Page 75 of Monster's Baby

“You can talk to him tomorrow,” Pierre said reassuringly.

“You should celebrate your achievements.”Clarissa looped her arm through mine.“And take a rest!You deserve it!Is your idea going to go anywhere?”

“No,” I admitted.“I’m just used to enacting ideas right away.”

“We know,” Bruce said with a rueful smile.“But if this one will keep, then I don’t see the harm in delaying for one night.”

“What about Professor Reynolds?”I protested weakly.“We promised to take care of him, but I’ve barely seen him lately.”

“He’s old enough that the other professors can handle him,” Aiden said.“They’re not kicking us out of our room, so I’m not complaining.”

I grinned up at him.“You’re not planning on ever reminding them about our room, are you?”

“Nope.”He kissed my temple.“But you can go have sleepovers with your girls whenever you want.I know you’re going to miss them after graduation, and I’ll get you all to myself for the rest of our lives.”

That sounded so much like a proposal that I half expected him to drop to one knee.I shook away my disappointment when he didn’t.

We have plenty of time to get married.He doesn’t want to overshadow our team’s success at the Olympics.

We filled our plates with food and found our usual table.They had been crowded together to make room for a dance floor in front of the professor’s tables.

Our friends from the audience joined us a little later.Una flopped down on the bench across from me.“That was so exciting!”she exclaimed.“That mountain you guys built was fricken hilarious.Whose idea was that?”

Pierre got to his feet, and her smile dropped.“It was Siobhan’s,” he said.“Would you like to dance?”

“With me?”Shock rippled across her face.“Yes?”she gasped.She took his hand, and he led her to the empty dance floor, spinning her around and making her dress float around her like a cloud, before pulling her into his arms.

“Do you think they’ll be a couple soon?”I asked dreamily, watching them.

Aiden shrugged.“Could be.I think Pierre has finally given in to his heart.I just hope that Una doesn’t break it into pieces.”

Rhiannon leaned across the table.“I don’t think she will,” she confided.“She told me that she’s been devastated that Pierre hasn’t been returning her flirtations.”

“And she hasn’t thrown herself at anyone else to distract herself,” Hazel added.

I crossed my fingers.“Here’s hoping!”

David cleared his throat from beside me, and I jumped, not having realized that the quiet boy was even there.“Rhiannon,” he whispered.His face flamed bright red.“Would you—” He broke off and buried his face in his hands.

I nodded encouragingly at my friend, who was as scarlet as the boy beside me.

“I’d like to go to my room,” Rhiannon said quietly.

I frowned, disappointed.

“David, would you walk me?”she continued.

I nearly cheered at her courage.

David leapt to his feet.“Of course!”he said.He offered his hand, then his arm, then his hand again.

Rhiannon slipped her hand in his, and they headed out of the mess.

Lilia stared after them.“That has got to be the shyest and quietest couple I’ve ever seen.”

“Hey, at least they managed to get to the hand-holding point,” Clarissa said with a laugh.“You should have seen Bruce on our first date.”

“I’m going to interrupt you there—” Bruce began, but Clarissa plowed on.

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