Chapter 6
Sophia
I let out a sigh and try to focus my attention on my history lecture.
As much as I want to pay attention, Mr Higgins has an annoying way of droning that seems to be sending me to sleep instead of engaging my brain.
And from the looks of a lot of other people in the room, I'm not alone in that.
Luckily for me, the large mane of the chimaera in front of me is blocking me from the professor's view, so I'm not likely to get in trouble for not paying attention at least.
My mind slips back to the other night. I haven't seen Lucas anywhere around the academy since seeing him by the pool, and even if I don't want to admit it, there's a part of me that's disappointed by that.
I've always been intrigued by the possibility of a mate bond and exactly how it would feel.
More than that, I want to apologise to him properly for how I made him feel.
With the cold light of morning and the lack of influence from the wine that had been running around my system, I could see how my words hadn't come across right.
I run my fingers over my tail, using the point of it to press into the pad of my finger to try and get my thoughts back on the lecture, but the point of my tail isn't sharp enough to do anything, something I'm normally grateful for.
"All right, class," Mr Higgins says, calling our attention to the front. "Your assignment for the evening has been written on the board. Make sure to take note of it, because I expect it done before the next lesson."
Groans sound from around the room and I have to admit that I agree with them.
The next lesson is tomorrow, which doesn't give any of us much time to do it.
I may not have been at the academy long, but I'm already starting to get frustrated about how many of the professors seem to forget that we have multiple subjects and they all expect us to do the work.
I push the thought aside. I'm supposed to be here to learn and that's what they're trying to get me to do.
Rosewood may not have been my first choice of educational establishment, but it's a good one, and I need to make the most of my time here regardless of my personal feelings.
Especially when I can do it without having a bodyguard constantly hanging over my shoulder.
Students around the room are on their feet within seconds, chattering away to one another and talking about the last party, or the next one.
It seems that despite the castle being enclosed and there not being much to do in the village down the road, the students at Rosewood know how to have a vibrant social life.
I swing my bag over my shoulder and make my way out of the classroom along with all the other students.
They're milling around in the hallway, some of them going off to other lectures, and some of them heading to wherever they want to spend their free time.
Though some of them might just be choosing not to go to the lectures.
We're all adults, they can't actually force us to attend.
"How was class?" Lottie asks.
I jump, not having expected the moth fairy to appear out of nowhere.
"As good as history can be," I respond after turning to face her.
She grimaces. "So not great. I've heard that Mr Higgins can drone on a bit."
"That's an understatement," I mutter. "He doesn't know how to keep the attention of the class."
"That's not what you want," she responds.
"Not really, no." I readjust the strap of my bag.
"Have you got anything now?"
I shake my head. "I'm free for the rest of the day."
"Me too. Which is good, because we need to go shopping."
I raise an eyebrow. "For..."
"Drake's throwing another party. And your wardrobe is amazing, but I should probably have some clothes of my own."
I laugh. "You're welcome to raid my wardrobe any time you want." We start to make our way back to the dorms so that we can plan whatever we do next, whether it's shopping or not.
Lottie lets out a dramatic sigh and pushes one of her antennae out of her eyes. "I know, but I need something new if I'm going to impress your brother."
"Ew. No. Don't talk to me about that."
"Because it's weird that I want to be friends with you and something else with your brother?" Her lips lift into a sly smile.
"Lottie!"
"What? He's a catch."
"He's my brother. I don't want to think about it." Though I have to admit that I can see she's a match.
"And that's why I need to get something new. I can't wear one of your dresses while flirting with him, it's just wrong."
I laugh. "All right, fine. But I don't want to hear too much about it."
"I promise I'll keep the recaps suitable for your grandmother," she promises.
Without meaning to, a snort escapes from me.
"The joke's on you, my grandmother may be the Dowager Queen of our demon realm, but she knows plenty of dirty jokes.
My father has tried to make her stop, but I think she does it to wind him up.
The last time was at a state dinner with the Crown Princess of another demon realm. "
"I can only imagine what that dinner was like," she responds.
"It was interesting. If you carry on dating Archie, then you'll find out soon enough."
She stops walking. "What?"
"Well, you'll go with him to some events," I respond.
"I hadn't really thought of that," she admits as she falls into step beside me.
"He'll help you through it," I promise. "You've chosen a good one to be interested in, even if I don't want to hear about all of the details."
She gives me a small smile, and I hope that means she believes me. "So, what about you?"
"What about me?"
"Has anyone caught your eye?" she asks.
My mind immediately returns to Lucas and my reaction to him. "I'm not here to date."
She scoffs. "Everyone says that. But it's not true. People are looking for romance no matter where they go."
"Unless they're aromantic," I counter.
"Fair point..."
"Or in a relationship already," I add.
"You're impossible." She slips her key into our front door and opens it.
"Mmm."
"I'm going to go dump my bag, then we can have a drink before heading into the village," she says. "Apparently, the dress shop is surprisingly good at dealing with wings."
"Probably because they have to cater to all of the students here," I point out. They've got to be good at dealing with wings, tails, horns, and all kinds of other body parts.
"True."
"I'll go put the kettle on, and then we'll make a plan," I say as I head to the kitchen.
Hopefully, this means I'll be able to keep the attention on clothes and away from whether anyone has caught my interest at the academy, because the last thing I want to do is have to recount the interaction with Lucas, because it did not cast me in a good light at all, and it bothers me that I can't fix it if I don't see him again, and so far, he's been nowhere in the academy.
Hopefully, it's only a matter of time before I can make a proper apology.