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16
Raven
Ben still wasn't talkingto me but at least he wasn't pretending I wasn't here. His little nods hurt, though. We'd been at the start of something good, I knew it. That night playing strip poker wasn't an accident. And somehow, I knew he still wanted to get to know me better.
I sure did.
I was pretty sure that if he walked up to me and kissed me, I'd kiss him right back. And we wouldn't stop there.
None of it made sense. He'd been ignoring me for weeks, but I couldn't help but feel like I broke him. Something happened that night with the thief when he saved me. Whatever he was working out needed more time, but I hoped it wasn't much longer.
If not for the distractions of tutoring and researching with Luka, I'd probably be driving Ben crazy with questions. It wasn't like me to let something go this easily, but I somehow knew he needed the time and space. There was a part of me that wanted him to heal, no matter what the cost was to me. We hardly knew each other, but I was pretty sure that I would sacrifice my own happiness if it meant he could recover from whatever he was going through.
I glanced behind me to get another look at him. He was facing the professor, seemingly interested in the lesson. We were still learning about portals, despite the fact that we'd been told to never use them. It seemed like a waste of time to me, but I guess it must be on some supernatural curriculum checklist or something. One of those things they make you learn even if they have zero real life applications. Like existential poetry.
With a sigh, I turned back to the lesson, trying to get anything I could. Nothing stuck. Instead, I doodled flowers and vines all over my notebook till the bell rang.
As usual, Ben was out the door before I even zipped up my backpack. Feeling a bit defeated, I left the classroom. I wanted to catch him to tell him my magic was starting to return, but I knew he'd just avoid me.
I hadn't told anyone yet, but I thought Ben would understand what I was going through. He'd been without his ability to shift for a few days. He knew what it felt like to have your magic stolen.
Soon I'd tell Makayla and Luka. But right now, I was still a little too nervous that the candle had been a fluke.
I walked into Spellcasting, expecting to check in before going to the library but as soon as I saw the familiar faces next to my seat, I realized plans were about to change.
Matt and Zach both wore grins on their identical, handsome faces when they saw me. "Hey little mage," one of them called.
As I got closer, I checked for the freckle. "Hi Zach." Then I turned to the other twin, "hi Matt."
"I told you she can tell us apart," Zach said.
"It's impressive for sure," Matt said.
"Did you miss us terribly?" Zach asked.
"I actually did," I said, feeling a comforting warmth spread through me. I was really, really glad they were back. I didn't realize how much I'd missed them until now. I wondered if it was the bond we'd forged from our magic meld that made me feel that way.
"It seems we missed some action," Matt said, his brow furrowed in concern. "Are you okay?"
"I guess," I said, not really sure how to answer. I'd repeated the story so many times I wasn't in the mood to tell it again. "I'm sorry about your grandfather."
"Great-grandfather," Matt said.
"He was a dick," Zach said.
"He was still family," Matt said.
"Which is why we couldn't get out of the twenty-one days of mourning. I think I'm good with family visits for the next decade or so," Zach said.
"Until parent's weekend," Matt said.
"Shit," Zach said.
"Speaking of parents," I said. "You two want to tell me something?"
Both of them pressed their lips together, obviously aware of what I was asking.
"You'll have to thank your mother for me," I said. "For paying my tuition and all."
