Colten is pressed tight against my chest, his body warm against mine as he stares up at me with an expression somewhere between exasperated and something I can't quite place.
“I don’t know whether to be insulted or not,” Colten says. “Was I going to be a shield or were you trying to shield me?”
“Hey, it could be both,” I argue, snorting as I let go. “I’m creative like that.”
Colten shakes his head as his lips twist in a small smile.
Behind us, Elias frowns at the mirror. “That’s strange.”
“What’s strange?” I ask.
He points at the mirror. “Your soulmate’s face should’ve appeared there.”
All three of us look in the mirror.
I squint. There’s Elias, Colten, and me. That’s it.
There’s no mysterious soulmate or magical stranger looking back at us. It’s just the three of us standing in a slightly dingy campus bathroom.
“Huh,” I say.
Elias leans closer to the mirror, as if we all might’ve missed something.
“Maybe magic isn’t real,” I offer.
Elias looks personally offended by that possibility. Oh well. At least Julian isn’t actually in a hostage situation.
“Interesting experience,” I say, clapping Elias on the shoulder. “But we should probably go.”
Colten nods immediately. “Yes, we need to practice.”
I groan. Magic isn’t realandI need to practice?
Well, I guess I can’t avoid it forever. Elias waves us off, muttering some more as he taps away on his phone.
We shrug and easily slip out of the bathroom, once again heading towards the athletic center and leaving the whole situation behind. At least physically.
Mentally, I can’t stop thinking about it.
“That was weird,” I say.
“Yes,” Colten agrees. “One day I hope you develop at least some survival instincts.”
“Says the guy who followed me into the bathroom ritual.”
He raises a judgmental eyebrow. “I followed you to make sure you didn’t get jumped.”
“That’s true friendship,” I say warmly, putting a hand over my heart. He rolls his eyes.
I grin and bump his shoulder with mine before asking, “So, do you believe in magic?”
Colten goes quiet, which means he’s thinking.
This is one of my favorite things about Colten. Most people, especially me, answer questions immediately without thinking.
Meanwhile, Colten actually pauses and considers the question. I’ve learned to wait because whatever he eventually says is always interesting and worth it, unlike most other people.
We walk across the quad while he thinks. The sun is nice and warm today as students finishing finals trudge past us. Thankfully, my finals were done days ago, and whether I pass or not is not currently my problem.
