“Okay,” Ria agreed and took a deep breath.“It all started with the most incredible woman I’ve ever met…”
Chapter Twenty
Lissa
Lissaleanedagainstalight pole on the sidewalk, watching the people stream past her toward the large building that was calling her name.She cursed herself for not suggesting they meet inside, but the ticket desk was right at the entrance, and she needed Ria to be there when they went through.
She’d just forgotten the tiny little fact that late June meant she was frying in the ungodly hot summer weather without any shade in sight.For someone as put-together as Ria was, the witch certainly wasn’t great at getting places on time.
At least she agreed to come, Lissa’s heart reminded her.That’s a good sign, right?
After what Daria told her, Lissa wouldn’t have been surprised if Ria ghosted her text message.Thankfully, the Elixir Enchantress only hedged a bit and conceded once Lissa mentioned they would drive separately.Was it a huge waste of gas considering Newport was almost an hour drive from Seacliff where they both lived?Sure.But it was all part of Lissa’s master plan.
A plan that couldn’t be executed if Ria didn’t show.
Lissa wiped another trickle of sweat off the back of her neck and kicked a rock.
“So did that one mouth off, too, or are you secretly a rock racist?”
Lissa glanced up at the sound of Ria’s voice and grinned as she took in the vibrant yellow tank top with spaghetti straps that showed off the witch’s shoulders to perfection.By comparison, her ripped jean shorts and Evanescence T-shirt made her look like a slob, but much like everything else, she planned it that way.Dressing too nice would have been an immediate red flag.
“Not a rock racist, I swear,” Lissa protested, throwing up her hands.“They just have so much attitude sometimes.”
Ria smiled and adjusted the small green purse on her shoulder.“I see.Well in that case, who could blame you?”
Lissa chuckled, but then things got quiet, both of them staring at each other.“Thank you for coming,” she said.“I really appreciate you giving us the chance to be friends.”
“Of course,” Ria replied, shifting awkwardly.“I like spending time with you even if we can’t be together.”
Lissa nodded, swallowing down the bucket of spoiled fish guts that was her guilt, the feeling clawing and gnawing at her.The only way to get Ria here had been to tell her she just wanted to be friends.Was it a worse lie than the time she knocked over a whole rack of Daria’s glass-fused projects and blamed it on the French guest artist who didn’t speak enough English to defend himself?Maybe.
Probably.
She’d eventually confessed, and Daria had forgiven her, but Lissa wasn’t so sure Ria would be in the same forgiving mood when she found out the truth.
Ria scuffed one of her strappy white sandals against the sidewalk.“So, I gotta ask, why did you invite me to the aquarium?”
Tossing a look back at the large blue building that would hopefully be the setting for her studio’s salvation, Lissa shrugged.“Seemed like a chill place for two friends to hang out.Plus there’s something I thought you might enjoy.I want us to get back to having fun.”
“I like fun,” Ria agreed with a shy smile.
“Sweet.I’ve actually never been here in the five years I’ve lived on the coast, but it looked big online.Coming from a landlocked state, I gotta say I’m excited to check out a legit aquarium, and not just some guy named Bob with a few fish tanks in his basement.”
Ria wrinkled her nose.“You’re joking, right?”
“Yeah, but only partially,” Lissa admitted.“Therewasa guy named Bob in my hometown who ran the lamest aquarium ever.I’ve seen pet stores with more fish than he had.But what can you do when you grow up in Ohio?Have you ever seen a whale being carted down the freeway?”
Ria laughed heartily, and Lissa committed the sound to memory, pleased she was the one to pull the playful emotion from the witch.
“No, I guess not,” Ria said.“I have always wondered how they get large animals to the zoos.”
“Who knows, maybe we’ll find out today.After you.”Lissa gestured toward the entrance to the Aquarium, resisting the strong urge to hold out her arm for Ria to take.It wasn’t a date, and brand-new friends don’t hold hands.She needed to play it cool.
They swam through the crowd of tourists, dodging crying children and rambunctious teens, to make their way to the ticket booth stationed right inside the front door.
“Oh, thank God,” Lissa exhaled as the cool air hit her face.
“Not a fan of the heat?”Ria asked, a tiny smirk on her face.
