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Indigo
Hey, if I send you an answer key, can you sign up for this game? It’s on qahoot.earth, code is 14157.
Dahlia
Heyyyy Watson. Yeah I can do that but like why?
Indigo
Long story. Trying to prevent a meltdown in one of my classes. Answer key is: CCDABCDDBAA.
Dahlia
Gotcha, on it.
Someone with the username HumanGirlyy joins the game, and I know it’s Dahlia. Quickly, she pushes Wren into second place and Zinnia into third, claiming first by the end.
“Who is human girly?” Zinnia says with a kind of rage I didn’t know was possible. Her vibrant eyes are now violent.
Wren crosses their arms. “I would have won anyway, so just sit down.”
“Anyone want to claim human girly?” I ask the class, but everyone shakes their head no. Perfect, just as I had hoped. “It must’ve been a bot. Sorry, Wren, maybe if you have me next semester.”
“I’m a charms minor, so I think I’ll have you for one class,” they say, running their fingers through their long white strands.
“What did you say?” Zinnia says, and their rivalry is starting to make sense. I don’t think either of them have any other friends, so maybe this is the way they developed a friendship—through competition.
“I’m a charms minor?”
“No, I’m a charms minor,” Zinnia says, as if only one of those can be the truth.
“It’s not mutually exclusive,” I say. “You can both get a minor in charms.”
“Okay, but we can’t both be number one,” Wren says with fervor. “Thatismutually exclusive.”
An elfborn human stands and walks over to the speaker, turning the music up so loud that I can no longer hear Wren and Zinnia argue. I’m going to miss this group of freshmen, just maybe not all the arguing.
* * *
On the drive home Friday afternoon, Momiji curls up in the passenger seat, snoozing away. My students all did fantastic on their finals; I only had to fail one girl, but she skipped nearly every class… that’s not my fault.
I’m excited for the much needed break from classes, from responsibility. Unfortunately, Dr. Lothiel requested I plan our legendary Augury University Christmas Party. It’s not technically a Christmas party, as we encompass many holidays, but it might as well be with the amount of Christmas lights and spiked eggnog there is every year, as told to me by Alitha.
I’m the one running it; I want it to be next level epic, but I’m also afraid. What if it sucks and someone else gets to do it next year? Or what if I’m so amazing at planning it becomes my new responsibility?
I decide to turn off that part of my brain to the best of my abilities and just listen to the soft violin playing through my radio. Tomorrow is my date with Vega, and I’m going to allow myself to enjoy it. I deserve this, and so does she.Just one last time, I tell myself. I’m not sure I’m very convincing.
fifteen
INDIGO
It’s finally Saturday.Having spent the entire week trying to ignore how quickly this day was coming up, nervous energy still tumbles around in my belly. Vega had texted me telling me to dress for the cold, so dress for the cold I do.
Pulling my tight black pants up my legs, I pick out a purple long sleeve top to go with it and put it on over my head, tucking the bottom into the pants. I decide to keep my makeup light, topped with a glossy black lipstick. The final touch to complete the look? A long scarf. I yank on my boots and tuck a pair of gloves into my purse, alongside all the other goodies I have stuffed in there. Emergency potions, chapstick, mints–you name it.
Ring.
The doorbell. Already? I open the door to find exactly what I expected. Vega. She’s wearing tight black pants as well with a form-fitting jacket in a fuschia color. We practically match, and I giggle with excitement. Blowing a kiss towards Momiji, I shut the door.
