Page 25 of Stoney Gazes for Helpful Gorgons

I shrug. "I'll have to field some questions, and you definitely won't be able to stay in my room, but other than that, they won't care."

"And what about you? We've not known each other long."

"I guess it doesn't feel like that," I respond. "We've talked so much about a lot of things that are important to us both."

"Yet there's stuff we don't know."

"Like?"

"Your favourite topping on pizza. Maybe you're going to reveal you love pineapple," he teases.

"I do love pineapple," I joke. "But not as a pizza topping. I'm a BBQ chicken girl. Basic, but delicious."

"Mmm, good choice." He flashes me a smile and I know that the serious part of the conversation is over. Which is fine by me, I want to be able to process what we've talked about, though I might need a little bit of a clearer head for that. Even though the walk back to campus from the club has helped some of the effects of the alcohol wear off between the crisp evening air and the food, I can still feel the edges of it. No doubt I'm going to end up regretting drinking so much in the morning.

Chapter 11

RHEA

My bedroom door creaks open and I throw my arm over my eyes in response. "Go away," I murmur.

"Do you have someone with you?" Sage asks.

"What? No, of course not." I shuffle up in bed and search around for my glasses, keeping my eyes closed until they're on my face and my friend is safe from any accidents.

"Oh, I just thought because you left with that Jack guy..."

"We're just friends," I say quickly.

Sage frowns and heads over to sit on the end of my bed. "Really?"

"Yes. We met at group grief counselling sessions, it's not exactly a dating situation."

She frowns. "It's just, the two of you were acting like it's something. And he came to comfort you when you were upset."

"It's just because he gets it, Sage. He knows how I'm feeling about Granny in a way most people don't"

She looks down at my covers. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Not being able to understand better."

"Hey." I reach out and touch the witch's hand. "You're doing a great job. Promise. I had a good time last night. Well, other than getting a little upset and then losing my glasses."

"You lost your glasses?" Alarm crosses her face.

"Mmhmm, these are my spare ones." I touch the frames. "What do you think?"

"That I wouldn't have noticed and that makes me a terrible friend."

Despite myself, I let out a laugh. "It doesn't. They're the same as the ones I lost. I learned that it was better for my spare pair to match my original pair long ago."

"Oh phew, then I feel a bit better about that."

"I wouldn't have thought twice about it anyway." It normally takes people a while to realise I have new glasses.

"So you're not dating Jack?"