Vulnerable: Book 1 of the Magic Mutations Series | ✓

47: Tender Times

January-April 2018

Time passed as time does, sometimes in the blink of an eye and sometimes at snail pace. The turn of the new year had seen a lot of changes for me. I moved all my things into Ben's room (now our room), handed back the keys for my studio apartment, and then finally quit my job just in time for uni to pick back up.

With all my combat and magic training picking up in the new year, I didn't have time to work at the bookstore (or a need considering I no longer had rent to pay and Ben refused to let me lift a finger to buy anything). I had a credit card living in my wallet I never touched (even though the whole house insisted their money is my money). I had convinced myself my leaving work was a temporary solution and that I could not possibly be one of those girls who lets her man provide for her.

Then February rolled in with love in the air. To be honest, I had completely forgotten about the Valentine's day tradition. The witches insisted on being in control of food, so I never had much reason to step into a store. I refused to spend my magic card that was in my wallet, so I avoided retail outlets. Which meant most of my days I spent going between home, uni, and the gym with Lukas.

I had crept out that morning for an early class only to be bombarded with upset texts from Ben for leaving without saying anything. Confused the whole day at his sudden tantrum, when I walked into our room that evening and saw it covered in flowers, candles, and teddy bears, I almost felt myself drown in pink. To my chagrin, he realised Valentine's day was completely off my radar and I felt endlessly guilty for all the effort he had put in that I hadn't (it is a stupid holiday though in my opinion.) I made it up to him in bed later though.

Then my birthday rolled around in April, right at the beginning of the summer term. Ben was disappointed in me once more for going to uni while he slept (apparently on my birthday I should skip classes?) But I honestly wasn't in the mood for celebrating aging another year while all my friends stayed endlessly young. They insisted that just because we were saying I had 'turned 20' didn't mean I was. Erica and Jayce were certain that my magic would have slowed my aging, claiming I looked younger than my age regardless, and if I did age at all, they had potions to slow it when necessary.

When I got home from uni that day though, the house was adorned with balloons, music blasting, and all my favourite foods were spread across the dining table. The whole group had collated in our house (even Jade, Faye, Oran, the whole magical group of seventeen cramped into our large house).

We drank, we danced, we ate. Then Ben lured me alone upstairs to give me my present: a 'promise ring'. Not a proposal, he insisted. I had to meet his father first and he my mum (old-school, I know) before he made that. But he wanted me to know he was committed to me for life. (Like, hello, we have a bond for life, Ben. But okay.).

Time did indeed pass with its ups and downs. They certainly weren't all good times. Ben and I still had our fights every now and then. Erica and Lukas had a few blow outs. Even Loren and Jade had a heated argument at ours one night.

But what always niggled at me was that ever since we returned from Ireland, Ben and Lukas were never the same with each other. Both still crazily amazing to me—Ben more loving than ever, and Lukas making an even better effort at being my best friend. But they never hung out together anymore. There always had to be someone else around, whether me, or Jayce, or Ivan, or Loren. They were no longer best friends. Just people who lived together. Which made me wonder if it was my fault for driving a wedge between them over my safety.

And then June rolled around.

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