Most of my life, I’ve spent working toward being the best and the brightest. Wren’s the only one who has ever pushed me to do better, be better. Before she started Meadow Ridge, I’d flown to the top with ease, but now I’m constantly working to keep my place, and we won’t even know if I’ve succeeded for a few weeks when we take our first semester finals.
“This movie is shit,” Titus says, still only speaking in German around her, as he drops into the chair on Julez's other side. It earns him a glare from Julez as he snatches the popcorn tub from him, and the rest of us pick seats in the school's theater.
Julian rents it out twice a month for movies; it’s a great way to unwind after a long week and just enjoy the moment, something that Wren seems to be struggling with.
Nolan nearly had to carry her here; she’d been so tied up with her projects and homework that it almost made me feel bad for giving her such a hard time. She has double the classes we all do so that she can make up for the time she missed. I’m half tempted to ask her why she would do that.
I’d thought when she first started that she was skipping things, that her family's money bought her a pass, but now it would appear that while it got her in, it’s not saving her.
I watch as she rubs at her temples and her lips purse in a look of annoyance I’m all too familiar with.
“Your attitude is shit,” she snaps back, and every head turns toward her, eyes wide, mine included. Not only did she clearly understand him, but she responded in German.
I guess I was right in my assumption, but she’d never hinted at understanding, so I’d thought maybe her language of choice was another.
“If you're going to talk shit, at least have the balls to do it to my face.” Wren glares at Titus, and he doesn’t back down; instead, he holds her gaze.
I’d hate to be Julian right now as he sits between them, turning to look from one to the other and back again.
“Clearly I was,” Titus says, sounding unbothered, but I know better. I see the anger burning in his eyes; he’s upset that she got him.
I can’t say I blame him; he’s talked a lot of shit in German the last few weeks, assuming she couldn’t understand him. She let him play himself, and honestly, that’s worse than her doing something because he has nobody to blame but himself.
Wren isn’t someone to be underestimated.
“Well,” Julian claps, the sound echoing around the room and pulling everyone's attention away from what would have been a blowout.
“The movie’s starting.” He points toward the screen, and we all turn to see that it is, in fact, starting.
I run over and flick the lights, annoyed that I have to do things the old-fashioned way because she’s here.
Even if I dropped the rival thing, having a mortal around all the time isn’t my idea of a good time.
I drop back into my chair, a row behind them, and watch as she fiddles with the necklace around her neck. I’ve never seen her without it, not just since she started school here, but ever.
It’s nothing special, just a little glass beaker with black shimmering sand, corked and hanging on a black rope.
It looks like something you would buy from the mall or one of those ‘fairy dust’ necklaces, yet she acts like it’s her most prized possession—well, that and her camera. She always seems to have that with her, too.
We make it through the movie without any more fights, and I’m not sure whether that’s because the movie, despite Titus’s grievances, isn’t bad or because Wren fell asleep halfway through.
“So glad we let her pick,” Titus grumbles when Julian hauls her up into his arms, and we file out back to the dorm for dinner.
Julian ignores him, the smile on his face so big you’d think he won the damn lotto, all because he gets to carry her back to the dorm. Judging from the way Nolan reacted, he’d been itching to do it as well.
If she weren’t mortal, I would worry she spelled them or something, but then again, I’m not sure many are strong enough to spell Julian.
The only person I know of is…
Felix.
We all stop as we reach the doors and find him sitting in the last row, his gaze very clearly on Wren, where she’s tucked against Julian’s chest, fast asleep.
Nolan moves to stand in front of him, blocking her from his gaze, and I don’t know why, but it makes me breathe easier. I don’t like Wren, but Felix, well, there are very few people I would dare wish to catch his attention, my father being one of them.
“What do you want?” Titus asks, stepping toward him, pretty much the only person I’ve ever seen talk to him or dare approach him.
“To watch a movie.” His voice is deep and husky, but calm and even, unlike Titus’s, but the smirk that pulls at his lips tells another story.
