Merely Human

Chapter 18

“Andy!”

I looked over and grinned when I saw Trish waving enthusiastically at me standing next to Andrés.

“Hey guys!” I beamed as I reached them. They both hugged me and Andrés took my suitcase and put it in the backseat of the car.  

“So what’s been going on?” I asked when we were inside the car.

“Nothing too big, it was quiet without Jason around though.”

“You mean it was nice without Jason around.” Trish muttered.

“Come on babe, the guy’s not that bad.” Andrés told her.

She looked over at him with a vicious glare, which made him shrink back slightly and I stifled a laugh.

“Well you and him should both be happy to know that I have a surprise for you!” she told me, her glare suddenly turning into a blinding smile as she turned around to look at me in the back seat.

“Oh you figured out the counter-spell?” I asked her lightly.

Her mouth dropped open and then her scowl returned.

“What part of surprise do you not understand?” she chided. “Honestly.”

“It’s not a surprise if it’s obvious.” I muttered as I rolled my eyes.

Her scowled deepened and she turned her head away form me with a pointed, “Humph!”

Andrés and I couldn’t help but chuckle slightly at her dramatics, our eyes meeting in the rearview mirror as we exchanged amused looks at my friends antics. When we got back to the apartment, Andrés helped me cart my suitcase upstairs while Trish immediately linked arms with me and began to rattle off how she backtracked through the spell and found out what she did wrong. That was the good thing about Trish, she couldn’t hold a grudge for more than a few minutes.

Andrés left an hour later and Trish and I settled back into our familiar routine, she decided to cook chicken for dinner while I showered and called my parents and Henry to tell them I got in safely. When dinner was ready we both sat down with our food in front of the TV.

“So…” Trish trailed off as she flipped through the channels. “Have you figured out what you’re going to do about Caden?”

I shrugged and poked at my food. “I don’t know. If he keeps being as sweet and funny as he has been than I’ll probably forgive him. It’s like he’s a completely different person.”

Trish made a face. “Can I see your texts?”

I scowled at her.

“Fine!” she raised her hands up. “I won’t peek into your private, flirty affairs, but you have to be careful.”

“Everyone needs to stop telling me that, I already know all of this.” I stabbed my chicken rather violently. “You know what’s odd? Jason was the one who hated him the most and now he’s almost more supportive of my trying to trust Caden than anyone else. You all act as if I’ve forgotten what Caden’s done to me. How exactly can I forget it when I have this as a reminder.” I waved my cast at her.

We sat there for a moment as I chewed my food and Trish sat staring at her hands.

“I’m sorry.” She finally said. “None of us meant for it to sound like we don’t think you’re smart enough or level-headed enough to handle this situation. We just love you and don’t ever want to see you as hurt as you were that day.”

My eyes softened and I lowered my plate of food to the table.

“I know, I didn’t mean to get angry at you either. I’ve just heard that so many times it was starting to get on my nerves.”