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“Reditio,” she breathes, already halfway out of her chair, her slender fingers grasping my bicep with her vise-like grip.
She pulls me out of my chair, doing her best to seem as though it’s merely a friendly gesture, and wraps her arm around mine as if we’re just two best friends enjoying our walk back to our rooms after class. I frown at the foreign gesture, wishing she hadn’t pulled me along like that but it would be too obvious if I push away now.
I keep focused on the path in front of me and my face stern, not wanting anyone to stop us for a random chat right now.
Harper weaves around the other students, keeping me firmly at her side as we slip out through the door and into the hallway. I take a deep breath, the air seeming easier to gulp down now that we’re free from the confines of the classroom. My anxiety ebbs slowly with each step we take down the hall—that is until a tall figure appears on my other side in a flash. My heart jolts at his sudden appearance but he cuts in before I can even manage to scold him.
“What’s going on, Aria?” he whispers, his eyes shining with concern.
“Get the hell away from us,” Harper hisses, glancing around us nervously as Denver’s presence draws a few curious looks.
“But—”
“You need to go,” I whisper, my words firm yet nearly silent so as to not draw any more attention. I pointedly look around us, drawing his attention to stares he’s garnering.
“Fine,” he breathes, holding my gaze for a moment as though in a silent promise that this conversation is far from over, before he slows his pace to finally fall out of step with us.
Harper lets my arm drop without missing a step, clearly realizing that may be drawing just as much scrutiny as Denver walking at our side. We meld into the crowd of students around us, thankfully losing the notice of the nosy ones. I’d have half a mind to glare and hiss at them if I wasn’t trying to keep a lid on the emotions swirling around me like a tornado. We stride out into the main entrance and follow the line of students already climbing the stone stairs to the residences.
Although my room is on the second floor, it seems to take an eternity to get there following behind the leisurely pace of the others in front of us. At least it’s stopping us from sprinting up the stairs and drawing even more unwanted attention.
Some of the tension eases from my chest as we reach the landing for the second floor and we shuffle off to the side, the glorious relief of the privacy of my bedroom calling to me like a sweet melody. I force myself to keep a casual pace, my lips straining into a half-hearted smile as we pass a few of my floor-mates.
My anxiety ratchets as we reach my door and I pull it open, a new realization sparking my nerves. I was so preoccupied in getting out of the class and back to my room, I hadn’t thought about the interrogation I’m about to get from Harper. She’s been keeping her cool while in front of others, but I know that won’t last for long as soon as that door closes behind us. There goes keeping this to myself I guess.
As I predicted, the moment I close the door behind us and turn to face my best friend she narrows an incredulous look at me, seemingly already guessing that I’ve been keeping something from her.
“What the hell was that?” she exclaims. Indecision wars on her face as though she’s torn between going on a rampage to kill whoever made me react like that or unleashing her fury on me for daring to keep a secret from her.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lie, kicking off my heels and strolling towards the bathroom. Maybe I can collect myself with a moment alone and keep this to myself for a little bit longer?
“Aria Hart,” she snaps, freezing me in my tracks. “You might be my coven leader but you’re also my best friend. Tell me what the hell had you so freaked out in class so I can go murder them for you.”
My shoulders slump in defeat and I turn to face her, ready to spill the entire story when a knock on the door freezes me.
“Open up,” Carter says from the other side of the door, sharply knocking again.
I rush back to the door and swing it open just as his fist is about to rap on the wood again and duck out of the way as his knuckles swing for the space my face was in just a second before.
“Get in,” I hiss, my relief turning to annoyance. His eyes widen a fraction but he doesn’t say another word as he steps inside.
“What’s going on?” Carter asks the moment I shut the door behind him with a click.
“She was just about to tell me before you stuck your big nose in here,” Harper grumbles, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring daggers at my brother.
“How do you even know anything’s going on?” I huff, scrubbing a hand over my face in frustration. Does word really travel that quickly around here?
“I saw you two heading straight upstairs like you were on some kind of mission,” he snaps, glaring back at Harper. “I know you usually have resting bitch faces, but this was on another level.”
“Okay let’s lower the voices,” I urge. “I’ll tell you both what’s going on, but it has to stay within the circle.”
I give Carter a pointed look since he’s usually the one out of the three of us with the loosest lips. Harper chokes back her laugh as she too turns to Carter.
“Obviously,” he huffs, giving us both an incredulous glare.
“Then you both should take a seat,” I say, gesturing to the small loveseat on the one side of the room, while I perch on the edge of my bed.
They look at one another and the couch, their disgust and outrage mirroring each other as they bristle at having to be so close together. I guess their new agreement didn’t include sharing that small of a space. I’m about to call them both out when they reluctantly drag their feet to their seats. Carter dramatically collapses on the plush leather cushion while Harper slowly lowers herself to the edge, inching as far away from him as possible.
