Page 48 of Validus Vale Academy 1
“Tonight,” the blue-eyed boy added.
I wasn’t sure what to say. A date with both of them? Not to mention these two were completely and overwhelmingly gorgeous. Way out of my league. They were probably just taking the piss. “But you don’t even know me,” I stammered out.
“I’m Donovan, and that’s my twin, Wes. Tell us your name and we’ll no longer be strangers.”
I looked from blue eyes to gray-brown, then nodded. “I’m Theo.”
“Theo,” Wes said, rolling my name around his mouth. “Perfect. OK, we’ll pick you up by the lottery student wing at six.”
It was obvious where I was rooming by the color of my uniform. “B-but only upperclassmen can leave the academy grounds,” I replied, still not sure if this was for real. Gorgeous boys did not ask me out on dates, ever.
Donovan grinned as the clock tower bell chimed the hour. “No problem, Theo. We won’t make you break any rules—or make you late for class, we’re responsible like that.” He put out a hand and pulled me to my feet. As he did, a tingling sensation erupted at the point of our joined fingers, then moved all the way through my body. “Enjoy your afternoon classes, and we’ll see you soon.”
We split up, heading in different directions, and I couldn’t help but look back at the retreating figures of Wes and Donovan. A shiver of anticipation ran up my spine. I’d been on a few lackluster dates before and had the odd crush, but I’d never felt such an instant attraction as I did with those twins.
And now I had a date with them.
It may be on school grounds and wearing the academy uniform, but I’d never looked forward to something more in my life.
Dashing back to my dorm room after the last class, I pulled all my clothes from the closet and spread them across the bed. There wasn’t a huge choice, but in the end I dressed in thigh-length burgundy socks and a matching short plaid skirt, but wore it with my white gym shirt, which was fitted and cropped. I’d put my hair in a messy bun and added some eyeliner and mascara to my eyes. I’d never been the Victoria’s Secret kind of sexy, but dressed like this, I thought I looked cute.
At six on the dot, I stepped outside and found Donovan and Wes waiting there for me. They were both in the Elite uniform of slim-fitting midnight blue pants and white shirt, but had discarded their blazers and ties.
Several undone buttons were giving me an eyeful of matching tanned, muscled chests.
“You look beautiful,” Donovan told me. “Dark red really suits you. We need to find you some matching lipstick for those delicious pouty lips of yours.”
I wasn't used to such extravagant compliments and felt my cheeks grow warm. “Turn it down a notch,” Wes told his brother, giving him a shove on the shoulder. “We talked about this. We are not going to say or do anything that makes you uncomfortable,” he added to me.
Donovan looked a little shamefaced. “Sorry, Theo, but it’s difficult to hold back when you’re so gorgeous.” Wes clipped him around the ear again, then shook a paper sack in my direction. “We got a delivery of WizBurgers, if you haven’t had them, they’re the best in all Havengard City, sound OK?”
“Um, yes,” I replied. “Sounds amazing,” though in truth I thought I was probably too nervous to eat a thing.
Wes took my hand, and the three of us walked for twenty minutes to a small grove in the woods. There, the twins laid out a couple of rugs, then dished out our food.
“After that first evening, eating and laughing under the stars,” I told Willow, “we just, I don’t know how to explain it…we felt like a unit. Like we belonged together. Wes and Donovan became my everything. I didn’t even care that I was failing my classes, failing to find my magic. I’d found something even more magical with the twins.”
The smile on my face drops as I get to the next part of the story. “When it was time for me to go back to England, they’d promised they’d come see me over winter break. I landed at Heathrow, got back to my aunt’s house, and never heard from them again. I emailed, called, and texted, but no reply. And after a few days, I even emailed the school to make sure nothing had happenedto them. Dean Dartmouth, the one before Crankshawe, wrote back, saying I shouldn’t be pestering any student who didn’t want contact with me, and if I continued, I’d be considered a stalker. He even talked about a restraining order. So, I came to the devastating conclusion that our relationship had just been a fling—at least for them.”
I lean my head against Willow’s shoulder, tears dripping down my face now. “I loved them so much. I know it sounds crazy to fall in love in just a few weeks, but that’s what happened. And I really thought they loved me.”
“Those bastards,” Willow hisses, “playing with your heart like that. You had no clue they were going to dump you so horribly?”
“Not at all, but when I thought about it, it all made sense. Wes and Donovan are best friends with Cosmo Drakeward. Cosmo Arsehole Drakeward, to use his full name.”
Willow shudders. “Yikes.”
“Exactly. And hehatedour relationship with a capital H. I presumed he’d convinced the twins to ghost me.”
“Sounds like something he would do,” she replies, stroking my arm. “So is that why you’re so upset? Did you see the twins again?”—Poor Theo/effing boys—
I shake my head. “It’s so much more complicated than that. So, yeah. I come back this year, completely freaking out about running into my exes, but that hasn’t happened. Willow, it’s so crazy. I talked to Cosmo tonight. Turns out the twins didn’t dump me—they decided to leave the academy and join me in England.”
“Wait, what? But they never did? Why not?” she asks.
“That’s the million-dollar question. They bought flights to London and put all their belongings in storage the very day after I left, then just…disappeared.”
“What do you mean, disappeared? Theo, what are you talking about?” Willow’s mind flashes hot with thoughts of worry and caring. While I blink, she reaches for the rum again.
