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“Second semester,” she says. “You all have two left to figure out how to be functional adults before they let you work in our world. Don’t expect this semester to be easy.”
I don’t think last semester was exactly easy but I have a feeling she doesn’t actually know what that word means.
She walks to the center row of desks and points to each student in turn. “First person in each row, turn around and look at the person behind you. Third person look at the person behind you.”
Liam turns and looks at me, a triumphant look on his face. My stomach twists. Whatever is coming, I have a feeling it’s not good for me.
“Congratulations, you’re looking at your lab partner for the next four months,” Professor Lee says.
My face heats. Liam and I already had a complicated relationship. Add in the fact that his dad wants me to be his new step-mom or something like that, and it’s even worse.
“Hey, partner,” he says.
“You knew, didn’t you?” I ask.
He shrugs. “I had a feeling.”
“Why?” I asked.
“I owe you for what you did to me last semester,” he says.
“I didn’t have a choice,” I say.
“And you still haven’t told anyone,” he says.
“And I won’t,” I say.
“But you know,” he says.
“But you know I won’t tell,” I say.
“Maybe that’s why I want to be your partner,” he says.
“You’re confusing, you know that?” I ask.
He grins. “Thanks.” Then he turns back to the front of the room.
To be honest, the two of us did work well together on our project for history last semester. But this was different. We would be dealing with spells and potions and things that were far more dangerous.
Plus, I didn’t have to turn around to know that Tasha was glaring daggers at me. Being partners with Liam was putting another target on my back. Like I needed any more help with that.
“First test starts now,” Professor Lee says.
A murmur rises in the room and my eyes widen. “Test?”
“Test,” she says. “Day one. I told you. Second semester isn’t easy. If you survive this semester and make it to the third semester, you’ll need to be prepared for the difficulties you’ll face.”
If I hadn’t already been set on earning that pass, her words would have pushed me there. But I know it’s going to be harder this time to keep my spot. And I’m going to have to outshine everyone despite my lack of training. It seems impossible.
“There’s a reset potion hidden on campus somewhere,” she says. “If you find it you can either use it or dump it. Whoever finds it first gets to make the choice.”
“What’s a reset potion?” I ask quietly.
Liam turns around. “It’ll reset the leader board. If someone uses it, we’re all at zero. We start over. If we destroy it, we keep our places and the points we’ve already earned.”
My chest tightens. I’ve worked too hard to lose the points I’ve earned. But then again, if we all reset at zero, maybe the pressure will lessen and I can climb again with less notice.
Either way, I’m screwed but losing the points is probably more of a risk since I need to get enough to keep my place with a failing final grade.
