Page 17 of Fated for Flames

I have no other choice.

I finally pushed myself up from the grass and turned to face Chad. “Same time tomorrow?”

* * *

After a quick pit stop at the cafeteria to grab some food, I made my way back to my dorm room. Following a hot shower, I found myself sinking my teeth into one of the two flaky, buttery croissants I was able to grab from the cafeteria. Waking up early had its perks.

A satisfied groan escaped my throat as I savored each bite. Training hard also meant I needed a bigger intake of calories.

My moment of bliss was interrupted by a knock at the door.

When I opened it, to my horror, Theo was standing there.

Theo and I had known each other for as long as I could remember. In my former life, I’d had a massive crush on him, and I was beyond ecstatic when we started dating after the Snowfall Ball. The rest was ancient history, and I was tired of reminiscing about what happened in my future. That was why I had been avoiding him.

After what I heard coming out of his mouth, the accusations, the insults, the demands to give up my powers, the likelihood of me ever dating Theo again was nonexistent. The mere thought of him caused my stomach to churn.

I am not the same witch anymore.

Summoning all my strength, I fortified myself against the residual fear that threatened to surface and concealed my dread under a fake smile. “Morning, Theo!”

He styled his hair back with a timid smile. “M-morning.”

“What brings you to the girls’ dorm?”

“Can we talk?”

His eyes narrowed slightly, as if he was expecting a denial from me. He wasn’t far from the truth. But as I did with Lia, I had to give Theo the benefit of the doubt.

I leaned against the door, without opening it wide for him to get in. “About what?”

Theo rubbed the back of his neck with a deep frown. “Did I do something wrong?”

Not yet.

“No. Why do you ask?”

“Well, I’ve noticed…you flinch whenever I’m around lately. It almost feels like you’re…scared of me. Are you?”

The fact that he noticed caught me off guard. Lia didn’t seem to notice any change.

I studied Theo carefully, searching for any signs of dishonesty or darkness. All I saw was my old friend, worried about me and concerned enough to try and talk things over.

I shook my head slowly. “Theo, it’s not you. I’ve just been dealing with a lot lately.”

He frowned. “What’s troubling you? Can I help?”

“I’m not sure if anyone can help me,” I sighed.

“Still, I want to help.”

I stared at him once again, noticing his concern. “It’s girls’ problems.”

He rolled his eyes and folded his arms. “I’m not buying it. First, you ignore me, then I find out that you have been attending several classes that an A student like yourself would never pick if it meant lowering your grades. Tactical Defense Training, really?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “What? Are you going to tell me that our kind shouldn’t mix with the shifters? That we are superior?”

He frowned and shook his head. “No. Of course not. I just don’t want you getting hurt. They are big and scary. You arefragile and… The only exercise you do is carrying books, flipping book pages, and running to classes when you’re late.”

---