No Ordinary Exchange

game night

Bad news: my updating schedule for this fic will likely be changing to once every two weeks, possibly once every three. I hate that I can't upload every week like I want, but I have so much going on right now that I don't think it's possible. My main goal is give you guys quality chapters, and in order to do that they're going to have to be more spaced out. I'm really sorry but I hope you'll still continue to read and (hopefully) enjoy this story!

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"Ezran, are you ready to go?" Callum called, adjusting his scarf around his neck so it wasn't caught beneath the strap of his satchel. "Soren's only a few minutes away." He'd cleared it with Harrow that they could go to Claudia's dorm, and it was sheer luck that Soren would be passing by their house on his way back into campus. Yes, Callum could drive, but it was better for the environment if they carpooled.

"Yeah, I'm ready," Ezran grumbled as he shuffled into the hall. "But are you sure I can't bring Bait with me? He's going to be so lonely when I'm not here!"

Callum sighed. "I'm sorry, Ez. I know it sucks, but there are no animals allowed in dorms, even if only for a temporary period. If you give Bait a treat I'm sure he'll be fine." His phone buzzed. It was Soren, letting him know that he was waiting outside. "C'mon. Soren's here."

He watched as Ezran quickly ran over to Bait's cage and dropped a piece of a jelly tart inside before darting out the door, which Callum made sure to lock behind them as they left. "Dad will pick us up from Claudia's whenever his meeting is done, which should be around 8ish." He opened the back door of Soren's car for his brother before walking around to climb into the passenger seat.

"What's up, pipsqueaks?" Soren asked as he pulled out of their driveway and into the road, not waiting for an answer from the two before he continued speaking. "Please tell me you know something about Claudia's plans for tonight, because I was told nothing except when to show up."

Callum laughed as he finished buckling in. "That sounds like Claudia. But we're just going to play board games, I think. And you'll get to meet Rayla, if you haven't already."

Soren grinned. "Oh, nice. Nah, I haven't met her yet." He glanced at Callum as he stopped at a red light. "What's she like?"

Callum snorted. "Oh, you'll get along well. She's into sports."

Soren rolled his eyes. "Only someone not into sports would think that two people will get along just because they both play sports."

"No, trust me on this one. She's basically a tri-athlete, like you."

"Uh huh. We'll see."

The rest of the ride was spent discussing school. Soren talked about it being his last year with equal excitement, dread, and relief. He threw in some advice here and there about which teachers to take and which to avoid during senior year.

"Marcos is pretty cool," he explained. "Opeli is tough but really understanding if you actually talk to her. Though you might know that already, since she seems to be Harrow's right-hand advisor. With the exception of my dad, of course."

Callum, in fact, had not known that about Opeli. He really hadn't spoken to her much, even though she was around Harrow pretty often.

They were only a few minutes away from Claudia's dorm when Soren asked Callum the last question he was interested in answering.

"So..." he drawled, throwing him a sideways smirk. "When are you planning to ask out my little sister?"

Callum froze in a manner akin to a deer caught in a pair of headlights. "Wh-What?!" he sputtered. "I don't - what are you talking about?"