“Madison,” she read. “Your beauty distracted me all through our lesson on differential equations, but I won’t be upset that you got a better grade than me on our last exam if you go to prom with me?”
Damon rolled his eyes. Elliot most certainly didn’t get distracted by Madison’s beauty. Sure, Madison was pretty, but even if he hadn’t known Elliot wasn’t into girls, he’d know that this was fake because Elliot didn’t get distracted in class.
He never,ever, let anyone or anything come between him and a good grade.
If Madison did get a better grade than he did on his last exam, it was probably the day after Damon stole Elliot’s keys and convinced him to stay over instead of studying.
Now that Damon thought about it, maybe Elliot was better off without him.
The crowd parted, and Elliot stood, smiling and leaning near the vestibule with the water fountains.
He was wearing his usual jeans and beat-up sneakers, but had on a tight red t-shirt that Damon had never seen him wear before. It emphasized his lean frame and gave him a more styled and put-together look. He’d also gotten a haircut so his long blonde hair didn’t cover his blue eyes.
He looked good. Really good. Damon didn’t understand why anyone wouldn’t want to date Elliot. Why he onlyfucked aroundwith guys. Why anyone wouldn’t want to shout to the world that this sweet, kind, cute guy was his—
“Yes, I’ll go to prom with you!” Madison screamed louder than necessary. She ran over with her arms wide. Elliot met her halfway and pulled her in close. He hugged her and spun her around, smiling like he…actually liked her or something.
Why was Elliot even asking her to prom? He was only supposed to go with Madison so he could hang out withDamon. It was supposed to be their last senior-year hurrah. They were going to sneak in a flask and have a good time together.
Damon didn’t even want to go to prom anymore. It wouldn’t be fun without Elliot.
The crowd was still clapping for the happy couple.
Madison grabbed both sides of Elliot’s face and kissed him.
Damon expected him to freeze up or push her away, but instead, he didn’t hesitate to kiss her back.
The crowd’s clapping turned into whistling.
Damon clenched his hands into fists. His chest burned. He wanted to punch something, and he had no idea why.
Chapter Five
“If you can’t get the hang of this, Elliot, I’ll bind your powers.”
He sighed. “Yes, Grandmama.” He wanted to fling his hands out and sayJust bind them. I don’t want them anyway.It’s not like they work when it actually matters.
Elliot hovered his hands over the sedated dog lying on the vet table in his grandmama’s clinic. He’d been helping out here since he was a kid. Since the first time his powers manifested.
That fateful day in first grade when he’d healed a broken arm.
Healing witches were a family legacy on his dad’s side. Everyone had been excited that Elliot’s powers had manifested early because it was a sign he’d be extremely powerful once his powers matured on his eighteenth birthday.
Elliot, however, had been a disappointment.
His powers were erratic and unreliable. He’d turned eighteen three months ago and couldn’t even heal this dog’s broken leg.
“Maybe if you were a certain ridiculously reckless guy, I could heal you,” he mumbled to the dog.
But every time Elliot wanted to give up, to accept that his powers must have skipped him like they had his dad, he remembered the car crash.
Remembered how his healing powers had saved him from almost dying. Had jumped from his skin to save Damon too.
They hadn’t been enough to save Damon’s father. Damon would have a dad if Elliot weren’t such a shitty witch.
Elliot’s grandmama huffed after another five minutes passed and nothing happened. She waved a hand over the dog, and the bone and skin knitted itself back together.
“I’m sorry,” Elliot said, energy deflating. “I don’t know why I can’t do it.”
