Page 55 of Phoenix Academy: Madness

Not.

"You were shit today," he says, which is a promising conversation opener. "Looked like you were in your first week of class again. Did you hit your head and forget everything?"

"I was nearly strangled to death this morning," I remind him, reflexively reaching for my neck to rub at bruises that aren't there, because of my phoenix powers. "I was just distracted. I won't be by the time finals come around."

"If you insist. Sounds overconfident to me."

"Great, thanks for the encouragement."

Whatever powers I used that madethisshifter one of my familiars, I wish I could figure out how to snap my fingers and undo it. He may be the hot, passionate sex lover of my dreams, but in the waking world he's nothing but a grump with a waste of a big dick. His tool, in another's pants, would be worth its considerable weight in gold—too bad it's stuck where it is, uselessly attached to a world class scowler.

David frowns, this time over my shoulder thankfully, instead of right at me. At least he's consistent in his lack of emotional range. If he were an actor he'd only get parts like THUG #3 and INCONSIDERATE JERK. I still can't believe that after all these months, he hasn't thawed to me at all.

"What's your deal?" I ask him spontaneously, since apparently I can't keep my mouth shut. "You act like I spit in your food or something."

"No I don't." His frown only deepens, his scowl somehow less impressive because his eyebrows are such a pale blond. "You just bug me, that's all."

"Why?" I find myself crossing my arms and frowning, subconsciously mirroring his shitty attitude back at him. "I've never been anything but nice to you."

"That's not true. For one thing, you tried to shoot at us in the woods when we met."

"That was so long ago."

He holds up a finger, shaking his head. "Like I said, that wasonething. The other thing is the fact that you made us your familiars and have barely even bothered to try to undo it, because you like the arrangement.Also," I regret asking the question, "I don't like the way you look at Reggie and Xavier. Girls have tried to come between them before, and it's never worked, but I'm afraid this time it might. If you Yoko them it'll ruin everything, and I'll be the one who's forced to pick sides, which will suck for all of us.That'swhy I don't like you."

"Oh." My arms fall to my side as my self-righteous anger dissipates, leaving me with nothing but confusion and embarrassment. "I never meant to get between them. I'm not—I'm not trying anything."

"You kissed Xavier," he points out. "YouknowReggie is attracted to you. You have to. He spends like ninety percent of his energy making jokes in your presence."

"I just thought that was how he is," I confess. "I didn't... I didn't think..."

"Yeah, I know you didn't think." Now David's just sounding smarmy. "You obviously didn't think about how it would effect the three of us if you picked one. Instead you just dove in headfirst, because you're thoughtless."

Now I'm frowning at him again. "I'm not thoughtless. I just didn't know Reggie—wait." My mind goes back over his words. "You said allthreeof you. Does that mean you—I mean, you said you didn't, but do you... like me?"

He stares at me, and suddenly I feel twelve years old again, stupid and obsessed with boys and crushes.Do you like mehas to be the worst sentence to ever say to someone, one I thought I'd far outgrown by now, but it fell right out of my mouth anyway.

Apparently I haven't learned my lesson when it comes to saying stupid shit that's better left unsaid. Any second now David will throw back his head and laugh uproariously at the thought that he might actually have feelings for me. That's how dumb I'm being just by considering it.

Before I can open my mouth and mumblenevermind, forget I said anything, that was dumb,I feel a hand on my shoulder, and Xavier's voice near my ear. "Sorry I took so long. Thanks for waiting. And thanks for keeping her company for me, David."

"No problem," the wolf shifter says, tearing his eyes away from me and towards his best friend, his expression inscrutable. "I'll go now, give you two some alone time."

Then he turns around, his shoulders tense, and heads towards the door.

"Wait!" The word bursts out of my mouth before I can stop it. David freezes, not quite turning towards me. "Can you show me how to do that move you said I was bad at? You're way better at weapons combat than me. And the combat arena should be open tonight after dinner."

"Sure." He turns his head just enough that I can see the edge of his face, but not his expression, especially his eyes. "I'll reserve a slot at the arena under my name."

"Thanks."

With a brief nod, David shoots out the door, his steps carrying him so fast that by the time Xavier and I make it out to the hallway he's gone—almost like he was never here. Leaving me wondering what possessed me to not only ask him that question, but force him into alone time with me, in the evening in a combat arena no less.

I must be just as mad as my powers make others, because no other explanation makes sense.

"C'mon." Reaching out, Xavier shyly slides his hand into mine, and I grasp his fingers with a little thrill of excitement. "I wanted to do a little more research in the library. And... maybe some other stuff, if that's okay with you."

Blinking up at him, I dare to ask, "Is it okay with Reggie? Because I thought you wanted to call this off."

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