Page 24 of Revenge is a Witch

I blink, still reeling. "So you… what? Decided to… outsource?"

Sam laughs again, clearly unbothered by the entire situation. "Pretty much. It’s not like he knew. And honestly, if he did, he would’ve broken up with me months ago. But he didn’t, so I avoided the whole awkward conversation. All he said when we broke up was that he didn’t love me anymore." She’s smiling,like she’s telling me a funny story about a bad date, but all I feel is this uncomfortable knot in my stomach. Derek wasn’t perfect, sure, but I thought they were at least being loyal to each other while they were together. The idea that Sam was casually seeing other people behind his back—it throws me off.

I don’t know what to say, and I hate that feeling. It’s not like Sam and I haven’t shared things before, but this? This feels different. I try to laugh it off, but my voice comes out more awkward than I’d like. "Well, that’s… something."

Sam shrugs again, completely unbothered. "Look, I didn’t cheat. I just… found something Derek wasn’t giving me. He wasn’t into it anymore, so I took care of myself."

I manage a smile, though my mind is still spinning. "Right. Well, I’m glad you… dodged the bullet, I guess."

Sam nods, clearly moving on from the topic like it’s no big deal, but I’m left feeling like I don’t know how I feel about any of it. As we wait for our food, Sam launches into another story about her day, this time about how she had to argue with a professor over a grade she didn’t deserve. She’s animated, talking with her hands, and I do my best to stay engaged, though the whole time my mind keeps drifting back to her casual admission about seeing other guys while dating Derek. I mean, who just shrugs off a relationship like that? It’s like I’m seeing a new side of her—one that’s a little too self-involved for my liking. And I thought I was egoistical.

"And can you believe it?" Sam continues, clearly in full rant mode. "I actually had to pull out the syllabus and show the professor that I did everything required for the project. If I hadn’t, he would’ve failed me for sure."

"Wow, sounds rough," I reply, though my tone is flatter than intended. Sam, of course, doesn’t seem to notice and just keeps going.

"And gym class! Ugh, don’t even get me started on that nonsense again. How am I supposed to take it seriously when all they do is make us run around for no reason?" I nod along, but before she can dive into another rant about school, she suddenly stops, her eyes flicking up from her phone. "Oh, hey, speaking of things not going right, did you ever figure out what happened to your grimoire?"

The question catches me off guard. I was hoping to avoid the topic, especially after what she just told me about Derek. My mind races, but I decide to leave her out of it. "Uh, no. Still no idea where it went."

Sam shrugs casually, as if it’s no big deal. "You should just forget about it. I mean, it’s a book. You can always start a new one, right?"

I try to keep my cool, but her nonchalant attitude about something so important to me makes my frustration bubble to the surface. "You don’t understand, Sam. There were spells in there that I spent months—months—trying to perfect. They weren’t just random scribbles or practice notes. They meant something."

Sam waves her hand dismissively, already half-distracted by another text message. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. It sucks. But it’s not the end of the world."

I frown, trying to explain. "Do you even remember why we became best friends in the first place? Out of nowhere?"

Sam chuckles, setting her phone down for the first time in the conversation. "Of course, I remember. It was because someone put a Hex on me to make me sick, and no matter what healing spells we tried, they kept reversing and making it worse."

"Exactly," I say, leaning forward. "And I was the one who came up with the remedy. I spent days perfecting that potion, making sure every ingredient was precise. When nothing else worked, my potion actually cured you. Remember how you were so sickyou thought you’d never recover? I even thought for a while that potion could bring back the dead if I tested it, but I was too scared to try."

Sam just shrugs again, like it’s no big deal. "Yeah, that was pretty cool. But still, you should’ve taken better care of the book if it was that important." Her words hit me like a slap. I feel my heart sink a little, the disappointment weighing heavy in my chest. Normally, I’d brush it off—let the world’s judgments roll off my back like water. But Sam? She’s my best friend. And hearing her say that, so carelessly… it stings.

I force a smile, nodding even though I feel defeated inside. "Yeah. Maybe you’re right."

The rest of the conversation feels lighter, but my mind is still spinning. I wouldn’t let anyone else knock me down like this, but with Sam, it’s different. She’s the last person I want to disconnect from.

After paying the bill and saying goodnight to Sam, I step out into the cool night air, feeling the weight of the evening settle in. My mind spins with everything Sam told me, and no matter how hard I try to shake it off, I can’t help but feel... conflicted. I’ve known both her and Derek a long time—Derek even longer—and while I’ve always known he and I had this weird insult-filled banter, I never pegged Sam as the type to just... casually sleep around.

The streets are quieter now, and as I check my phone for the time, I sigh. The buses have switched to running every hour, and it’ll probably be faster to walk back to the dorms than stand around waiting. At least I wore my boots tonight. I start the longtrek back, my thoughts still tangled in the mess of relationships and revelations.

As I walk, I hear the unmistakable honk of a car horn behind me. Ugh. It’s probably some random loser who thinks it’s cute to honk at girls walking alone. I don’t even bother looking; I just flip them off, hand raised high with a clear message.

But then the car slows down beside me, and I catch sight of sleek black metal—the unmistakable frame of a Maserati MC20. The window rolls down, and a familiar voice calls my name.

"Hey, Zaria! What the hell are you doing walking around here like some... after-hours entertainment?" I freeze, my mouth dropping open in shock. Of all the people to run into, it’sSebastian. Leaning over from the driver’s seat, his usual smug grin plastered on his face.

My brain sputters as I take in the sight of him behind the wheel. "Why thehellare you in a Maserati?"

He shrugs like it’s no big deal. "It’s my dad’s. I get to drive it on weekends."

Of course. I roll my eyes, trying to recover from my surprise. "So, Daddy’s little vampire prince gets the fancy toys, huh? Must be nice."

He just smirks. "Jealous?"

"Not of you, just the car." I quip back, crossing my arms and glaring at him. "What do you want?"

He leans on the steering wheel, the picture of casual arrogance. "Want a ride back to school, or do you prefer walking alone in the dark? I mean, it’s a free world, but you know, creepy guys and all that." I groan internally, weighing my options. Walk the rest of the way by myself or... get in a Maserati with Sebastian? Neither sounds particularly appealing, but the thought of walking another half-hour is definitely less fun.

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