Looking down at my screen with the faintest hint of a smile, I shot back a text, feeling a bit more hopeful now—even if I knew without a doubt that a certain couple was going to be in my thoughts while I found someone to play with.
Better that, though, than actuallyactingon it.
Me:Yeah, I’ll swing by this evening.It’s been a while, and I have some stress to burn off.
Elaina: Perfect.I’ll be looking forward to it.See ya then!
I didn’t bother to send another text back.Elaina and I weren’t like that.We may have fucked a handful of times, but it was all just for the scenes.No strings, no messy feelings, and both of us liked keeping it that way.
So it was settled.I’d get what I needed off my chest, allow myself to let go for even just an hour or two, and I’d be back to myself in no time.
As long as I could keep my distance from thosewitchesin my class.
Five-When Two Paths Meet, Follow Where The Wind Takes Your Feet
Temps
“Comeon!It’llbefun.Don’t you want to have some fun for once?”Lizzie stood in front of me as I sat on my bed, glaring at her as she held her hands up to her chest, begging me to go to that stupid carnival.“We’ll go together and get popcorn and shit.Please.The parental units are nowhere in sight, thank gods, and I need to have some fun.We cut the bonfire short last night, too.So, you know, you owe me.”
“Uh!”I gaped at Lizzie, my mouth wide open, before I snapped it shut and leveled her with another glare.“You were the one who said we could leave!”
“I was being nice, and you know it.”
With a sigh, Lizzie pushed up from the floor, where she’d actually been kneeling to really drive the point home, and stomped over to her bed.As she crossed one leg under her, she folded her arms, managing to lift the subtle curves of her breasts, which were already way too visible in the tank top she’d decided to change into.
“Temps, we need to go have some fun.Studying isn’t the only reason we’re here.We’veneverbeen able to interact with other witches.You know some will be there.The flyers were all over the school.This is the perfect opportunity to actually forge some connections with our classmates.”
I narrowed my eyes at her, mirroring her arm cross as I huddled down into the thick, black sweater I’d put on.It was knitted with massive, chunky yarn, and I loved it.It was also exactly what I wore fornights in, ones when I knew I wouldn’t be dealing with people for the rest of the day.
“Don’t you squint at me.Yes, I know I hardly care about being buddy-buddy with anyone, but these are witches.The odds they’re cooler than the dumbass townies we usually meet are astounding.And besides,” she eyed me all the harder, leaning in to make her point, “it’s just a carnival, Temps.It’s not like I’m taking you to a rave.”
“You’re not trying to take me to a rave because you have before, and it failed miserably.”
Throwing myself back on the bed, I stared up at the ceiling, kicking off the slippers I’d thrown on and hoping that Lizzie would just drop it.But a moment later, the bed was dipping as she hopped in, towering over me on all fours.
Shit.
Having Lizzie on top of me like this made every nerve in my body hum with white-hot energy.I could feel the blush starting in my cheeks, the smell of her dark, spicy perfume hitting me as her braid swung down over her shoulder.Lizzie’s hazel eyes were a masterpiece this close up, all flecks of greens and blues and browns, and my breath caught in my chest.
“If you don’t come with me, I’m going to drag you to the witchy sex club I want to try out instead.”
My eyes flared wide as the shock of her words hit me hard.I was speechless for a moment, my mouth hanging open again, and I could hear my pulse in my ears, clear as day.
“You wouldn’t,” I managed to eke out.
“I would, Temps.In a damn heartbeat.”
It was a standoff for several beats, the two of us staring at each other and waiting for the other to blink.A tiny voice in my head—one I always tried to ignore and push to the furthest reaches of my mind—piped up with the comment that going to a sex club with Lizzie would be a dream come true.But I shut that down quickly.
What would you even do there?You have no idea what sex or kink are supposed to be like.You’re the most vanilla, untouched bookworm on the earth.
Lizzie cocked a brow, seeming to read my indecision and annoyingly impossible to deny curiosity.I chewed on my lip, my stare breaking from hers as I sighed.
“Fine.”
“Yay!”She bounced me on the bed as she celebrated, a massive grin on her face, and then, before I could stop her, Lizzie was leaning down, planting a featherlight and hummingbird-quick peck on my cheek.“Get changed.There’s no way you’re going to a carnival in your homebody clothes.”
She was scampering across the room in a flash, getting herself ready with the last few touches since she’d already changed into a black, leather miniskirt and a mesh tank top with a black bra beneath it.She looked like something right out of a Killstar ad—hot, goth, and signalling questionable morals.
