Dawn watched Roe lean back, obviously startled by the suggestion. But she shook her head slowly. “I don’t think so. I’ve seen Professor Lal’s teeth before, and the teeth in the vision I’ve been having don’t seem familiar. I think they’re shorter than hers. But I’ll check next week during class, just to make sure.”
“You carry a four-leaf clover with you?” Corrie asked.
Roe nodded. “Of course. All the time, now.”
“Me, too,” Annie said. “It’s not really enough, but it’s something small we can do to protect ourselves.”
“What does Link think of you carrying around something that can break his illusion all the time?” Dawn asked, raising her eyebrows.
“Oh, he’s all in favor of it, because it’s something that can help protect me from the faeries. He’d rather be around me all the time so he can protect me himself, but that’s not really his job. Doing it to Troy is his job.” Roe smiled. “I keep it in my pocket, so it’s not like he’s reaching into my pocket and touching it by accident. That’s the only way it would really bother him.”
“You know, I was thinking about Troy recently,” Corrie said. “We used to hang out with him, but since we’ve all come back to school for the spring semester we never see him. I guess we’re pretty bad friends if we only spend time with him when we have class together.”
“I hang out with him sometimes,” Annie said. “I think he’s more comfortable one-on-one with people. And he’s made other friends, too.”
Roe nodded. “He hangs out a lot with this one guy, Sean—Link wishes he would date more, but he has three more years for that.” She grimaced. Dawn wondered what exactly the story was with Roe and Troy; they’d gone on one date that had apparently gone so badly that Roe didn’t want to talk about it, but then Roe had started dating Link, and the two of them seemed to be really serious. Troy had missed out.
“Is that the same guy in our Intermediate Elementalism class?” Annie asked.
“Yeah, that’s him.”
“I remember Sean,” Dawn said. “He lost control of his water magic. I wonder if that has anything to do with them getting along.”
“They’re in a completely different class together. Math, I think.” Roe shrugged. “I don’t really know Sean all that well, but I’m glad Troy has made a good friend.”
“Maybe Sean will hook him up with some girls,” Corrie said with a laugh. “Well, I’m glad he’s not as awkward as he was last semester. How are things with Link, Roe?”
“Great,” Roe said with a grin. “He’s such a sweet guy. I’ve really never met a nicer guy.”
“Nicer than Rico?” Dawn teased. She couldn’t imagine anyone nicer than her boyfriend.
“Well, maybe Link is nicer to me and Rico is nicer to you,” Roe said, laughing. “What about you, Corrie? How are things going with Charlie?”
“The same as ever,” Corrie said, smiling with no particular emotion behind it. Dawn considered that her poker face. “We’re having fun. Nothing serious.”
“Yeah, but you’re not dating anyone else, are you?” Annie said.
“When would I have time?” Corrie complained. “I have classes, I have friends, I have running, and then I have to keep up with all the drama going on all the time on this campus. The only places I meet guys are in class and at Rainbow Alliance meetings, and I only have a chance with one of those.”
“We used to go to parties,” Roe said.
“I only remember one party, and I barely remember that,” Dawn said.
“I’ve been to a couple of the art department’s parties, but they’re not really my style. Too many drugs and too much sex.” Roe shook her head. “Besides, I’m not looking to meet guys.”
“Yeah, being single sounds like it sucks,” Dawn said. Roe laughed and they high-fived each other across the table.
Annie rolled her eyes at them. “It’s not that terrible. Maybe if you’re really looking for someone it’s a lot of effort, but I’m just not bothering. I figure it’s not the best idea to date someone on campus long-term anyway. Who knows what you’re going to do when you graduate?”
“I guess that’s true,” Dawn admitted. “But Rico and I have a few years to figure it out.” She suspected that Annie had another reason for not dating, but wasn’t going to push her.
“I’m trying not to think about that,” Roe said brightly, pushing around the food on her plate with her fork. “Let’s talk about something else. Does anyone have plans for the weekend?”
“Same as always,” Dawn said. “Studying, working, and cuddling with Rico.”
“Hopefully,” Corrie said, “we won’t have any new mysteries to solve.”
Clare K. R. Miller 