I tugged my skirt down for about the umpteenth time today as I walked down the hall, past some familiar and unfamiliar faces. I’d had a long day of classes, everything from Charms and Potions to Dragon Riding 101. I’d barely had time to eat my lunch by the time I got my tray, and the constant hustle of getting from one place to the next had taken its toll in more ways than one.
Not to mention this uniform was tight and uncomfortable.
Maybe Delaney can show me a spell later to loosen up this freaking waistband or something.
Finally, I made my arrival at my advisor’s class, Lost Lore & Legends. I breathed a sigh of relief that I was early—in fact, I was the first student to arrive.
I caught my breath as I walked in and took a seat on the far right, at one of the long, mahogany tables set for two. I glanced around the room, noting that all the tables were set up for two individuals per table, like a lab. But this was a lecture class, or so I thought it was supposed to be a lecture class...
Mrs. Caldwell didn’t say anything about labs when she sent me my schedule.
“Afternoon, Miss McCreanor,” Professor O’Connor said briskly.
“Afternoon,” I said as I situated myself in my seat, once again pulling at the sides of my skirt. I didn’t like how every time I sat down, the damn thing rode up, which made me that much more self-conscious about my thighs. On everyone else, it didn’t look quite as short, but I had a feeling it was because the rest of the student body didn’t have my cursed height and arse.
I swear, no matter what I did, my bottoms never fit me right. Either they fit well on my thighs or they fit good on my arse. I couldn’t have both.
Not to mention this place was crawling with women who were much taller, thinner, and more tailored than I was.
A salacious giggle broke through the air as a group of girls trudged in. I knew the one, the tall blonde, from my dormitory. Delaney had introduced us on my first night.
Susanne smiled a perfect, white-toothed smile at me before she and her group of friends took their seats. Professor O’Connor didn’t speak, he only continued to keep writing strange symbols on his chalkboard.
They kind of look like Egyptian hieroglyphics.
“Hey,” I waved.
Susanne glanced at me for a moment, as if contemplating whether or not I was good enough to come over and talk to now that she was with her friends and not in the privacy of the dorms, or so it seemed.
Though I wasn’t upset when she nodded and instead took a turn to the other side of the room to sit with her friends. I was used to girls being catty or ignoring me altogether. It was why I kept to myself back home.
Delaney had introduced us, and Susanne had seemed okay, but then again that was a week ago, and I hadn’t really talked to her since. Familiarity breeds comfort, my mother always said.
I should probably try to be better about actually talking to people.
The rest of the student body filtered in faster now, and I watched as everyone took their seats. Students came in pairs, or if they didn’t, they’d wave at someone across the room who they knew better than I did.
Any inkling I’d had of hoping to make a friend in this class was sorely diminished as everyone avoided my table.
I sighed, instead focusing on taking out my textbook I’d been given ahead of time for the class. I barely had it open before the sweet scent of vanilla and burning cedar filled my lungs. Instantly, my gaze shot up to the tall, dark, and handsome man taking a seat next to me.
And just like before, when we’d ran into each other, the heat returned, my body temperature rising as sweat threatened to grace my temple.
Good gravy, Vi, get a hold of yourself!
It’s not like you’ve never seen a hot guy before...
“Hey,” I said, my voice shaking like an idiot. I hated that I sounded so meek and desperate.
But what were the odds Mr. Trouble would plop down next to me in this class of all places. I knew the Lost Lore & Legends class was a second year centric class, but when I’d asked Mrs. Caldwell if there’d been some mistake, she’d only told me in that ominous tone synonymous with everyone around here, “There are no mistakes, Miss McCreanor.”
When I’d asked Professor O’Connor about it when we met, he’d only said that Headmistress Blackthorninsistedthe class would be very beneficial for me, and I guess even the staff were remiss to question her knowledge or orders.
Bane looked down at me with a dark gaze that made my stomach do flips.
Not to mention my magic tingled beneath my skin in a way I’d never felt before.
I couldn’t deny it felt good, enticing even. Like something inside me had been awakened.
