I stare at him in shock. Because he’s giving me an ultimatum. Wonderful. That’s exactly what every girl dreams of—being asked to a dance with a deadline attached.
“Let’s just get to the infirmary,” I say, not wanting to deal with this right now. Or ever.
But at least my pumpkin turned out nice, bloody tears and all.
And that’s something, right?
JADE
The infirmary cottagesmells like herbs, gingerbread, and spices. It’s weirdly cozy for a medical space, like someone combined a bakery with a hospital and somehow made it work.
On the chair at the side of the wall, Nana’s wrapping someone’s ankle.
Callie’sankle.
Of course it’s Callie. But I’d take running into her here any day, because at least it means she isn’t with Logan.
Nana looks up when Oliver and I walk in, taking in our blood and pumpkin guts splattered clothing. “What happened?” she asks.
“Pumpkin carving accident.” I hold out my arm, and her eyes widen slightly.
“Get a fresh towel and keep pressure on it. You can sit over there.” She gestures at a cozy-looking bench nearby. “I’ll check it after I finish with Callie.”
She turns back to Callie, but Oliver’s hand is already replacing mine on the towel, pressing with gentle insistence.
“I’ve got it,” he says, shifting closer on the bench.
“You really don’t need to?—“
“I want to.” His eyes search mine with an intensity that makes my stomach drop, but I don’t fight him. Because Nana’s saying something to Callie, and I want to know what it is. I can’t listen to their conversation if I’m busy talking to Oliver.
“Have you been doing anything particularly draining with your magic lately?” she asks, examining Callie’s ankle like she can’t quite make sense of it.
“Not that I can think of.” Callie’s voice is softer than usual. It’s strange, as if she’s a different person than the girl who approached me in the dining hall the first day and then tried to intimidate me outside of Logan’s office.
Oliver’s voice stops me from hearing what Nana says next.
“You don’t have to make a decision about the ball yet,” he says, his fingers brushing my arm near where he holds the towel. “But you’re the only person I want there by my side. You fascinate me, Jade. You don’t try to impress anyone. You don’t play games. You’re justyou.And I like you. A lot.”
The words are perfectly delivered. Soft and sincere, with just enough vulnerability to seem genuine. They probablyaregenuine. I can see why half the school falls at his feet.
But he’s so, so wrong about me. I’m constantly playing games. Hiding my electricity. Pretending I don’t sneak out every night. Acting like I’m not completely gone for someone who refuses to fully let me in.
Nana’s voice fills the infirmary before I can reply to Oliver. “Rest that ankle as much as possible,” she tells Callie loudly, as if she can sense my anxiety and wants to help break up this awkward moment. “Make sure you’re eating properly and staying hydrated. The training and late night studying you have to do to stay afloat here can take more out of us than we realize.”
“Of course.” Callie gathers her things, her gaze finding mine again. “I’ll make sure to... conserve my energy for what really matters.”
Whatreallymatters? Like the time she spends with Logan?
There’s the Callie I know and definitely don’t love.
When she’s gone, Oliver gently squeezes where he holds the towel. “Just think about it?” he asks me. “The reason I want to know by tomorrow is that I want to do this right. Coordinate our costumes, that sort of thing.”
Right. The dance.
“I’ll think about it,” I lie, since right now, I have to focus on slowing down my healing before Nana looks at my arm.
His face lights up like I’ve already said yes. “That’s all I ask.”
