Page 96 of Magical Academy for Delinquents
I had to put on my fake ditzy, happy persona to keep up with her. Because I really just wanted to march Evan over to the nearest tattoo parlor and make him get ‘taken’ written across his torso. Maybe on his neck too. His forehead. But that would be ridiculous. And Evan was only going to the ball so he could help Malcolm out. I shoved away my claws and gave Tia a big smile. “Yeah, this whole thing is gonna be so cool.”
“I’ve heard that at midnight, the shifters all go into different rooms to shift based on their animal.”
“Oh, I hadn’t heard that!” I lied.
“You didn’t look it up?”
I had. Extensively. I knew the building had fourteen entrances and exits. And that Malcolm was planning to make all but two impassable. But I touched a foil wrap in my hair and said, “When Grayson asked me, that was kind of all I could think about.”
“God. I know! It’s like a fairy tale. Or like a stalker romance,” Tia gushed. “I can’t believe you went all the way out there for him and actually got together.”
I laughed. She was right about the stalker part. The romance? I wasn’t sure where Gray and I stood on that yet. His face flitted through my mind. I did love the little war we had. I would have even called it mental foreplay—if I was sure he was interested. But Gray … well, he’d just been through that breakup. And we had a job to focus on. I should have been more focused on the job with the others too. Sometimes, though,
Mom walked up just then, showing off the new bejeweled nails she’d gotten. “What are you two girls giggling about?” she asked, stealing an empty stylist’s chair and rolling it over to sit next to us.
“Our dates.”
“I’m so excited for the both of you.” Mom reached out and rubbed my hand and I realized it was the first time she’d touched me since I’d gotten home yesterday. She’d been passed out from Calm when I’d walked in the door. I tried not to let the sting of that realization enter my face and just enjoy the fact that she was here now.
Tia’s stylist led her off to finish up her hair. It was just me and Mom. I stared down at where she held my hand. Then I brought my hand to cover hers. “Love you, crazy lady,” I said, using an old term that Matthew and I used to tease her with.
She smiled softly at me. “Love you, too.” Her eyes teared up. “I know it’s been hard, Hales. But I just … Dad would be proud of you. I want you to know that. An interview at the Pinnacle. I knew you could do it.”
I squeezed her hand and said, “Not without you. I know you pulled those strings.”
She laughed. “I just want the best for you, honey. You’re so bright. And not just your hands,” she used an old joke my parents had beat to death over the years. Mom reached up and patted my cheek. “You’re so strong, you know. Stronger than I’ve ever been.”
“You’re strong.”
She shook her head, glancing down. “I’m not. Your dad always called me his flower. It’s true. I need to be tended. It’s just who I am.” When she glanced up her face was full of regret and pride and a million other things.
Her expression tugged at me. Because it was the first time that she’d been fully vulnerable around me in years. I squeezed her hand. “It doesn’t have to be who you are,” I told her.
She bit her lip. “It is though. But you. You aren’t like that. And you have no idea how happy that makes me.” She rubbed my hand, almost like she was rubbing it to soothe herself.
My heart hurt at hearing how little she thought of herself. “Mom, you think you’re weak. But you’ve helped me through the dark times. You’re stronger than you think.”
Mom leaned over and kissed my cheek. “You’re a sweet girl. This is the perfect moment to ask me for anything you want, now that I’m all teary and buttered up.”
I laughed. “What makes you think I want something?”
“You’re a teenage girl. Give it five seconds and you’ll think of something you want.”
“How about I just get to postpone my Sunday appointment with the counselor?” I asked. “I’m gonna be tired after the ball.” I actually hoped that I’d be at the Institute then, giving Matthew his cure …
“You got it.” Mom laughed. “I kinda was expecting you’d want jewelry for the ball.”
I shrugged. “Nah. Everybody there will be trying to out-sparkle each other.”
“True enough.”
I smiled up at mom, my heart warmed by her presence for the first time in a long time. My enjoyment was short-lived because her phone buzzed. Mom pulled it out and answered. “Mmm-hmm.” She spent a minute ‘mmm-hmming’ before she said, “Perfect!” and hung up.
“Who was that?” I asked.
Mom tilted her head. “Oh! Ginny, she’s so sweet. She’s Claude’s secretary, you know. She’s out getting her own dress for the ball. Great minds.”
I stopped stock still.
