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AJ couldn’t believe this.
She should’ve skipped.
Stupid Academy, stupid dinner party, stupid guards making me come to this.
This whole thing was stupid.
All because she was still on parole. Otherwise, the guards wouldn’t have come to her dorm and escorted her down to the dinner! She should’ve jumped out the window, fought back, or just stayed away from the school all day today.
Stupid, stupid. I should’ve skipped.
Because now, she was sat in one of the seats of the newly renovated, world-renowned, stupid, dinner room. In a magical doorway near the cafeteria, there was a new cafeteria room. Long and thin, with a tall, ornate ceiling that AJ might have admired if she cared enough.
A long, grandiose table sat in the middle of the room, going along from the entrance to the stage at the front. Similar to the Hogwarts cafeteria, there was an elevated stage at the top, perpendicular to the students’ table, filled with dragons and Professors.
Slowly, the room was being filled.
AJ let out a long, annoyed sigh. The guards escorted her to the very middle, and only then did she realise that it was assigned seating.
Great. Bloody perfect.
When she arrived, a couple Professors were there — most she didn’t recognise since she didn’t even go to class — and a handful of students. A couple that she’d met in passing, but even more that she hadn’t.
That weird girl who came back from the dead — Amber? — was on the end next to someone AJ truly didn’t know, close to the Professors. On the other end were Megi and Lukey sitting diagonal to each other, watching the exit closely.
Bored, the Mage looked to both sides next to her, grabbing the name card to her left, and reading the name. Jojo.
It made her laugh. At least Jojo would be here to make this boring dinner better. Quickly, before the guards could get her in trouble again, she put it back, grabbing the other name card. Cambam.
“Who the hell is that?” She muttered to herself. Actually— maybe AJ had met him. But she couldn’t recall.
A flock of students entered, and AJ threw the name card back, leaning backwards into her chair with a kind of arrogance, and watching as people walked closer to her chair.
Sausage, Bright One, Cold One… Jojo.
Finally seeing each other, both gave the other a messy grin, as Jojo went to sit down next to AJ.
“Jojo. Just can’t stay away from me, can you?” AJ joked to the Jester, who laughed in response.
“Oh, I’ve been dreaming of being next to you all day. Can’t you tell?” She replied before sitting down. “So, what’s for dinner?”
“Hell if I know.” AJ shrugged. “I’m just pissed we have to be here. You know the guards personally escorted me here?”
Someone sat down next to Jojo — Bright One, with Sausage next to her, as normal — before AJ’s friend replied. “Not surprising at all. You’re a flight risk. Probably put you smack in the middle to keep an eye on you, too.”
“No doubt about that.” She muttered, before leaning forward to see Bright One. “Hey, Bright One. Not surprised to see you here.”
Graecie laughed, the sound almost like an Angel, as she combed some of her hair. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world! The reopening of the Formal Dining Room? I love celebrations! Don’t you, AJ?”
“Nah. I’m only here for the food, anyway.”
“Aw, well, I’m sure it’ll be delicious!”
“Oh, I am, too.”
She looked at Jojo, who raised an eyebrow at AJ. “You here for the food or because you can’t leave?”
“Hey, I have a reputation to uphold, Jojo!” The Mage laughed, looking around once again. The room was almost full now, with just a handful of empty seats. One opposite AJ, one next to the one opposite AJ, and another further down the hall.
Cambam’s seat was filled with…
The weirdest looking man AJ had ever seen.
Orange hair, and a weird, medieval Royal outfit.
“Woah! When did you get here?” AJ cried out with a chuckle, placing an elbow on the table and resting her head on her palm. “Cool outfit.”
“Thank you, young miss. I am Prince Cambam of KEWLTOWN. I’m honoured to meet you. Or— you should be honoured to meet me, really.” Cambam exclaimed loudly, making a couple students around the table groan or side-eye him.
Even Jojo did. “He’s next to us?” Jojo leaned into AJ’s ear to ask, as AJ pushed Cambam, eager to learn more.
“Wow, a Prince? And— KEWLTOWN. How’s that, uh, spelled?” The Mage asked with a cheeky grin.
“I’m so happy you asked. KEWLTOWN. All capital, of course. K, E, W, L…”
Cambam’s words drowned out in AJ’s ear as someone stepped into her vision.
A flower crown, with brown hair, and a green top.
AJ knew who it was immediately.
She cocked her head, seeing Drift groan when she picked up the name card.
The one right opposite AJ’s seat.
Something warm came up in AJ’s chest, as she saw Drift finally look at her with an annoyed expression.
“Open Book!” The Mage leaned forward, placing both elbows on the table and staring at the woman in front of her. “We’re sitting together, are we?”
Jojo snorted next to AJ, making AJ hit the Jester’s foot with her own.
“Not by choice, AJ.” Drift narrowed her eyes at AJ, still standing up. “God, I can’t believe this. Where’s the guards? I need to switch seats.”
