“Oh, you want to bet,” Cordelia narrows her eyes. “Does your pack know all the stories?”
Sofia straightens, her smug smile vanishing.
“Yes, of course.”
“Hindrance Hove?” Cordelia asks sweetly.
“Pshaw, of course, they know that one.”
“Squid coma of 21?”
Sofia’s eyes narrow. “Yes, they know.”
“What about the great adventure, Raiders of the Lost D’arc?”
Sofia gasps. “We’re supposed to be best friends.”
Cordelia doesn’t back down.
“Wait! I haven’t heard that one. What is it?” Asher shouts.
Cordelia doesn’t look away; Sofia refuses to break eye contact. The tension rises to untenable levels.
At last, Sofia dips her head, submitting. “You win. Mum, we have to go. There is an issue with the cake.”
Lorelei shrieks and spins away from her conversation with Julia. “Asher, get your butt out here, I need you to carry all these down to the party.”
Asher gets up, glaring at us. Sofia stands still until they are gone, watching Julia run past with Lorelei and Asher.
She makes a slicing motion across her neck. “You are dead to me.”
Cordelia snorts.
“You better keep that secret forever.”
“And ever!” Cordelia says, and they hug, all the anger disappearing.
“Thanks, Sofia.”
“No worries. Get your butt to the party, or we will all never hear the end of it.”
Cordelia sighs.
“And get dressed, you heathen. You look like you crawled backwards out of a nest.”
I glance at Cordelia and realise her hair is in a messy bun; she’s in track pants and a jumper that looks like it belongs to a guy. I didn’t even see her clothes; I just saw her.
I pick up the bracelet and put it on her wrist.
She looks up at me, ignoring Sofia’s chortle as she disappears.
“I will do whatever you want to do.”
“Run away with me?”
“Of course. Where do you want to go?”
She rests her forehead on my chest. “You are too perfect.”
