphone?”
He snorts. “Yes, I maintain most human pretenses.”
I hear my phone buzz from its place on my desk, and Dusk nods his head in its direction. Curious, I back up to check the notification—a text.
Unknown
Now you can always reach me.
He didn’t even get out a phone to text me. “How did you do that?”
“Parlor trick.” As if to prove his point, he waves his fingers in the air, allowing a few sparks to jump between them.
I stare at him in silence, long after his hand has returned to its normal, non-magical state at his side. “…Okay.”
“I’m going to go now.”
“That’s probably for the best.”
“Try not to forget I’m real this time.”
“No promises.”
“Kae.” His features flatten, suddenly serious.
I scowl back at him. “Fine. I’lltry.”
“Good.”
