LuckyLachy was the name I’d given his wereball jersey with the blue number three, also known as my good luck charm to wear at every university exam.
Amaia scooted closer to me.
Lachlan yanked his hoodie off the hanger, then turned to Amaia and me on the bed. Zeus scurried all around his feet. It was his witching hour; it happened every day at this time.
Jersey in a fist, all grins, he bent over, scratching Zeus behind his pointy ears. “Hey, Z! More indigestion today?”
“We have a trash system now thanks to him,” Amaia said. “Keep the trash in high spaces, as if he were an actual bear. They’re from the same family, in a way, bears and Zeus, so it makes sense. That they both like trash. Not that they are trash, just scavengers.”
I thinned my lips to hide my smile, staring at my joined hands where they rested over a picture of a brain on the journal’s cover. Amaia always word-vomited all over him.
“So, are we going to the wereball conference together? Maybe we can get a snack before.” Draping the jersey over his shoulder, Lachlan plopped down on the bed next to Amaia. A deep flush of pink settled on her cheeks, and she gripped her tea mug with white knuckles.
“I doubt it, Lach. I have to finish this article by tomorrow.” A long, dragged-out sigh accompanied Amaia’s words.
Outside our apartment, we only ever spotted Amaia in the library. Our quality time was studying together, and adventurous moments were laced with finding new, quiet spots on campus to set up camp—like hidden corners next to old statues in the university’s many halls.
“Alright. And you, Vy?” Lachlan turned his bright smile on me, clearly not surprised by Amaia’s refusal. He’d probably asked her out of courtesy, knowing she’d say no. “Are you in?”
I took my agenda, finger scrolling down the list of things I had to do. I wrote downSnack with Lachlanfrom 3 to 3:20 p.m., before the call with my supervisor.
“Great!” He bent and left a kiss on my cheek. Amaia blushed.
I snapped the two sides of the agenda together. “Aren’t you in a good mood today?”
He shrugged with one shoulder. “I always am.”
“No, you’re not,” Amaia added.
“Hey…” he mumbled, brushing strands of dark hair out of her eyes.
“Yvaine is in a terrible mood today!” she blurted out.
I didn’t even bother with her. She was always like this—had to say something when she felt embarrassed, which only happened with Lachlan. I only let it pass because I found it adorable.
But itwastrue. I was in a dark mood that somehow resembled the weather outside.
And I had no real reason for it.
Exactly. It had nothing to do with the fact that I had received acertain text, from acertain male.
I checked my phone for the umpteenth time.
Zero messages.
Instead of replying to Sillas’s two unread texts, I reread the latest conversation with Rudolph.
The day after the date with Sillas, I had texted Rudy, but no answer had come. For three straight days.
Until this morning.
And to say that what I’d read took me by surprise was an understatement.
Been busy the last few days. Found my mate.
That explained why he hadn’t called or texted.
I should have been happy for him, for having found his other half. And I was. I just couldn’t justify my heavy heart. I liked chatting with Lucien. I’d given him a nickname, used my timeand energy to build up our friendship, as new as it was, and now he had no time to spare?Unfair.
