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"Seriously Sophie! It's not that bad! I'm sure Lady Galvin will forget about it in a... while?" I said to Sophie doubting my own words. It was worth a shot though.
"You two must be lost."
The boy's deep voice brought her out of her trance. He wore a green Level Four uniform, and was sprawled across a bench, watching us with curious, ice blue eyes. Of course THE Keefe Sencen. I didn't really know him and had never talked to him but already resented him for being best friends with Fitz Vacker! Ugh.
"No, I'm not lost-
I was cut of by Sophie saying, "How did you know?" Um, excuse me. I know where to go! She probably just wanted to talk to him. Had I misjudged her? Was she just like all the other girls? Swooning over Fitz and Keefe? Surely not.
He smirked. "It's the middle of session. Either you're lost, or you're ditching—and clearly you're not ditching."
Maybe it would be fun to play along.
"Why couldn't we be ditching?" I asked.
"Are you?"
"No," Sophie admitted.
His lips twisted into a crooked grin. "You're the new girl, aren't you and the brown eyed girl's sister?"
"What a name!" I burst with just a hint of sarcasm. Sophie sighed and nodded. Keefe smirked at my snarky comment.
"I'm Keefe."
"Sophie—but I'm sure you already know that." "And I'm the brown eyed girl's sister! Iris!"
He laughed. "You may be the biggest news to hit the academy since the Great Gulon Incident three years ago—which, by the way, I had nothing to do with." He flashed a slightly wicked smile. "But that's not a bad thing. Personally, I've always enjoyed being the center of attention."
"You can say that again." I raised a brow.
"Where are you supposed to be?" Sophie asked.
"The Universe. I ditch whenever I can. Lady Belva has the worst crush on me. I mean, I can't really blame her"—he gestured to himself—"but still, it's awkward, you know?"
"Mmmm, bet you get that a lot, specially from Biana." I replied, my voice turning dark at the word Biana. He chuckled.
"Oh really? Didn't notice."
"And now I get to meet the mysterious new girl," he added. "So I'd say ditching paid off pretty well."
She felt herself blush, and hoped he didn't notice. "I'm hardly mysterious."
"I don't know. You won't tell me why you're not in session. Don't think I haven't noticed."
She stared at her feet. "That's because it's too embarrassing."
"I love embarrassing!" He laughed when she stayed silent. "Will you at least tell me where you're supposed to be?"
She sighed. "Alchemy with Lady Galvin."
"Ugh, she's the worst. I had her as a Level Three—and she hated me, probably because I turned the lab table to silver. But she said she wanted me to impress her." He winked. "Still, I wouldn't mention that we're friends if I were you."