“Oh, I can go call…” The red-head next to Drift looked around for a guard, and AJ vaguely remembered talking to her in the very beginning of the year. What was her name? She was friends with Drift, they were always together. But what was her name? “Let me see if there’s a guard nearby.”
“Really?” AJ laughed to herself, staring Drift down. “You’re so addicted to me you need to switch seats? I mean, I know it was bad, but…”
“Woah, addicted to you?” Drift shook her head. “If I were addicted to you, I’d want to be next to you. And I don’t.”
“No, you’re a smart girl, Open Book, aren’t you? You know to get away from your addiction.”
The woman next to Drift, the red-head, stared at their interaction. “Yeah, let me get a guard, Drifty. We can switch seats.”
The Mage began to turn around and walk away, but Drift reached her hand out to clasp around the unnamed woman’s wrist, her eyes not leaving AJ’s for even a moment. “It’s okay, Shelby.” Shelby, AJ realised. “I can handle her.”
“Oh, can you now?” AJ pushed with a smile.
As Drift began to reply, Shelby interrupted again. “Drift, I really think…”
“It’s fine.” Drift cocked her head at AJ, who did the same thing back at her. “Let’s just sit down for dinner.”
AJ stared at Drift as she pulled the chair out, and sat down, biting her lip just a bit.
“This is going to be a long night.” Jojo muttered next to her, as a hush fell over the entire room.
It was one of their spells — the Professors. When they needed everyone quiet, they silenced people, so you couldn’t hear anyone but yourself.
“Good evening, students of the Academy.” Mrs. Professor welcomed them from the elevated table. “This is a night of celebration. A reward, for such excellent behaviour from some of our students here. Let dinner be served. And, please, no arguments.”
Immediately, food appeared in front of them. Turkeys and purple stews, rice and pasts of all kind. Most foods AJ didn’t even recognise, and judging by the excited and confused look on Drift’s face, she didn’t know what they were either.
It was… kind of cute. That— face.
Ugh. You’re so stupid, AJ. Shut up, shut up. Shut up!
Open Book was pretty. No one was stupid enough to deny that. But cute? Cute was too much.
Suddenly, the noise came back on.
“Oh—” AJ groaned softly by the sudden invasion of noise. Conversations erupted everywhere. Cambam was talking to Cold One, who sat next to him, and Drift and Shelby were talking. Jojo seemed to be saying something to AJ, but it took a moment for her eardrums to recover.
“What did you say, Jojo?”
“Oh, you know, rumours that there’ll be a new Professor.”
“A new Professor? Like, a normal one?”
“Yeah, for the corruption nearby…”
Everyone stayed in mindless conversation between each other, or silence as they ate, drifting between the two for most of the evening. Every now and then, either Drift or AJ would look at the other, staring or glaring while they ate, and the other pretended not to notice.
There were too many people here for the two to begin arguing again.
And AJ knew that if either of them gave the other the slightest bit of attention, they would begin bickering.
Or flirting. It’s not my fault Drift wants me. As Cambam trailed on about his kingdom back home, AJ grinned at Drift, devouring the meat off the chicken drumstick between her teeth.
As Drift ignored her, talking to Shelby the whole time. Cold One, too.
It would almost annoy her. That Drift kept talking to that Shelby the whole time, and ignoring her.
If she cared.
Which, clearly, AJ did not.
Soon enough, the room was mostly quiet, everyone tired from the copious amounts of food they’d consumed.
But the Professors weren’t finished eating.
So, they sat there.
Jojo was talking to Graecie, Cam to Scott, so AJ spent her moments staring at Drift.
She rearranged the flower crown in her hair for this. AJ could tell — there was now a red rose at the end, rather than the normal pink flowers. It was higher, too, and small braids had been wrapped around the vines to make her look like a real Princess.
“Are you done?” A snappy voice broke AJ’s focus. She was going to snap back at them for interrupting her time, before realising it was Drift herself who snapped at her.
The conversations surrounding them went quiet, now small mutters as Jojo and Shelby watched the confrontation.
“Done with what, Open Book?” AJ raised her eyebrows back at her.
“With staring at me? Honestly, can’t you keep your eyes off me for longer than twenty minutes?” Drift countered. But— it was different. Usually, Open Book was desperately trying to fight back to AJ’s flirting. She wasn’t exactly confident or particularly good at it, but she wasn’t scared. In fact, Drift always tried to pull along the conversation. She didn’t shut it down, didn’t ignore AJ, but this time?
Sure, Drift was confronting AJ looking at her, but not in the same tone.
She was… hesitant. Weirdly hesitant. Maybe from there being so many people?
Surely not.
“Sorry, Open Book, for staring at you. I was just… you know, admiring those beautiful braids in your hair. Did you change the flowers?” The Decay Mage asked with a grin.
