Page 3 of Snake

“I don’t have a choice.” I eat the pickle, reluctantly looking up when Romi remains quiet. “It was part of the deal.”

She shrugs. “I’m glad you’re coming to the dance. Ditch them as soon as you arrive, then we get to hang out.”

Romi actually looks excited about Friday. And, weirdly, so am I. Not because I have three dates, but because I seriously need some R&R after all the shit I’ve been through the past few months. If I get to hang out with Romi, all the better.

“You don’t have a date yet?”

She purses her lips, glancing around as she eats another grape. Her go-to food seems to be fruit or veggies. No wonder she’s so skinny. “I’ve had some offers.”

I shake my head, taking another nibble of my hot dog. Romi doesn’t seem all that popular. At least, she doesn’t hang around with anyone but me, but she’s pretty and smart, so I’m not surprised that she’s had offers.

“Any of them good enough?”

“Well…there is one—”

A tall, warm body takes the seat next to me, and Romi cuts off hurriedly.

For a second, based simply on the height and sheer fucking audacity of said body, I assume it’s Knox beside me. But then Magnus lets out a low chuckle, and my shoulders sag with disappointment.

Wait...what? I’m not disappointed. I’m relieved.I don’t want the Serpents anywhere near me.

Magnus leans across the table, sliding Romi’s bowl away from her as she goes to pick out another piece of fruit. “What’s cookin’, good lookin’?”he asks her, throwing me a brief glance before returning his attention to my roommate.

“Hey!” She makes a grab for her bowl, but Magnus slides it out of reach again. He grabs a piece of banana and holds it out to her.

And dear God, she stretches over the table and eats it from his fingers.

What the hell?

Magnus laughs when he glances at me and sees my expression. “Why so sour? You have three dates on Friday. Or are you wondering how you’re going to fit them all in?”

Romi slaps his arm. “You’re disgusting!”

“I meant with the dancing and shit.” Magnus laughs. “God, you’ve got a dirty mind. I fucking love it.”

I’ve turned crimson, but thankfully Magnus has already dismissed me in favor of Romi. All it’ll take is one look at my face for anyone to realize that I have just as dirty a mind as Romi.

I mean, come on. How could I not have thought about it? Those are the logistical problems a girl wants to have.

“Know what you’re wearing yet, babe?”

“What do you care?” Romi dusts invisible lint from her blazer. “You haven’t even asked me yet.”

“What?” Magnus barks out a laugh. “Course I have. Last week. I did it in the courtyard. Can’t you remember?”

“Not officially.” Romi wiggles her fingertips at him. “Do these fingers have soot on them?” She sticks out her tongue and trails her fingers down it. “Doesn’t taste like it.”

“Romi, babe, come on. You’re not into all of that shit, are you?” Magnus reaches for her, but she pulls away.

“Soot?”I ask.

“It’s the Feast of Ashes,” Romi says, throwing Magnus a dark look before focusing on me again. She folds her arms on the table and leans in like she’s telling a ghost story. “So, like, a bazillion years ago, there was this massive snowstorm. It came out of nowhere and blanketed the town in ten feet of snow. Overnight.”

“It completely annihilated our crops.” Magnus eats one of Romi’s grapes and pushes the bowl into the center of the table so she can pick at it too.”Wait, that was right after the explosion that shut down the pass, right?”

Romi nods, pointing her fork at Magnus. “That’s why we were so fucked. Couldn’t bring in other food. The whole town had to live with whatever they had in their pantries.”

Magnus turns in his seat to look at me, a lopsided grin on his face. “Morale was at an all-time low, so the Harts came up with an ingenious plan to keep up everyone’s spirits.”

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