Of Constellations → 𝘥. 𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘧𝘰𝘺

xl. rival of mars

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chapter forty

rival of mars

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A Joni Mitchell song was playing softly in the background of the cafe as I watched Julian stir honey into his tea. I was tapping my fingers against my coffee glass, trying to pay attention to Star's speech to convince him to watch Sabrina the Teenage Witch with her.

I was trying to listen. I was. But, I was so nervous, I couldn't pay attention.

It was noon—four hours until Draco was meant to show up at my house, and I was beginning to think inviting him was a bad idea. He hadn't even managed to get through a two-minute conversation with Star without almost fighting with her, and now I was asking him to spend a whole night with her and my other Muggle friends.

I was getting lunch with Star, Star's sort-of boyfriend Julian, and our other friends Dillon and Peter. As they listened to Star explain the plot of the show, I tried to predict how much Draco would hate each of them.

Star I already knew he didn't like. He would probably like her even less the more time he spent around her.

Julian, a second-year history and modern language student, was the quiet artist type. At best, Draco would feel indifferent to him. At worst, he'd find him irritatingly tedious.

Then there was Peter, a third-year physics student. He was shy and unassuming, but a stereotypical nerd. The conversation about Sabrina the Teenage Witch had started because he had been talking about his childhood love for Archie Comics. Draco wouldn't understand his rants about his favorite Pokemon, and therefore, would be annoyed by him.

Finally, there was Dillon, another third-year physics student. I had met him because he worked for my mother as a research assistant. He was Peter's boyfriend and ferociously intelligent.

If Draco would like any of them, it would be Dillon.

"So, how is it possible that her boyfriend doesn't know Sabrina's a witch? I mean, her last name is Spellman, for God's sake. And, when he's affected by her magic, he just forgets? I mean, he was turned into a dog once, you said. How does one forget being turned into a bloody dog?" Dillon asked Star, his eyes narrowed.

"Because Harvey's a dumbass," said Star whose eyes suddenly lit up. I got a sinking feeling when she looked at me. "Speaking of boyfriends, when is yours supposed to be coming over?"

This made all three of the boys' heads snap over to stare at me.

"Boyfriend?" all of them asked at once.

"Since when?" asked Peter, grinning wildly.

"He's not my boyfriend. He's just an old friend. I thought it would be fun to have him come along with us."