Their mask is new, plain black, the material silky and smooth.
I lift my hand to touch it, but Phantom’s sudden grip on my arms stops me. They look shocked as they study my face. “Don’t worry,” I whisper. “I won’t take it off.”
They nod, dropping my arm.
I watch them as they track my hand, slowly approaching their face. The fact they’re trusting me enough to get this close is a serious testament to what we’ve built.
But whatisit that we’ve built?
If I’m being completely honest with myself, this relationship doesn’t feel like friendship, and it hasn’t for a while. It feels likesomething else. And I know I should feel bad about that fact, but right now, under Phantom’s gaze, I find it difficult to.
I shiver as my fingertips brush over the silky fabric on Phantom’s cheek. They’ve gone ramrod straight, so I don’t let my fingers linger long. They relax as I withdraw my hand.
“It’s lovely.”
Phantom’s gemstone eyes glisten in the dark. “It’s new.”
“So is the dress,” I admit, my disjointed thoughts fluttering around my mind like the butterflies in my stomach.
“Looks like we both had plans to impress,” they say with a low chuckle.
“I think we succeeded,” I pronounce boldly, the alcohol robbing me of my inhibitions.
They smile with their eyes and study my dress head-on for a moment. Under their gaze like this, I don’t feel self-conscious like I so often do with others. I feelseen.
“Yes, I think we did.”
I use Phantom’s renewed happy demeanor to my advantage, grabbing their hand and rushing to unlock the door, knowing nothing more can happen behind it tonight, regardless of what my libido tries to demand.
“Maeve, what are you doing?” Their voice is thick with anxiety as we dash down the hall.
“We’re going back down to the party,” I explain, “where we’re going to have some fun.”
“But no one can know who I am,” they remind me, the pitch of their voice rising an octave.
“I know,” I say, looking back at them.God, they look good enough to eat. Banishing thoughts of my tongue tasting their skin, I push on, “I’ve already come up with an alias for you.”
Their eyes flash with amusement at that.
Back down at the party, I rush to the kitchen to replenish mydrink. I offer one to Phantom, but they decline. And now that I think about it, I realize they’ve never eaten or drank anything in front of me before. But before the thought has time to take root, Zayne and Emmy approach us.
“I was wondering where you’d gone off to,” Emmy says to me as she studies Phantom carefully. From her curious expression, it looks like she likes what she sees, and an unfamiliar emotion oozes into my chest, acidic and corrosive.
Am I . . . jealous?
Casually, I say, “I was just showing my friend, Daemon, around.”
“I’ve never seen you on campus before,” Zayne comments as he openly scrutinizes them as well.
“Daemon’s a friend from home,” I explain. “Just in to visit for the night.”
Emmy and Zayne both relax.
“Well, it’s nice to meet you,” Emmy says. “I guess that makes it our responsibility to ensure you have a good time.”
I smile at her gratefully.
“Shall we?” Zayne asks, gesturing to the library.
