Page 14 of Monster's Mistake

“I wouldn’t say that,” I murmur, setting my cider down and stepping closer to him. “It wasn’t all bad.”

Surprise flits over his face. “It wasn’t?”

“Mmhmm.” I step closer. “But next time, maybe just try asking me on a date instead of getting all tongue-tied.”

I don’t wait for him to respond and start to walk away, making sure to grab my drink as I do.

“Nati!” he calls after me.

I pause and wait for him to catch up.

“Would you go for dinner with me?” he asks. “As a date.”

“All right. Does Tuesday work?”

The relief is clear on his face. “Tuesday is good.”

“Then I look forward to it.”

Frank rattles from within my hair, making me think that maybe I’ve gotten this wrong after all and his emotions aren’t actually tied to mine. I wishFamiliar Trainingwas more helpful when it came to learning about how my snakes reacted to me and the things I was feeling.

But I suppose that’s something to work on for Tuesday. And until then, I’m going to focus on the really important things. Like how I’m going to focus when all I’m going to be able to think about is our upcoming date.

CHAPTER 6

Meic

I pushopen the door to our dorm room and flop down on my bed. “I have a problem,” I announce to Cethin and Afan.

“A fated mate problem?” the merman grumbles from the top bunk.

“As a matter of fact, yes.”

“Then count me out, you know how I feel about that nonsense.” He picks up his phone and starts scrolling, clearly checking out of the conversation.

“What’s up?” Cethin asks, looking up from his book and seeming much more interested.

“Where around here is good for a date?”

He raises an eyebrow, his bat-like ears revealing even more of his surprise. They make him very easy to read, even if he doesn’t realise it. “You asked Nati out on a date?”

“Yes.”Sort of, but I’m not about to tell my friends that she told me I should and that’s where I finally got the courage from.

“And just to check, she did agree to go with you, right?”

I roll my eyes. “Yes, she agreed to go with me. But now I have to make sure it’s a good one so she’ll agree to a second date.”

“Why would you want a second?” Afan mumbles.

“Ignore him,” Cethin says. “He’ll change his tune soon enough.”

“Over my dead body,” Afan shoots back.

“What kind of date did you have in mind?” Cethin asks me.

“I don’t know. Where did you take Anja for your first date?”

“We went on a picnic in the grounds.”

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