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She laughed. “Yep.”
“Okay then.”
She cradled her cup in both hands, staring intently at the coffee. Her hands glowed a fierce, bright red. I could feel the heat radiating from them, warming my cheeks and forehead. The liquid began bubbling, wisping coffee vapors into the air. Breathing them in, she sipped and giggled. “I don’t like lukewarm coffee.”
“Wow, that’s very, very cool. But doesn’t it—no, forget it, doesn’t matter.”
“Oh please, go on. You won’t offend me.”
“Well, that doesn’t hurt? Or feel weird at all?”
She shook her head. “Nope, just feels as normal as breathing. There is magic that can hurt though. It can drain you, cause pain, but I’m talking mega efforts and spells that take huge energy and focus.” Nodding at the cup, she smirked, saying, “I could do that a million times over without blinking.”
I couldn’t imagine having such power, literally at my fingertips. I was extremely glad Vesta was friendly. Her eyes, her vibe, held a genuine kindness. Kind of like Jax.
“So, what do you think of NLU then?” she asked.
“It’s more than a little strange, being the only human student, but I’m adjusting. It’s tough seeing everyone in their different groups, you know, when I’m always on my own.”
Reaching across the table, she squeezed my hand and smiled warmly. “Well, you’ve got a friend now. I definitely think we should hang out.”
I squeezed back. “Really? You’re not worried you’ll get hassle from the other elementals, for hanging out with me?”
She tutted and shrugged. “Probably, but they can go screw themselves. I’m friends with whoever I like.” She blew a strong exhale, rolling her eyes. “I get so bored with all the divisions, all the pissing contests around here. I refuse to be part of it.”
I liked Vesta. I wished more of the students thought like her. I was so glad we’d bumped into each other.
“So, who hit you?” she asked, her smile reforming into a look of concern. The question took me by surprise.
How on earth did she… “Hit me?”
Nodding, gently chiding, she replied, “Don’t give me that, please. The swelling on your chin, I can sense the heat coming from it, it’s out of balance with the rest of your face. Nothing can hide heat, and the stories it can tell, from a flame child.” She arched an eyebrow. “Least of all makeup.”
“Oh, oh wow. Well, it was nothing…”
“If someone hit you, it’s not nothing. Is someone harassing you? Some idiot humanphobe?”
Shrugging, I glugged a mouthful of froth and coffee. “I don’t think she’s any more humanphobic than most people on campus, but I’m not sure.”
“She? Who isshe?”
I hesitated. I didn’t want to stir up trouble. “I don’t want to cause any problems.”
Vesta nodded, her kind smile returning. “Don’t worry, I get it. I’m not going to do anything. I promise. You can tell me.”
I told her about the self-defense class, about what had happened with Mandy, being tricked into a false sense of security then getting unceremoniously whacked hard in the face.
Upon hearing the names Jax and Mandy, she nodded knowingly. “Ah, Jaxon Hemming, I see. And let me guess, he’s sweet on you, right?”
Well, he’d been super sweet when I was injured, but in a protective way. And yet, maybe he was sweet on me, like I’d been thinking earlier. I felt shy saying it out loud. “Maybe?”
She waved a dismissive backhand. “Of course he is, he’s got good taste.”
“Well, I suppose so.” If he liked me, then yes, why not, he did have good taste.
“The thing about him is, he’s one of the most popular guys on campus, and the Beta of his pack, not to mention the football team’s star quarterback. If you caught his eye, that bitch Mandy would have picked up on it right away. Everyone knows she’s a Luna wannabe.”
It made sense now. “Okay… She was jealous?”
