Page 127 of Echoes of the Banshee

“No Dad,” I sigh, too embarrassed to tell the full story. “She got the favors for cursing another witch for saying something very… disrespectful about goblins.” Not quite the right word, abhorrent maybe.

“She cursed a witch?” he asks skeptically.

“Yes. Trust me, she’s a good person.”

“She’s not a person!” he shouts, then adds suspiciously, “You seem close to her.”

“I told you, we have classes together, she’s friends with Zair so I see her at meals and things.”

“You don’t let her touch you, right?”

“No, she doesn’t try.” Not a lie, she doesn’t try. But I do.

“Good.” He passes the phone to Malachi and I talk to him for longer. The contrast between my dads is nearly comical.

I’m still carefully tightlipped.

He tells me mom is sleeping. Between being nearly seventy and the chemo she’s been sleeping a lot.

After I hang up I return to staring at the ceiling.

God this is complicated.

A knock on my door ten minutes later has me grimacing.

“You in there Benson?” Thea calls and I’m on my feet and moving to the door with embarrassing speed.

“Hi!” I answer too quickly.

“I got you dinner.” She smiles and hands me a bag of takeout. “Want to watch a movie with us?”

Zair took her on a date, and brought her back to his room. I shouldn’t. But she did bring me food, and invite me.

“Sure.”

The three of us sit on Zair’s bed as he puts on a movie. I eat my amazing spaghetti she brought me. Zair must’ve picked the movie for her, because he’s asleep before it’s over. We let ourselves out and I walk her to her dorm. We pass a group of witches who talk behind their hands to each other. Thea reaches out and laces her fingers with mine.

“They’re really dating,” one says loud enough for us to hear.

We reach her door and she pulls me down into a tight hug.

“Sorry, gotta put on a show.” She giggles against my neck.

“Can I take you out to dinner tomorrow?” I ask her as we break apart. She smiles and nods.

If I could skip, I would.

The next day after English I lace my hand in hers, ask her where she wants to go for dinner. We talk of food as we walk. Zair falls into step beside Thea, he glances at our hands but doesn’t comment.

“Out in public!” Anita’s shrill voice makes us jump. “Thea, we talked about this.”

We keep walking.

“What time should I pick you up tonight? I finish practice at seven.” I offer her a lopsided smile.

“Let’s do seven thirty.” Thea smiles back.

Anita storms between us, and we break apart, laughing as she goes into the cafeteria.