Page 22 of Monster's Delight

“I had a great time. Thanks for this,” I said to the girls. “We should do something again soon.”

We gave each other hugs and then separated for the night.

CHAPTER7

A loud thumpand a muttered curse woke me. I sat up in bed, disoriented for a moment in the darkness of our room.

“Hazel?” I whispered.

“Yeah. Sorry for waking you. I tripped over something.” Hazel’s voice came from somewhere below me.

“Oh, this is ridiculous,” I said, swishing open the curtain and letting the light shine into our room. A slight pounding started in my head.

Love the buzz, hate the hangover,I thought.

“I think we need a nightlight.” I peered over the edge of my bed to see Hazel sprawled across the floor, her knee-high boots wrapped around her feet. “Are you okay?”

Hazel untangled herself from the boot laces and rotated her ankles carefully. “Everything seems normal.”

“Since when are you normal?” I teased.

“Takes one to know one,” Hazel replied, climbed to her feet, and stuck her tongue out at me.

At that moment, my bladder made itself known, and I quickly made my way to the little water closet in our room. “What time is it?” I asked through the door.

“Almost lunch,” Hazel called back.

“Glad it’s Saturday!”

“You know that we’d never have gone out if it hadn’t been Friday night,” Hazel pointed out.

“Or stayed out past curfew.” I exited and washed my hands at the sink.

“We weren’t the only students out late,” Hazel said, leaning on the archway next to me. “We didn’t get the chance to discuss your conquest last night.” She wiggled her eyebrows at me.

“Oh, you mean Aiden?” I asked, trying not to blush. I was pretty sure I failed at that. “He says he wants to see me again.”

“Looked pretty serious from my point of view. Was he a good kisser?”

“I didn’t get the chance to find out.”

“What?” Hazel looked shocked. “But... No! I’m sure I saw him lean in for a kiss!”

“Several times, actually. But our lips never connected.” I sighed, annoyed with myself for not taking the initiative.

“When did he say he’d be by?”

“I didn’t give him our room number.” I felt like kicking myself. “He’s in at least one class with me, but I don’t know which one.” I paused. “Not Herbology. I sit with you in that class.”

“You’ll see him by the end of next week then. Not so bad.” Hazel patted me on the shoulder comfortingly.

“Yeah, you’re right.” I stretched, arms over my head, and flinched. “I should probably go shower. I used that magical cleaning spell once too many times this past week to save time.”

Hazel laughed so hard she fell to the ground again. “That’s not how it works and you know it.”

“It sure feels like it,” I muttered darkly, stalking back into the main room to chuck my shrunken pajamas into the laundry basket. I grabbed a towel, wrapping it around myself, and my shower caddy before heading out the door.

“I’m heading down for lunch. See you there!” Hazel called after me.

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