"Maybe more than a bit," Annabelle admitted. "The hood was perhaps overkill."
"I was trying to be incognito."
"You looked like you were about to rob the place."
"Who robs a school? And I was sitting in a car."
"A very suspicious-looking way to sit in a car," Annabelle said solemnly.
Raven stared at her. Then, incredibly, she laughed. Actually laughed, a short bark of sound that seemed to surprise her as much as it surprised Annabelle.
"This village is insane," Raven said.
"We prefer 'charmingly eccentric,'" Annabelle said. "Come on. Let's get these books inside before PC Davies decides you're a threat to national security."
They carried the boxes in together, Nina watching with wide eyes, clearly dying to ask questions but wisely staying silent. As they stacked the last of the books in the library corner, Annabelle caught Raven looking around the school with something that might have been curiosity.
"Thank you," Annabelle said quietly. "For today. For helping. Even if it did end with you nearly being arrested."
"Nearly interrogated," Raven corrected. "Let's not be dramatic."
"You're the one who said you were nearly arrested."
"I'm allowed to be dramatic. I'm a rockstar."
Annabelle grinned. "Fair point."
They walked back to the car together, the playground quiet with the children back in lessons after lunch. Raven was quiet again, but it was a different quality of quiet. Less hostile, maybe. Or perhaps Annabelle was just desperately optimistic.
"So, see you tomorrow?" Annabelle asked as Raven unlocked the car.
Raven paused. "For what?"
"Rehearsals."
"You're relentless, you know that?"
"I prefer 'enthusiastic.'"
"Nobody's that enthusiastic about fundraising."
"I am," Annabelle said cheerfully. "So? Tomorrow?"
Raven sighed, but it wasn't an angry sigh. "Fine. But I'm not wearing a disguise."
"Probably wise."
Annabelle watched Raven drive away, then turned back to the school, her list of tasks still impossibly long, her exhaustion creeping back in.
But she was smiling.
Everything was going to be fine. Jamie had his buddy system, the book drive was coming together, the fundraiser was on track, and Raven had actually laughed.
Everything was going exactly according to plan.
Lily was wrong. She could absolutely handle this.
She absolutely could.