“She did!” Shelby answered, smiling happily. “I did the braids for her. Do you like them?”
Okay. AJ did not expect Shelby to reply.
With a quick glance to Shelby, AJ’s eyes returned to Drift.
Who was… blushing?
Before, she looked fine. Normal Drift, if a bit annoyed.
But Shelby mentions braiding her hair, and she’s blushing almost as hard as when they bicker.
Looking away too, onto the table.
Huh.
“Oh, I love them. Open Book could make anything look good. Don’t you agree, Shelby?” AJ was playing a risky game, bringing Shelby in, but if her theory was right…
“Absolutely! Drift is gorgeous, so.” Shelby laughed nicely, giving her friend a small wink.
Which made Drift blush.
“Oh… I see what’s going on here.” AJ nodded her head, letting her words draw out. Drift scoffed, looking away from both of them.
Shelby just looked confused, but Open Book’s face? Guilty, and embarrassed.
“Don’t, AJ.” She muttered. “Just don’t.”
“But why not? You really are an open book, if I could figure it out this easily.” Drift was about to reply, but cut off by AJ once again. “Although this is very… surprising to me.”
“Why? Don’t tell me you really thought I was obsessed with you.” The fire came back in Open Book’s eyes, and AJ laughed in response. No matter who was around, she could push Drift to this mess.
“Thought? Baby, I knew.”
“Don’t lie, it’s unbecoming.”
“But I did know. I do know you’re obsessed with me. No matter how shy you get with everyone else or who you might delude yourself into liking…” AJ shrugged, gesturing to herself proudly, suggesting that Drift would always like her, no matter what.
“Oh, you’re so jealous, Closed Book.”
“Jealous? Jealous? Wow, wow! You think I’m jealous?”
“I know you are. I can feel it. You’re upset that whatever fantasy you had of me is wrong.”
“Oh, because you just want to know my fantasies of you, huh? You need it that bad?”
If the two weren’t so involved in their banter, they might realise the silence in the students surrounding them, watching the exchange with nothing else to say. Only watching.
“I don’t need you. I think you need me, though, judging by how bothered you are.”
AJ laughed loudly, looking at Jojo, who looked slightly embarrassed, yet still interested in the argument. “Can you believe her, Jojo? Come on!”
“Come on, Jojo! Come on! I know the truth, AJ.” Drift leaned forward slightly, mocking the person opposite her.
“The truth? That you want me so bad you can’t think anymore?”
“I— don’t say that. You’re ridiculous.”
“I’m ridiculous?”
“Yeah. Mhm. You are, actually. I can think perfectly fine, it’s you losing sleep over me.”
“I would never lose sleep over you. Sleep with you? Sure. Lose sleep, though? Nah.”
Checkmate. AJ smirked, crossing her arms.
Judging by the soft gasps from their friends nearby, no one expected AJ to admit that. AJ didn’t expect to admit that.
Drift stilled, staring at the Mage opposite her with a shocked expression.
It was dead silent, surrounding them.
She rolled her eyes. “You going to reply to that, Open Book, or just stare at me? I mean, you’re welcome to do either.”
It took a moment to compose herself, but eventually, Drift managed. “I knew you wanted me.”
“Sorry, when did I deny that?”
“Uh, literally all the time.”
“Well, honesty is the best policy, isn’t it?”
“Surprised you’d say that.”
“I’m full of surprises. Come to my dorm later and find out, yeah?”
“I— no! I will not be doing that. You can beg me all I want, but… I don’t want you, AJ.”
An oooo came from the Mage’s right side.
“No?’
“No. You know who I want.”
She rolled her eyes, again. “Oh, please. I know who you really want. You just need to admit it to yourself.”
“I think I know myself better than you.”
“You’re an open book. What you know, I know.”
“Bullshit.”
“Nope. Just the truth, Open Book.”
“Yeah, well—”
AJ frowned as Drift replied, because she could no longer hear her voice.
Oh. She rolled her eyes, again. For the third time that evening.
“Thank you for an amazing evening, students. You may go back to your dorms to prepare for school tomorrow. Dinner is dismissed.”
Everyone stood up, but no one spoke. Probably silenced by me and Drift’s chemistry.
Quickly, everyone began walking towards the exit, the crowd still hushed as they slowly filled out.
Everyone was pressed up against each other once AJ neared the door, until she saw someone next to her.
Drift.
“Came back for more?” AJ grinned at the person next to her, who scoffed.
“Never.” Drift muttered, whispering so no one could hear their conversation.
“Mm. Sure.” The Decay Mage replied, before she had an idea. “Hey, Drift?”
They were almost at the exit, and would undoubtedly go their separate ways.
“What?” She sighed, looking at AJ.
“I have a question.” AJ whispered.
“What now?”
“Just wanted to know if those thighs are open for me too, Open Book.”