Page 135 of Mistaken Magic

Therewas a definite tension there between them.Keirjust shrugged it off. "Well, sinceI'msure you can only handle one of them at a time,I'mstealingRainfor a bit."

"Youare?"Iasked.

"Iam,"Keirassured me. "Idid promise to help with your courses, andI'vepassed all of them once already."

"Go,"Aspentold me. "Letme have this hottie, and you can crawl on that one."

Ilooked over to find her smiling up at me.Theexpression on her face was honest and... excited?Shelooked just like a best friend encouraging me to talk to the cute guyIliked.Theproblem wasIlikedher.Ok, soIliked a few people.Sowhat?Butthat fear hit me again.Theone that felt likeIwas doing something wrong.

"Youdon't have to,"Hawkesaid as the worry set in.

Ishook my head. "No,Iprobably should.AndifIdon't learn anything,I'llcome back for help,Hawke."

Hecaught my hand. "Rain, we're all just trying to help, not push.Youdon'thaveto.There'snothing to be afraid of."

Myheart stalled out at his words.Howhad he knownIwas nervous about this?Wasit written on my face or something?Nevermind the slightly protective note in his voice or the way he kept looking atKeiras if he was a threat.

"Shewants to,"Aspensaid, shifting over so she could sit besideHawke. "She'salso waiting for someone to get jealous because she's human.She'sstillhuman,Hawke.I'msimply reminding her that it's cute when she's all happy and acting like one of us."

Myteeth found my lower lip andIcaught her eyes. "Giggling, right?"

"Muchgiggling," she insisted. "Ican't lie, remember?Go,Rain.Havefun.Seeif you can makeKeirblush."

"Idon't blush," he toldAspen. "I'malso just a friend.LetRainset her own pace."Thenhe offered me a hand up. "Getyour tablet.I'mpretty sureIdon't think likeHawke, and my way of muddling through your... is itComprehensiveMath?"

"Yeah,"Igrumbled. "Likea catch-up course for all the stuffImissed in public school.Supposedto have me ready for trig next year."

"Andyou're in the same one,Aspen?" he asked.

Shenodded. "Yep.Gotput into basic math last year.Aren'tyou glad you didn't have a crappy public school education?"

"Iwent to public school until the eleventh grade," he countered.

"Here," she reminded him. "Iwas in the middle of nowhere, at a school where the football coach taught all math, and no one failed.Crappy'sthe key word there.Couldn'trisk the players being benched for grades, after all."Shewaved me away. "Goplay,Rain!Ineed some good gossip this evening."

SoIclambered to my feet, grabbed my tablet, and letKeirlead the way.Heshowed me to a nice little spot beside the glass wall at the back.Vinesgrew on one side that smelled a lot likeAspen.Onthe other was a hedge of some fae flowering plant.Ithad to be at least four feet tall, possibly five.Whenwe sat down, the space was amazingly secluded.

ThenKeirflicked his fingers, and the sound around us softened to barely a whisper. "Whatwas all that about?" he asked.

"Uh..."

"Theconjuration gives us privacy," he promised. "Youclearly knew whatAspenwas talking about, soI'masking to be let in."

Imoaned, dropping onto my back. "I'mtrying to balance everything,"Isaid. "Classes, mean girls, courts, learning weapons - both how to use and how to make them - and guys with my girl."

"Cultureshock," he realized.

"Shesays she wants me to giggle with her about guys.SheknowsI'minto them, she's not, and she basically said she doesn't own me."

Heshifted down and rolled over onto his stomach, lying parallel to me but the other side up. "Isthat whatyouwant, though?"

Ilifted up my hands and let them drop. "I'dhave to be an idiot to say no, but at the same time,I'mwaiting for the catch."

"Thecatch is that living with fae takes practice," he explained. "Isay this becauseIhad to learn the other way around.WhenIhad two girlfriends in middle school,Ididn't see whyIcouldn't tell the first about the second.Itried and got slapped, called a cheating dog, and so on.Foryou, it's the other way around, right?"

"Oh, so you were a junior high slut?"Iteased.

Hechuckled. "Faeboy among humans.Itseems we have an appeal."Thenhe tilted towards me and playfully lowered his voice. "Sodo humans, though.Moremasculine men and curvier women.It'sall about wanting what you can't have, or soIhear.Talkto me,Rain.What'sgoing on in your head?"

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