Choosing Home

Chapter Forty Seven

Oddly enough that'd been the thing to earn Ben's trust in the former Caster and yes Hadie did know about the slight tension there thank you. The fact that Quinn had been sincere in wanting to bring more kids over, and Sura had nearly died because of the Isle and the lack of food. It truly was the least Ben could do in order to make it right.

"Sura's practically Quinn's shadow, I doubt she'd want to hang around Evan," Celia said, shaking her head. "I think I know who Evan's new VK friend is."

"Considering it should be obvious, I'd be worried if you didn't," Hadie chuckled. "It's Hermie isn't it?"

"Hermie?" Grace asked.

"The Ringmaster's daughter," Dizzy said with a small smile at the thought. "I think they'd be good together! I'm glad Hermie's found her Prince!"

"Getting a little carried away, aren't you Diz?" Celia shook her head. "They could just be friends, like how Harry and Mal are just friends."

"Well that could be a possibility but it could also be a possibility that Hermie found herself a Prince who'll treat her right," Dizzy said with a big smile on her face. "After all, Mal found her Prince and from what we've heard Ginny found her's as well."

"Yeah I'm going to be honest, no one thought that Ginny and Chad would wind up together," Melody said, shaking her head.

"I did!" Alexandria exclaimed. "Chad just needed someone more low-key than Audrey had been."

"I didn't mean any offense by it Alex, I just meant that people didn't expect to see Chad dating a VK is all."

"It's Alexandria," the blonde haired girl said, shaking her head slightly. She knew Melody didn't mean anything by it but it was still frustrating, having people shorten her name unnecessarily.

"Yeah Melody, get it right," Celia teased. "Only Hadie's allowed to call Alexandria 'Alex' in our group."

"What? No, that's not true—!"

"Hads, don't even try it," Dizzy giggled. "You couldn't be more obvious if you tried."

Hadie shook his head. "I need more guy friends," he muttered.

"Nothing wrong with having girls for friends, Hadie," Ryan said from his spot next to CJ. "Sometimes it'll surprise you as to where you end up with them."

"Oh you mean after you deny your feelings for years despite the whole crew being aware and calling you guys the next 'Uma and Harry'?" Hadie asked him.

Ryan shook his head. "I...I didn't deny anything. No one asked about my feelings because to the crew, I was still seen as an under fifteen."

"Same," CJ chuckled. "Probably didn't help that I had my two older siblings in the crew. But going back to the original topic of conversation—."

"Your's and Ryan's love life?" Celia smirked.

CJ glowered slightly at the red-haired girl. "No. Evan's not so secret friendship with Hermie."

"I just want to know how she's getting over to the Fitzherbert castle without being detected," Grace said. "Evan's sisters would have been asking about her non stop if they knew she was there."

"My money's on through the window," Celia said. "After all, Hermie's a VK. She's not going to take the conventional route."

"Not to mention her dad ran a circus," Dizzy nodded. "I didn't know Hermie all that well but I think she'd want the challenge of the window more than the ease of the door."

Hadie nodded. "Since when do we choose the 'easy' way anyway? Like you said Celia, we're VKs."

An awkward silence fell over the group as it often did whenever someone made a veiled mention of the fact that a portion of their group didn't have the easy childhoods the rest of them had.