I took my time getting ready for bed. Clicking through my laptop, I made sure the film wasn’t still playing, draining my battery. Still, I could feel my usually rude and resentful roommate continuing to stare at me from the moment before she flipped her hair over to twist it into a messy bun to when she stood back up to slip her feet into socks.
That was another thing about Natalie. What normal person wore socks to bed?
I yanked back the blankets on my bed, climbing into it with my book of shadows and a steadier notebook to set it on top of so my lines would still be drawn straight and clean. I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep now. Not for a while anyway. It was still early as I set my phone beside me.
Natalie was still slowly wandering around the room, moving things around, only to put them back where they had started.
She glanced at me again.
“I never knew you to be speechless.” I flipped open to the page I’d left off on.
“I didn’t know that you and Ryan Gardner were a thing,” Natalie said.
Impressed?I wanted to tease.
I shrugged, looking back down to my page, and pressed down on it, so it laid flat. I only had the outline to go. “We’re not.”
“You two sure looked cozy when I walked in a minute ago.”
“We’re friends,” I said. “I thought you had those?”
“Oh, I do,” said Natalie. “I just didn’t assume you did.”
“Now, that’s just rude.”
“I think I intended for it to be.”
I chuckled along to the sound of Natalie’s soft laughter. We were settling into a sort of relationship. It wasn’t exactly warm and friendly, but it was cordial enough to be tolerated. Nice even.
“You know that he and my friend Lauren had a close relationship freshman year.”
“The same Lauren who is going to be writing my touching dismissal letter from your student life popularity club?” The same Lauren who spread the rumors and the one I basically just agreed to strike revenge against a short time ago?
Closing her eyes, Natalie gave a dip of a nod. “The very one.”
“Good to know.”
“I didn’t know he was seeing someone new. I didn’t even know he knew you.”
“What? Think I’m cooler?” I asked.
Natalie barked that soprano laugh again, short and concise. “Afraid of me actually liking you now, Witchy Lu?”
“Only of that nickname sticking.”
She shook her head, giving one more glance as she climbed into bed. “Keep the bizarre to a minimum for the rest of the night, all right? I’m going to bed.”
Would it be too much to wish my enemy roommate sweet dreams?
Deciding against it, I leaned closer to where the light pulsed over my workspace and took my time on each fine-tipped line. I moved on from my motivation charm to the classifications of different ingredients, remembering what Gertie had said the other night. Even simple, everyday elements had meaning.
Flour for purity and wholeness.
Sugar for sweet, new beginnings. Tiny specks that Ryan had flicked at my cheeks and scattered overhead. I drew sprinkles cascading down the edge of the crisp folio.
My phone lit up with a new message. Expecting it to be Vadika for me to run her a late-night coffee or debrief me about the rest of her day, I paused at the name. At some point, Ryan must’ve put his number in my phone. How, I had no idea. I glanced over at Natalie, who was facing the wall as I clicked it open.
The message was one thing.
