“One of you better be keeping watch! We are insomuch trouble if we get caught.”
Willow looked ridiculous. For one, it looked like she’d raided Mia’s wardrobe, so she was covered head to toe in black. While the pieces were cute, it definitely wasn’t her color.
She also had one eye closed while the other was comically large, as close to the lock as possible like she could somehow see the mechanism through the bobby pin…in the dark.
“You know–”
“Skye, I swear to God. This will be good for us, just let me break us in.” Willow breathed out harshly. “What the hell does he lock this door with?”
“A key,” Mia deadpanned. I stifled a laugh.
“Willow,” I started again, but she ignored me. I pursed my lips and stuffed my hands deeper into my hoodie pockets as my affinity wiggled through my fingers. I shivered again, my stomach cold in the open. I didn’t own any actual winter clothes since the islands were always warm and humid, and the academy weather was much colder than I was used to. I’d have to take a shopping trip soon…or raid Aiden’s corner of our closet.
“We did this once, you know,” Willow’s breathing was a little ragged as she repositioned in front of the door. “Me and Mia broke into Wyatt’s room once to snoop and it was literallysoboring inside. He even had his sheets all crisp like he was still in the military.”
“It was actually a little depressing,” Mia whispered. “If I didn’t already know the dude was miserable, that would have made it clear.”
I chewed the inside of my lip, biting back a smile. Somehow that sounded perfectly on brand for Wyatt. But also, my heart clenched at the idea of Wyatt being miserable.
“You okay?” Mia murmured. She’d been watching me again. Mia was painfully observant while Willow was painfully oblivious. They were a perfect match.
I nodded, but didn’t explain, and that was enough for Mia.
“Okay, so…what if I can’t get into this room, what should we do instead?” Willow asked. She turned to look up at us, squinting and pushing Mia’s phone flashlight out of her face.
“This wasyouridea,” Mia said. “You’re the mastermind here, you tell us.”
Willow huffed, sending an errant piece of blonde hair into the air. “I don’t know. Break into his apartment? I’d be a lot less jumpy over there.”
“Yeah, except the prince of arrogance camps out there.” Mia whispered loudly.
“What?” I blinked several times in shock. “Rafe lives with Wyatt?”
“Not exactly, but they’re basically joined at the hip. Wyatt pretends he doesn’t know Rafe uses his apartment.” Willow muttered, then cursed as something clicked inside the lock. “Okay, I don’t think I’m getting in. Skye? Ideas?”
My lips twitched.
I can unlock the door,I said into their minds.
Willow froze, her eyes wide, and then she slumped against the door before dramatically melting onto the floor until she was face down on the tile.
“Willow, get off the floor, that’s so gross!” Mia whisper-yelled, reaching for her Key with a look of pure disgust.
“No, I’ll just stay here forever. Every time I get stepped on, I’ll remember how stupid I am. It’s what I deserve.” Willow mumbled.
I let out a laugh, the sound sharp and loud in the silent hall, and the three of us froze.
A light switched on in the other corridor, illuminating our hall a bit through the door window separating them.
“Nevermind, Skye, open the fucking door!” Willow whispered harshly, taking Mia’s hand and jumping out of my way. The sound of the hall door opening rang out like a gunshot in the silence, and my heart leapt to my throat.
With a simple thought, I unlocked the office door and the three of us spilled inside. My fingers twitched, shutting the door and quickly re-locking it behind us.
The sound of our ragged breathing filled Wyatt’s stupid office that smelled stupidly like him, a stupidly good scent ofmanthat had my heart fluttering for a completely new, stupid reason.
Biology was the worst.
I glanced at the door behind us, my breath catching as I remembered how it felt behind me when Wyatt pressed me back against it. That day I’d finally seen him again, I’d expected…I guess I’d expected to get fucked up against the door. Which was insane, because moments later he’d completely shut me out.
