Cursed to the Bone

26. Besties

Breaking the news to Naomi and Blake that I would not be going to the dance nearly broke their hearts, too. It wasn't easy, either, because I didn't want to tell them I'd been asked to stay away. I hadn't intended to go anyway, so taking the blame was easy. To make up for my absence, I agreed to head into town and help them put in their orders with local tailor shop. Rhett and Nix came with us, both looking to have their own pieces tailored.

"Oh, wow, look at all these dresses," Naomi gushed, moving to the left side of the room.

"We'll be over here," Nix said, taking Rhett with him to the right where rows of suit pieces had been grouped into complementary settings.

"No, no, no. We go to the back first to get sized." Blake guided Naomi past the pre-made dresses. I followed after them, examining the walls of tediously organized fabric. The right wall had all the blacks, grays, and whites while the left popped with color. The shelves beneath the fabric were filled with a variety of threads as well as enchanting supplies. Smart, too, because the weather was taking a turn for the worst.

"Good evening," a woman said, sashaying past another group to greet us in an elegant coat with fur trims. "I presume you're here for gowns?"

Blake gestured to Naomi and herself. "We are. She's here for moral support."

I supposed having moral support when you were about to spend copious amounts of money on a styled sheet of fabric was nice.

"Ah. Very well. It's busy today, so moral support waits out here. You two ladies come with me." The woman led them through throngs of onlookers into a hallway in the back. As they vanished behind a purple curtain, I turned away. Hopefully, it wouldn't take long. I didn't have the patience to wait around for hours on end. I'd sooner just head outside and get something to eat.

"Left to fend for yourself, hm?"

I glanced over my shoulder to see Rhett with a pile of hangers draped over his shoulder. "Yeah. Done already?"

Rhett swung the hangers to his front and held them up beside a tie-rack. The coat, vest, and pants were a shiny gray. He lifted a lightly-textured, green tie from the rack and held it up against the black shirt. "I already know my size. With minor alterations, these will be perfect."

"Great." Relief washed over me. "You can keep me company when you're done."

"Naturally."

"Look who it is," an unfamiliar voice trilled behind us. Rayna, the girl who wanted the scoop on my curse, stood before me. She twisted a curl of black hair around her finger. "And who's this? Friend? Boyfriend?"

"This is Rhett Collins. Rhett, don't be too shocked, but this girl is a senior."

"Rayna Suarez." She flung a hand forward while giving me a dirty look. "I'm writing a story on school secrets. Vera's, specifically."

"I find it difficult to believe Vera agreed to this," Rhett said, shaking her hand.

"I didn't. Don't tell her a thing." I flashed an antagonizing smile. "She gave up on the last story. She'll give up on this, too, when she learns there's nothing to tell."

Rayna pouted. "Poor sport. Don't worry—I'm sure there's no shortage of content to write about you. There's always a story and I trust by the end of the year, whatever's really going on here will end with a bang. I'll be there to witness it all. You'll be my big break."

I didn't like to consider my problems ending with a bang while my future was so obviously in question. "Get lost, already."

"Fine." A coy smile slid across her cheeks. "Will I see you two at the dance together?"

"Wait and see."

"Hmph." Rayna strode away, her chin held high.

Rhett waited until she was out of earshot. "I'm shocked. You're a college celebrity and I'm just your plucky best-friend. I did picture this happening the other way around, you know."

"Oh? You pictured it, did you?" I arched a brow. "You the celebrity and me the . . . plucky best-friend?"

"Well, not plucky." Rhett laughed, his cheeks taking a shine. "You'd be the brooding friend and I'd drag you places like the winter ball. Let me take you. It'll be fun, and besides"—he flashed the green tie—"It's a good color for you."

Astonished, I blinked at him. Crushing on Rhett Collins would be easy if I allowed myself to. He was attractive, stupidly charming, and Goddess, he was funny. The timing couldn't be worse, but the fact that he thought of me filled me with a strange happiness. "Rhett, you—"

"Don't worry. I'm not blind to how unavailable you are, Vee, but I could use the company now that Nix cancelled his plans to be my wingman. Say you'll go?"

Oh. The wind that filled my sails emptied and my heart tightened with regret. It didn't come as a shock to find that I'd given him that impression. I rubbed my temples and exhaled deeply. "This is really the worst. I'm not allowed to go."

Rhett pursed his lips. "Why not?"

"Don't say anything, please," I whispered, looking around. "The headmaster said I couldn't. I put Naomi in danger by going to the festival."

The confidence in Rhett's shoulders shrank. He draped his items over his arm, the hangers clacking against one another. "And he thinks you'll put us in danger by going to the dance?"

I nodded.

"But you would have gone with me?" Rhett's smile returned as he touched a hand to his chest. "Look how far we've come."

"Only because you asked so nicely."

"I suppose we'll have to find this attacker before spring so I can take my brooding bestie to a dance."

"If I make it that far, I'll take my plucky best friend to a dance."

"I suppose I set myself up for that one," Rhett said with a humorless chuckle. He stepped closer and pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "Don't worry. You're going to make it through this. We will. Together. I won't let you die."

What the hell was even happening? Forcing a blush at bay, I beat any semblance of feelings into the closet, telling myself that I would ruin our friendship over a stupid crush, and muttered a quick, "Thanks."

"What are besties for, Vee?"

What, indeed?

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