Spellbound

23

BRICE

FRIDAY

I walked out of the Physics exam content with my performance. I would never be as confident in academics as I was in athletics but I was certain I'd passed this one. Having a geneticist as a father highlighted that, despite my talents and capabilities, I was still lacking.

He was a brilliant doctor and scientist, and I was a brilliant swimmer.

It didn't quite compare.

I was capable of focusing on Physics without a spell clouding my mind. I'd be lying if I said Soleil didn't help me with study techniques and highlighting topics I should focus on. I get overwhelmed by course work and end up not wanting to do it.

What am I going to do with our contract? I pondered.

We had a deal. Was I going to let it go, just like that? No. Now so more than ever.

I've been holding myself back, allowing Soleil to heal and digest everything she's seen. I did tear a wall in her mind and uncovered a deep-seated fear that drew terror demons to her. She's taking this rather well if you ask me. I'd been checking on her, without her knowledge of course, to make sure she wasn't suffering any nightmares.

It didn't take me long to figure out Soleil had blocked me. I'd tried to call her. When I couldn't get through to her all day Wednesday, I went to her room later that night and checked her phone. Having a bio-ID erased the labour of guessing a password. Using her finger to unlock the screen, I saw my number was no longer listed and she was no longer following me on the socials.

I rolled my eyes because I noticed when she followed me and of course I followed her back but she never liked my posts. She was a silent lurker so I wasn't surprised by her move to ghost me. Clearly, she needed space and I was going to give it to her.

I'm also trying to play it cool and keep a low profile between us to quell any embers of the rumours started on Halloween night. I have to thank Hailey for her stupidity in going live. She's dead set on forgetting that weekend. The gossip mongers should move on when their queen bee posts MD content which is all she can talk about.

"How was it?" Louis asks closely followed by Baptist when we walk out of the exam hall.

"Pas mal du tout. And for you?" Not bad at all.

"Je l'ai cloué." I nailed it.

"Oui. C'était un morceau de cake." Yes. It was a piece of cake, comments Baptist.

The Bourbons are cousins and members of Maverick Manor. Proud Franks but not as insufferable as Le Pen. We head back to the dorms shooting the shit about our plans for the MD after party despite it only being the first week of exams.

"What's up?" Jacques asks when we settle and find him in the common room.

"Trying to come up with a venue to host the afterparty," Louis says.

"I thought the matrics as a grade had already organised one at Club Con?"

"Yes. This is more of a private party," Baptiste says as he wiggles his brows.

"Tell me more. I'm sure we can use the manor-" Jacques says before I have to cut him off.

"I already said no. And besides, having it and Mavericks would exclude most people since its members only/invite only."

"And? What's the problem with that?"

"I already said no."

My decision was final. I wanted to spend the last night of my high school career with all my peers. I had a feeling I would be seeing this bunch for more years than I cared to count. I could do a night without.