Page 108 of Class Studies

Tanwyn gave me a wave from where he sat on my couch. Ashe glanced up at me from his usual seat. His face darkened, and he clenched the book in his hands but didn’t get up to heal my black eye.

I sighed.

After our meeting a few nights ago, my guys backed away from me. Even Professor Garnet kept me at arm's length, waiting for me to do something.

But I didn’t know what to do, or maybe I was doing the right thing. My boyfriends were working together, and I just wish it wasn’t against me.

I scratched my itchy skin. The sensation of being too full swelled as even more power tried to fit itself into my tiny frame. I hadn’t made a significant transfer in six days, or even birthed a Bead of Will in the last three. With Officer Keres removed from duty, Metaphysics had returned to its old format. My short-lived magic boot camp over before it began.

As badly as I wanted to fix the situation with my boyfriends, I didn’t know how. Our living situation was our living situation. It’s not like I could move us into a bigger apartment.

When it was clear neither of the mages in my tower had anything to say, I turned toward my washroom. All I wanted was a warm shower to soothe my bruises.

I tried to push open the door, but it thudded against something. Putting all my body weight against it, I forced it to open another inch, but that was it. I poked my head into the crack, trying to see the obstacle, and my eyes bugged. It had been bad this morning, but not like this.

The door jammed against a pile of dirty clothing. Half-dried towels and coarse hair covered every surface. I couldn’t even see my toothbrush behind a stack of hair gel. We lived in prison. How did Tanwyn afford so many different kinds? Why were they even here? He went back to his dorm room to sleep.

Except for Ram, I’d never transferred out of anger before. Seeing the state of my washroom, I was ready to add four more zombies to my collection. Five if I found even one of the professor’s hairs anywhere.

“That’s it,” I yelled, spinning toward my couch. The door bumped my ass as the dirty laundry pushed it closed again. “I’m done. I don’t care who kills you, but it will be me if you don’t leave right now.”

Both mages looked at me. Irrational anger boiled to the surface, making me tremble with rage. I wanted to yell at all of them, not just two. “Do you see the state of this washroom?”

Ashe’s eyebrow ticked. “I cleaned it yesterday after I trimmed.”

“I didn’t shave today.” Tanwyn pointed at his five o’clock shadow. “But, I did wash Vac.”

I glared at the bear-dog.

Tanwyn brushed his hands together. “His hair usually disintegrates into magic as soon as it’s not attached to him, though.”

I silently apologized to Vac for blaming him. “The fact that both of you are making excuses means you see the problem.”

I kicked the folding table, now covered in books and even more uniforms. “Professor Garnet’s coming here for yoga starting tomorrow. Where are we going to do it?”

“I’m not doing yoga.” Tanwyn held his hands up. “I think Beryl was fairly apathetic as well.”

I clenched my fists. “That’s not the point.”

“It is the fucking point.” Ashe tried to meet my angry gaze, but he grimaced and looked everywhere else. “Four fucking people can’t exist in a small space unless they fucking talk and set rules.”

Ashe’s gaze unfocused as he dipped into a mage trance.

I snarled. “Stop looking at my magic.”

“You need to transfer.” Ashe let out a harsh breath. “You’re glowing like a beacon.”

The sweat covering my body cooled further, and I shivered, still not in a warm shower. I pointed at Ashe. “I’m cold and itchy, and it’s your fault!”

My door opened as Saffron let himself in. He took one look at me and took two steps backward.

I moved my pointer finger to him. “No, get your ass in here!”

Saffron paled, and Vac leaped up and barked.

“Vac,” Tanwyn scolded.

The bear-dog ignored him and sunk his teeth into Saffron’s Alchemy t-shirt. I froze. I loved that t-shirt. So did Saffron. It reminded him of his brother.

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