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“You left the team?” I asked.
“Middle of sophomore year I… focused all my time and attention on my studies. I didn’t see a future in the sport, so… I… started planning for my future as a professor. Hopefully, maybe, someday… here at the academy.” He shrugged.
“Ew.” Maxine didn’t have food in front of her so we could all assume she was tasting the undesired image of him teaching here. “No. You should start a security company or something. You are way too talented to be wasting away as a teacher.”
“I don’t think it’s a waste.” I gulped and put my hand on his arm, defensively. “In fact. I always knew I would be a teacher. I just… never considered it might be someplace like this. You take it for granted because you live in this realm and always have. I… grew up with humans for the most part and… I love it here.”
Maxine made the same face and mouthed the same word at me. Then she giggled and I shook my head. Yeah, she was probably the daughter my father always wanted. My whole family probably wanted a diva like that ready to… take over something. Her business mind made me wonder, “What do you plan to do after college?”
Her answer was so immediate it seemed rehearsed. “Take over the family business.”
They brought our food and Maxine had another pint with that salad. That’s when things got interesting. To no one and everyone, in the middle of a calm and normal conversation about professors and courses, Maxine Mayhem said, “I don’t want to run a business. I want… babies.”
The blue man next to her choked a bit. He shook his head and got up from the table. “I’ll put this on my tab. Nice to actually meet you, Eleanor. Braz.” He looked at the beautiful, sad, drunk blonde and said, “Max”
That had her head and lips lifting as she smiled up at him. Then her face contorted a bit and she said as he walked away, “Am I drunk?”
Braz nodded and looked over at me. “Oh she is pissed all right. Come on. I’ll get you both back safely.”
I wanted to strangle her for having that second pint. One was enough to make me tipsy. Three was like water to the monsters. Braz had only had two and a half.
Once we were at the school, I felt torn. One part of me wanted to be a friend for the first time in my life and help Maxine up the flights of stairs to our room. Or the bathroom. Either one. The other part of me wanted more time with Braz.
He must have read my dilemma because he leaned over and whispered, “Open your window when you get in. I’ll meet you there.”
“Bu—” He winked and I understood immediately. He could fly. I nodded and put my arm around my friend’s shoulder as I guided her to our dorm room. I had a friend. A really strange, yet wonderful friend.
“I just want to live by the ocean, have a bunch of babies, and be a mom. I never really had a mom. I had two high powered executives who gave me everything I ever wanted, except their time.” A big, fat tear slipped down her cheek. My father may have business expectations for me, but he did spend time with me. My mother had me at her side in the office and always took me to and picked me up from school.
“I’m sorry.” I understood now why she was always looking at the closet where the communication ball was. My parents were messed up, but hers hadn’t sent a crystal ball to talk to her, see how her day was going, how the first week of school or the second had gone. “Parents just suck sometimes.”
She sniffed and said, “Don’t tell anyone I—”
“Never.” I shook my head. “You can trust me.”
I wasn’t sure if I could trust her, but I felt confident she could trust me. I asked, “Do you need Case? The bathroom?”
She shook her head and got into bed. I pulled her shoes off and put them on the floor next to her bed. I covered her with the soft blanket that hung over the foot of her bed and said, “I’ll check on you in a bit.”
I opened our window and then moved her empty trash bin from under her desk next to her bed, just in case she needed that.
I heard a masculine whisper, “She okay?”
I jolted, but should have expected him since I literally just opened the window for him. I let out the startled breath and smiled at his handsome face. His horns were up one moment and then curling again. I walked to the window and propped my elbow on the ledge and asked, “Why are they doing that?”
He cleared his throat and said, “Do you want to go for a walk?”
I nodded, looked at the door. “I can—”
He reached for me through the window. “Come on out.”
I looked down. Huge mistake. “Uhhhhh.”
“Trust me. I’ve already flown you way farther than from your window to the ground.” He tugged and my pulse began racing with anticipation, fear, excitement. I pushed up and felt more awkward and clumsy than ever before in my life as I made my way to sit on the window ledge. Once I was facing him, legs dangling, he smiled brightly and said, “You ready?”
Hell no. “Of course I am.”
CHAPTER12
