Page 11 of Practically Witches

It’s hardly fair that everyone is talking about Rowen when she can’t defend herself. I want to go see her, but I don’t know her well. Certainly not well enough to show up at her hospital bedside claiming friendship. She’s in a coma. Maybe when she’s further along in her recovery—if she gets further along—then I’ll talk Aimee into coming along.

Until then, I’ll take the warning seriously and not go anywhere alone. I don’t want to end up without magic. Not before I’ve really learned to use it, anyway.

When Aimee and I walk out of class, she heads to her locker, also in the C hall, and I head to mine. When I get close, my heart speeds up again. Zane is waiting at my locker when I get there. I smile, thinking if I don’t figure out a way to stop reacting so viscerally to him, I’m going to keel over and die before I ever get to our first date.

“Hey.”

“Hi.” I open my locker and he leans against the one beside it. I need a second to calm myself, so I pretend I’m searching for something inside. “Did a detective come to your class?” I poke my head out of the locker to ask, then immediately stuff it back inside because he is soright here.

“Yeah. Inspector Dryden.” Apparently there are detectives all over the school.

“We had Willow Thornbridge.” I say the name as if he should know it. But until we went into the Hall of Greats, I had no idea who she was, and he wasn’t focused on the statues and photos while we were in there.

“They emptied Rowen’s locker.” That’s news. I look at Zane and chew my lower lip. “Are you scared, RJ?”

I have a feeling he’s going to offer to protect me like I’m some sort of frail damsel in distress, and I want him toknow I can protect myself. And should the situation call for it, I can make sure nothing happens to him, either. “No. I’ve been taking self-defense class since fifth grade when that group of witch hunters came passing through town.”

He nods like he approves, then bats his eyes at me like he’s the damsel. “Could you protect me then? Because I’m a little worried.”

Now I’m convinced that his flirting is real and not some figment of my overblown imagination and I giggle.

And hate myself for it.

“I’ll protect you.” I chew my lower lip. “You don’t have to worry.”

He smiles. “I feel so much safer now.” And the way he says it sends little shivers over my skin.

We have class to get to, but I wouldn’t mind standing in the hallway staring at him for the rest of the day. Talking to him. Flirting. Being flirted with.

I have to be in building two in less than five minutes, and it’s a three-minute jog to my class. “Have you thought about going with me for coffee later?”

To be honest, I haven’t thought of much other than concentrating on my herbology class and then of Rowen. But I would have to be the dumbest chick in school to turn down a coffee “date” with Zane.

But before I can answer, Dean Ryman approaches. He’s older than anyone I’ve ever met and has white hair and a beard. I’ve never actually spoken to him, and even now, he doesn’t spare a look at me.

“Zane, I’m glad I caught you.” The dean isn’t the kind of man one ignores to continue his conversation with a girl, although a part of me wishes Zane would ask him to give us a minute so I can answer the question. But I don’t interruptand the dean looks at me then back at Zane. “Can we chat for a minute?”

“Sure.” Zane gives me a look—I think it’s an apology but I don’t know him well enough to know for certain—and walks away with the dean. And now I have three minutes to get to class.

Chapter

Six

Idon’t see Zane for the rest of the day. We don’t have classes together and he doesn’t appear at my locker. It’s a letdown but the worldly part of me that can see danger when it pertains to Aimee should’ve known it was way too good to be true. Boys like Zane don’t look at girls like me—history has proven it true.

As disappointed as I am, it was nice to feel special for a day. Fortunately, I didn’t have time to get used to it, so I can go back to being myself with minimal issue. Except maybe wondering what the hell happened; what I did to ruin it.

Zane had come to me. Waited outside my class, walked me to another. Found me and asked me for coffee. Maybe I hesitated too long. Certainly long enough for the dean to show up and take Zane away.

I sigh. It doesn’t matter now. No way is he going to ask me again. Why would he? Instead of lingering, I hitch my backpack onto my shoulder and head toward the front door to wait for Aimee.

As I walk down the hallway, it’s oddly quiet. There aren’t any other people right now. Granted, some classeshaven’t ended so there are still rooms with students inside, but it’s the end of the day, so they should be ending soon.

In any case, it’s odd for this place to be so quiet. This is the time of day when everyone is anxious to get home. There’s talking and laughing, commiserating about the day. But right now, it’s so quiet in the hallway I can hear the teachers from inside the classrooms.

I quicken my pace because the hairs on the back of my neck are standing at attention, like they know something I don’t.

As I pass Professor Beckett’s classroom, a bulb above me blows and sparks rain down around me.

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