Checkmate

48. Studying

Realising Felix and I had never agreed on a time, I woke up before eight to get to the bathroom quickly, rushing past Thomas' magically added on room as quietly as possible. I washed and dressed, brushing my teeth and hair at the same time. I smiled, content with the normality of my actions, unwilling to use magic for everything.

When I exited the room I almost bumped into an unexpected visitor. "Sorry." I muttered quickly, brushing past Thomas as quickly as possible.

"You look nice." He admitted through a stifled yawn. "Going somewhere?"

"I am going to study."

He nodded sleepily. "Oh."

"With Felix." I admitted. His eyes widened at my words, his brows twitching together slightly.

"You're going to study... with your ex?" I nodded. "Is that... wise?"

"Wise?" I repeated, my head tilting.

"Is this because I rejected you?"

"Rejected me? We will be studying."

He scoffed, his usual cocky grin on his face. "Studying." He brought two fingers up to flex them twice.

"Do you have a problem?" I snapped, my brows furrowing. The two of us glanced quickly at Neal's door as Thomas stepped nearer. I stepped back into the wall as he advanced, his hands on the wall either side of my face.

"My problem is you." He growled, his eyes darkening as he leaned over me. "There is something about you." His eyes flicked between mine, finally noticing how insistent I had been on avoiding meeting his gaze. "Are you afraid of me?"

My eyes snapped to his and I gritted my teeth as I gently pushed him off me. "It is you who should be afraid of me." I hissed before returning to my room and shutting the door swiftly.

I vanished to Felix's street a few minutes later, my breath slower after a few deep breathing exercises Archie had insisted I learn. I spotted the tall blonde stepping off the stoop of a small one story home at the sight of me in my blue smoke, his grin wide on his face.

"Realise the same thing I did huh, lost girl?"

I approached him with a smirk on my lips. "We didn't agree on a time but I'm here now, tall one."

He bit his lip, his hands in his pockets as he waited for me to get nearer. "I am afraid I started without you." He admitted, a sheepish look on his face.

I tutted in false disappointment. "Is it at least information that will be useful for keeping you alive?" He grinned at my answer, sending us both into breathy laughter.

"I also prepared some cocoa."

I raised my brows and allowed myself a smile. "In summer?"

"I know you too well." He jested, heading to hold the door open for me.

"Yeah you do." I answered in my head, my outward appearance only smiling as I made my way into his apartment sized home. "So what is this oh so important information, you proceeded to read without me?"

He closed the door and rushed around the corner to his kitchen/ living room to retrieve a book from the pile on his coffee table. I noticed it to be the book I delivered as I moved closer to take it.

"The writer, J.M. Barrie."

I nodded. "Mhm, yes."

"He says Neverland came to him in a dream."

"Like Pan, before he became Pan?" Felix nodded. "So he never actually stepped foot on the island?"

"Not physically."