“You’re right. Let’s go.” I spin around and march up the steps. “She’s so nasty,” I huff when we get to the top.
“She is, and she’s been that way since the day I met her.” Kaia, Cass, and I take seats next to Gertrude. “Though since Max has started tutoring you, she’s really amped it up.”
I shake my head. “It’s not like I’ve ever made a move on him.” He’s too infuriating to get involved with, no matter how hot he is.
Gertrude laughs. “If she had her way, Max wouldn’t be allowed in the same room as another female. Which is ironic.”
“Why?” Cass asks, wanting to know all the gossip.
“We’re pretty sure she cheated on him last year with a senior student from her house. He’s since graduated, but it was pretty suspicious. They acted like they couldn’t stand each other but would have private study sessions a few times a week. And when I mean act like they couldn’t stand each other, I mean in an over-the-top, everyone-heard-them-fighting way.” She shrugs. “But they’re engaged, so what are you gonna do?”
“Is arranged marriage normal here?” I ask.
“Not anymore,” Kaia answers. “Every once in a while you still see it, though, like in Max and Celeste’s case. Their families must really want this match for them to still be together.”
“Good,” I say, and feel more relief than I expected. Marriage is the absolute last thing on my mind, but it’s nice to know I won’t be paired up with some random guy I don’t know.
“I should have brought my food,” Kaia says. “I’m hungry again.”
“Do we have time to run and get it?” I ask.
“No.” Kaia looks at her watch. “The game should start in ten minutes. The players will come out here any second now.”
“I have this.” Gertrude opens her cloak, revealing the bottle of whiskey.
“No way!” I exclaim. “You still have some?”
“I got three bottles. We’re good for another week.”
She unscrews the lid, takes a swig, and passes the bottle to me. We sneak sips until we’re all a little tipsy.
“What’s taking so long?” Gertrude asks. “The games always start right on time. It’s two past eleven now.”
“Yeah, and the teams come out beforehand. It’s customary to introduce them one at a time, and with ten players on each team, it takes a while.” She stands, holds her hand up to shield the sun from her eyes, and looks down at the field.
“Professor Julian isn’t even down there.” She turns her head to me. “He’s in charge of the orbs…which aren’t on the field.” Looking puzzled, she sits back down. “This is strange.”
“Maybe they’re running behind since it’s the first game of the year?” I supply, though I can’t see that happening. Everything is run right on time here, and the schedules are all strictly kept.
And this is a big deal, and it would take a damn good reason to delay the start of a game.
“Hey,” Gertrude asks, leaning so far forward I grab her cloak to keep her from drunkenly tumbling forward. The guys in front of us turn. “Do you know what’s going on?”
“No,” one of the guys answers. “But something has to be.”
“Yeah,” Gertrude agrees, and leans back, shaking her head.
“I can go find out,” Cass offers. “I’ve gotten really good at lurking.”
“That’d be great,” I tell her, and watch her sink down through the bleachers. “Has a game ever been delayed before?” I ask Kaia.
“No, not even in bad weather.” She chews on her bottom lip.
“Hopefully it starts soon,” I say. “I want to see our house win today.”
“Me too,” Gertrude says. “I think we have a good shot at winning overall this year too.”
“That’s what I told her too,” Kaia says. “Our new players are awesome.”
