Page 84 of The Holy Academy of Witches

“Yup, that’s what it is. Just fashion.” I managed to say, the word leaving my mouth a little bitter, or maybe that was the alcohol.

“Of course,” He looked down to his wrist, “Well as much as I’d love to learn about the recent fashion trends, it looks like we’re up next.”

“Break a leg.” I murmured, unsure whether I meant it literally or not.

“If our drummer is late again, I just might.” He said coolly before striding to the stage. There he calmly removed his leather jacket to reveal a ribbed sleeveless shirt. Just my luck.

“It’s a good thing you don’t like him.” Adeline remarked, snapping me out of whatever I’d been thinking.

“Would you keep it down?” I all but growled, Cillian still very much within earshot. Adeline laughed, and I mentally berated myself for not anticipating her sadistic tendencies to cross into our possible friendship. “Why didn’t you tell me he would be here?” I demanded. Zipping my own leather jacket up to my neck to hide the overly fancy dress.

“I didn’t think it would matter, since you don’t like him. Besides, I’m tired of that copy cat playlist you’ve had on loop the past month.”

“Well if you’d help me get a copy of his music then I could get it out of my head and move on.”

“Was that earlier attempt at asking your best shot?”

“You know it was!”

She laughed again harder, wiping a tear from her eye she wheezed, “Pathetic.”

“Yes well I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but I’m a tad on the awkward side.”

“Mmmm, I also noticed you get ‘a tad’ worse around him.”

“Yes, well… he infuriates me.” Adeline raised an eyebrow, “I don’t have to like him to enjoy his music!”

“Oh, was that why you were drooling when he passed you the cherries? His music?”

Tossing a handful of cherries into my mouth I spoke around them in an altogether savage way. “I just really like cherries okay?”

Any remarks she might have made went silent as The Muses were announced and I took out my phone. Hiding it behind the cherry jar, I hitrecord.

Forty-Six

Adeline

Cillian’s band was in full swing with approximately 5 million girls pressed against the edge of the stage, trying to be the one closest to Cillian, but he only had eyes for one… not that he’d admit it.

Every few minutes he would feign looking around the crowd but his eyes would always find her, soften and then return back to his guitar. And Sage was no better, she was moving around in her seat, her head bopping to the music and she was humming under her breath - All while staring at Cillian like he was one of those cherries she couldn’t stop eating. It was kind of cute, sickening… but cute.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” I shouted to Sage, leaning in so she could hear me over the thudding bass. She looked around uncomfortably but nodded all the same.

I made my way towards the back of the bar where the toilets were located, squeezing between drunk people and dodging men who looked like they were going to approach me, until I found the queue leading into the ladies room. Why was there always a queue? Sighing, I joined the line and danced from foot to foot as I waited.

I contemplated compelling some of the girls out of the queue but decided that was probably immoral. I looked back across the room at the stage. Amongst the obnoxiously coloured lights, I could just about make out Sage’s mess of curls at our table.

“He’s so dreamy!”

Two girls standing directly in front of me in the queue were tossing their hair and failing miserably to look casual, not that he could even see them all the way over here. Especially with the stage lights flashing directly in his eyes every few seconds.

The girls were mortal, and as basic as you can get. They wore skin tight dresses, open at the back and barely covering their arses. They were the kind of fake-tanned that mortals seemed to like where it was streaked and creased on their necks and elbows.

“Do you think he’s single?” One girl asked the other loudly.

“Only one way to find out!” The other, a curvy brunette, replied, with what I assume she thought was a flirtatious giggle.

“I’ve heard he’s gay.” I told them, a seriously sad expression on my face.

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