I could see the disappointment in Maci’s face. “An NDA? Bummer. But I guess that makes sense, seeing how theymaintained their secrecy all this time. Isn’t there anything you can tell me? Did they say why they selected you?”
My stomach churned.Yeah, they selected me because they think I have magical plant affinities. I cleared my throat. “Not exactly. I still think it might have something to do with my drawing skills.”
“So do they have classes, or is it more like research labs where you pop in, or what?”
I bit my lip, trying to determine how to avoid giving away more than I should. This was going to be as hard as I’d imagined. “They have classes, but I can’t say much more about them.” The honest truth was, at this point, I didn’tknowmuch more about them.
“Well, if you’re ever able to tell me more,please do. The suspense is killing me.”
I laughed and agreed then tried to change the subject in the last few minutes before class started. “How were the movies with Jace this weekend?” Maci and Jace had been on and off for the past year, and I was never sure if a new weekend was going to bring news of a breakup.
Maci made a little lovestruck sighing sound. “So much fun. You should join us next time! We could invite Mitchell too.”
I cringed. “Maci, I’ve already told you, I’m not interested in Mitchell.”
“All right, fine. But I’m going to find someone to fix you up with by the end of the semester. There’s got to be someone worthy of your attention here at SCC.”
“Something tells me I’m not going to have time for guys this year.”
“Never say never. You know I’m a firm believer in ‘work hard, play hard.’”
I was saved from responding as students began to spill into the biology class next door, and Maci and I followed them in.
“To be continued,” she whispered, eyeing me meaningfully.
Biology passed in a blur. Maci was chatting with me constantly during the lab—during which time we were dissecting lily flowers—and I tried my best to give appropriate responses, but my mind was on my upcoming afternoon at Evergreen Academy.
Psychology would have been the same, except once I took my seat, someone settled into the usually empty one to my left.
“This seat taken? I don’t like sitting so far in the back.” The voice was smooth and friendly. I turned my head to see a guy with sandy-blond hair and a casual smile.
“All yours,” I said, suddenly feeling flustered. Had this guy been sitting behind me for the past two weeks? He was undeniably cute.
I forced myself to focus on the conversation. My mind must have been all twisted up due to Maci’s prodding about my nonexistent love life. I glanced at the front of the room. Professor Tara was still in the process of setting up her laptop.
“I’m Alex,” he said.
“Briar. But everyone calls me B.”
“Nice to meet you.” Alex’s voice and slight smile were smooth, and I tried to match his ease. “Do you live on campus?”
“No, I’m local, so I live at home. You?”
“With some friends off campus.”
“Where areyou from?”
“Southern California.”
I raised my eyebrows, intrigued. Maybe he knew people at the art school I wanted to attend down there. “And you came all the way up here for school?”
“Yep. Wanted something a little slower paced. Besides, who doesn’t want to go to college in a town called Weed?”
“It’s named after a person.” I laughed. I’d grown up with our quirky town name, so I often forgot how unusual it was to nonlocals.
Professor Tara began to speak then, so our conversation ended, but I couldn’t help feeling aware of Alex’s presence a foot away for the entire class. Now, instead of academies for magical botanists, I was distracted for a whole other reason.
Alex picked up the conversation at the end of class.
