Devil's Boarding school

Chp.21 Pinching cold, ain't it?

The chill of the street slapped me in the face again as we left the building, and I felt my nose start to tingle while my ear-tips pinched in the cold. The guys huddled into their jackets, and those who had them pulled their scarves further up their necks, while Me, Duke and Ecanus pulled our hoods over our heads. 

“Damn.. Did it get colder? Or is it just me?” Duke cussed,

“Definitely dropped a few degrees..” muttered Kayden, now regretting his beach-boy style shorts.

We walked in a slight huddle, walking briskly back up to the square to try and warm up a little. It payed off when we arrived at the top and felt a little better, if only just a little.

I looked back around towards the guys, who seemed to be looking around as well, trying to decide on what to do next before their noses froze off. Ray looked perfectly cool, but he seemed to be twitching (a shiver?) and his nose had turned pink. I could still tell that he was fighting the urge to move any more than he really had to. 

Eventually, while I’d been rubbing my arms and hands, everyone decided they wanted to go somewhere different.

“We’re going to grab some hot chocolate.” said Vince, tugging Finn along with him towards a cafe,

“Well then .. I’ll go to the library..” muttered Ray, backing away quietly,

“Wait! Dudes let me come too!” shouted Kayden, running after Finn and Vince,

This left me, Duke,  Cas and Ecanus.

“So..” said Ecanus, “I have some stuff to buy..” he looked at us expectantly, then when we didn't reply he said, “Our potions homework?”

“Oh yeah!” I slapped my forehead, remembering that we had run out of a few herbs for this weeks homework potion,

“Why don’t you get it for us Ecanus?” said Cas, “I want to show Ava Ink'Blotches.” he put an arm around my shoulders and smiled,

“Thats not really fair..” he muttered, obviously miffed that he is being bullied into doing the homework shopping,

“How about I let you show her the candy store afterwards?” he prompted,

All three of us, Duke, Ecanus and me, perked up at the thought, and almost at once Ecanus looked jolly happy to be doing the shopping, “Alright!” and then he walked off, head held high with a whistle on his lips,

“You mind if I tag along?” said Duke, who’d been staring down at the shops indecisively,

“Yeah! By all means.” I said brightly,

He smiled in response, but something happened when he looked at Cas, some face or gesture that he made before I could turn and look at him.

“Oh wait..” duke obviously remembered something, “I have to buy some medicine for my sharkfish..” he muttered, then started off after Ecanus, now halfway to the apothecary,

“I'll meet u guys after!” he waved.

“Alright then” smiled Cas, pulling me in the direction of the east road, headed off by the hospital, the street lined with bookstores and the like.

“Ink'Blotches?” I said questionably,

“They sell the best of the best.” he nodded,

“With that messy a name?”

“With that messy a name.” he confirmed happily, his arm still around my shoulders,

I gave him a disbelieving look, but walked down the road with him anyways, 

“How far down is it?”

“The end.”

“Huh what now?”

“Yes, about a block and a half”

“But that’s a whole... 10 minute walk by the looks of it!”

“It’ll warm us up, I hope.” he said sheepishly.

We both smiled anyways, and I felt him squeeze me a little. it was a simple action, but I felt the heat immediately return to my shoulders. I nuzzled into him a little in return. There was a little spark in the moment, but it was almost nothing a second later, just a sweet thing between friends I'm sure.