The Cursed Pharaoh's Bride

Chapter 24: Magic 101

Carolina

I feel a piece of folded up paper hit my forehead for the third time. I stop measuring the samples in the lab to shoot Charles another glare.

"That's mature," I say sarcastically. For the past thirty minutes, Charles has been trying to flick a folded up piece of paper at my face, or at least I think that's his goal.

"Palling around with a twenty-one-year-old for the past two weeks makes me forget how to act like an adult. You can't blame me for that," he responds innocently. Ever since I gave Charles the order to ignore Elijah's anti-guy order, he's been walking me to class and sitting through lectures with me. He enrolled in school and managed to get my exact same schedule. He even dresses the part of a student now. His whole shady hoodie wardrobe has been abandoned and now he sports some of the latest streetwear and urban trends. When we're not in school, I'd say he spends half his time in my apartment. He still isn't much of a talker but he at least isn't actively ignoring me anymore.

"Why'd you shave your beard?" I ask him as I finish up my data collection.

"I'm trying to look younger. It would be kind of weird if people saw someone who looks like a Ph.D student taking classes with a girl who's still trying to finish her bachelor's degree," he explains.

"Are you even in a Ph.D program? Wait, how old are you?" I ask.

"For your information, I am in a very flexible Ph.D program," he says with a bit of playful attitude. "And asking an elder his age is very rude."

I roll my eyes at him. "I'm going to assume that means you're thirty."

"Twenty eight," he corrects. "Now that you're done interrogating me, I get to ask you a question. Have you been enjoying the special attention the pharaoh's been giving you lately? Wait, no, I should be asking him if he's enjoying the attention you're finally giving him."

My jaw drops at what he just asked. I can't stop the smile that crawls onto my face. "Charles, I never knew you were one for gossip," I tease.

"What else am I supposed to do when I'm bored? Now, don't change the subject. I know the pharaoh has been in a good mood lately. You visit him more frequently now – I would know. I drive you. What are you doing to him?"

"I'm doing nothing!" I defend with a laugh. "I've just been seeing him more. We just talk and get to know each other better. I'm not doing anything special."

Charles shakes his head. "No way. The pharaoh turns into a puppy when he sees you. Don't tell him I said that," he adds quickly, "But no man is that happy unless he's getting some more. You two have to be doing the dirty."

"Charles!" I shriek as I hit him with a rolled up sheet of paper. "The most we've been doing lately is holding hands."

Truth be told, ever since our walk on the bridge, Elijah and I haven't done anything overly romantic or passionate. I feel better about opening up to him after I told him about David. I feel more comfortable around him. But that doesn't mean I'm ready for him to start treating me like his lover or anything. We've been hanging out as friends, friends who like to do a lot of light and playful touching here and there. Meeting up for lunch is becoming a regular thing for us now. Instead of meeting him at his office, he sometimes picks me up from school and takes me somewhere to eat. Elijah, unfortunately, has a bad habit of taking me to upscale restaurants even though I'm not dressed appropriately. He always insists it's no big deal and he can easily get us in. I let him have his way at first, but I now I try to convince him to go to more casual places. I think we look like a bit of an odd couple in either situation, though: the rich man and the commoner woman.