Recover: Book 2 of the Magic Mutations Series | ✓

42: Crushed, Crumbled, and Collapsed

When I got up the next morning to go to the gym, I passed Jade in the foyer on the way out. Feeling the guilt still overwhelming me about what I did but not feeling confident enough to confess everything, I grabbed her by the arm before she got too far.

"What's up?" she asked.

Releasing my grip, I said, "Have you got a moment? I'd like to talk."

"Yeah, sure," she said, smiling at me.

I walked out the door, hoping she'd follow me. Too many people were home; inside wasn't safe.

A few steps down the street, I finally stopped, turning to face her.

And as she blinked at me innocently, I took a deep breath and pulled the magic to my eyes. "I once told you that you can't tell anyone about that deadening spell... I take it back. If it's eating your conscience, you're welcome to tell people. But just say... just say you were worried Ben will get hurt. That way, no one can be too mad at you for just trying to look out for him, okay?'

"Okay," she breathed.

"Forget we had this conversation though."

She nodded, eyes still vacant, face still.

And then I released her.

Jade blinked a couple of times, her mind coming back to her eyes, and then she said, "Sorry. I just blanked for a moment. What did you say?"

"I said..." Shit... think fast Lukas... think— "I know you always throw big birthday things and I know mine is tomorrow but... I really don't want to do anything."

Jade's eyes softened as a small smile spread across her cheeks, and she gave me a slight nod. "Sure, Lukas. Don't worry about it. But I'm going big next year."

"It's not even a round number! I'll make you a deal. You can go big on my one hundred and fiftieth."

Jade heaved a groan and said, "But that's three years away."

I shrugged. "Take it or leave it."

"Fine," she whined.

· · ───── ∘☽༓☾∘ ───── · ·

"You're in a good mood," Jayce commented as I sat down across from him at the school library, passing him his coffee while I sipped at my iced tea.

"I suppose so."

Closing up his book, a small smirk whipped out on his face as he leaned forward, resting his chin on his hands. "Any reason?"

Shrugging, I said, "I'll tell you one day." But it was hard keeping the corners of my lips turned down. Because regardless of what happened, even this Ollie—whose memories I had wiped, who had been hurt by Ben—wanted at the very least to be my friend. How could I not be happy?

"Is it a girl?" he whispered.

My stomach clenched and eyebrows shot up. "What makes you think it's a girl?"

Jayce shrugged. "It seems there's a very familiar look that keeps passing your face at specific times. Mostly these days you've seemed pretty miserable, which is confusing considering we have Ollie's blood. But you've got that glow back. I was just wondering if it's the woes of love... and perhaps, whoever she is... you made up?"

"The fact that you guys keep talking about my happiness as a 'glow' makes me feel like you're trying to call me pregnant," I said, trying to drop the topic.

Jayce rolled his eyes. "We just like seeing you happy... Though I wish you and Ben wouldn't ping pong about it. It's like you steal the happiness from each other."