Chapter 2

Erica

My head is buzzing from the last-minute cram session, but I try to push it all out of my mind as I head into the student union. Now I need to forget about the exams and focus on the up-coming ball. In hindsight, it probably wasn't a good idea for me to be having to deal with both at the same time, but I didn't know my exam schedule when I signed up, and this will look great on my CV. Which will make all the difference when I apply for the next stage of my education. And it's good to be involved in something that's such an important part of the academy year.

I sigh and head into the meeting room, putting on my best smile as I can. Even though I need a break from revising, I'm frustrated that it's here and not grabbing something fun to eat from Deserts After Dark, though I suppose I can stop on the way back to my flat and pick myself something up. They do great chips for somewhere that specialises in sweet stuff.

"Ah, Erica, you're here," Robin says, turning to greet me with a stiff smile on their face. Maybe I'm not the only one wishing I'm somewhere else.

"Hi, Robin," I respond.

"How are you?"

I try to give them my warmest smile. "Neck deep in revision."

"Huh, I thought exams were over."

"Not for psychology students, we've still got two left," I respond, trying not to be too annoyed by that.

"Ah. I had no idea," Robin responds. "You're going to be fine to do all the prep work for the ball, right?"

"Mmhmm." I know it's their job to make sure everything runs smoothly for the ball, but it's frustrating that it's something they're focusing on over my upcoming exams. But there's a time and a place to complain about that and it isn't here.

"Good, because we already had to replace Shaw, he went home early," RObin says.

"Didn't his sister get sick?" I think I remember him saying as much, and that he was thinking of heading back now his exams were done so he could help his parents care for her.

Robin nods. "Something like that. It put us in a bit of a bind, but luckily, Sami knew someone who had a flatmate who was interested so here we are. I think he's even a weasel shifter like you."

"I'm a least weasel, not a weasel shifter," I murmur.

"What's the difference?"

"Semantics, I guess," I respond, mostly because it's always a lot of effort to get people to understand the difference and I don't have the brain capacity to explain that least weasels are mythological beings and not technically shifters. No one ever gets it, unless they're something similar to begin with.

"All right, well, semantics aside, the new guy is a weasel shifter." They turn around and tap a broad-shouldered guy on the shoulder.

He turns around and I stare for a moment, not believing my eyes.

"This is Rupert," Robin says, gesturing to the guy unnecessarily. "And this is..."

"Erica," he responds, his voice lower than I last heard it and full of something that I think can only be described as animosity.

"You know each other?" Robin asks.

"We went to school together," I respond.

"Oh, phew. I thought you'd hooked up at the beginning of term or something that would make this awkward. I'll leave you to it," they say, heading over to talk to one of the others.

"So..." I trail off, not entirely sure what to say. It's been years since I last saw Rupert.

"I'm guessing staying out of my way is out of the question?" he asks.

"I'm sure we can work on different parts of prep," I respond.

"And you're not going to quit?"

I snort. "Why should I quit? I was here first."

"Because you made me quit going to theatre club."

"We were thirteen," I protest. "And you made that decision all on your own because you didn't like that they wanted us to play Mr & Mrs Otter in the school play."

"I'm a weasel, not an otter." He crosses his arms.

"They weren't going to make you shift for a school play," I point out. "That would have been all kinds of illegal."

"I'm still not an otter."

"Mmm, I remember. And the fact you quit had everything to do with the otter thing and not because you had to kiss me on the cheek in one of the scenes. I remember you storming out and saying that you'd never kiss me, ever."

"Did you want to kiss me?"

"Well, technically, you were the one kissing me on the cheek," I remind him. "But I can't say I cared for it very much."

"Good. So we're clear."

I frown. "That you're not going to kiss me on the cheek? I really don't think that's going to come up during end of year ball prep."

"No, that we're staying away from each other."

"Oh, yes. Definitely. In fact, I'm going to go talk to Sami about the decorations," I announce louder than I need to. I turn on my heels and walk away without saying another word, trying not to be too annoyed by Rupert's sudden appearance here.

I know I shouldn't let it bother me that he's here, and I really should let the playground animosity go, but I can't help it, he gets under my skin. And we've been running into each other on and off for the past fifteen years. I didn't even realise he was at Obscure Academy, and now I'm not going to be able to unknow.