Page 39 of How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend
The room falls silent. No one knows what to say, and I’m not taking a chance. Instead, I take a gulp of water while I try to ignore the gut feeling that everyone is looking at me, like they know my secret. My head is screaming that they’re all accusing me right now with every innocent glance. Gods, I want to duck under the table and disappear, to become nothing. On top of that, it’s been hell having to be around Zachary. He’s being too nice. I don’t deserve that. Part of me would feel better, more in place, if he was still questioning me. I don’t deserve to be here at all.
The quiet is too much. No one knows what to say, and all but one face is somber and soured by Hayden’s absence. Super Old Gran is at the end of the table smiling away like nothing could be better, but she doesn’t look entirely present.
“Have you seen Hayden’s room?” Zachary speaks up from across the table.
It’s a weird question, sudden for the middle of dinner, but there’s an easy answer.
“No.” I shrug.
“Let me show you.” Zachary slides his chair back and gets up. His eyes look at me expectantly, and a second later I’m up. Why are you saving me from this awkwardness?
“Oh… O-okay,” I stutter and look to his mom. For some reason I feel like I need to be excused first. She grins and dips her head, so I get up and meet him at the edge of the hallway.
I don’t have a clue where I’m going, so I stay a step behind. Why does he want to show me Hayden’s room? Is he trying to make me slip, to give myself away? I can’t shake the feeling there’s an alternative motive. Was it all a ruse to make me feel comfortable, to make me trust him so I might say something unreasonable?
“It was getting way too serious in there,” Zachary says once we’re out of earshot. “I had to get out.”
“Yeah,” I mutter. But still, why take me here? “I mean, I get it though.”
“Sure.” Zachary nods. “But still.”
A meow squeaks around the corner before a little blue-gray kitten prances into view. Oh my gods, they’re so cute. Then as quickly as it appeared, it sees me and runs the other direction.
“Ah,” I sigh.
“He’s skittish,” Zachary says.
“And so cute! Is that Artemis?” I ask. I think I remember him telling Mom about his Russian Blue kitty cat being Artemis.
“Yeah.” He grins. “Rhaenyra is around here somewhere.”
“I love kitties,” I squeal.I want one so bad, but Mom always says no.
“You like animals?” he asks.
“Uh, yeah. I need a cat familiar,” I tell him. Every witch needs a familiar.
“Wait!” Zachary grins big and turns back around. “My room first, then.”
“Uh…sure.” I shrug and follow him back down the hall to the door we just passed.
I cross the threshold and…wait.Thisis his bedroom? It’s massive. You could fit two—no, three of my rooms in here. And there’s a skylight in the ceiling. It’s like a moonroof in a car, but in his room. And it’s so clean and tidy.
“You have a king-size bed?” My mouth hangs open.
“California king,” he corrects me.
“Asshole.” I shake my head. “I’ve got a twin. And it’s from the consignment store.”
“I…” Zachary tenses up, and immediately I realize what I’ve done.
“It’s good, it’s comfy. Your room is so cool though! It’s so nice. And green.”
There are plants everywhere. Ferns and shrubs, flowers and vines. Splatters of color dot the vegetation, from big purple orchid blooms and pink hyacinth to white daisies and some bright blue and white blossom I’ve never seen before. But somehow, despite the plants being everywhere, it doesn’t look cluttered.
“A little.” Zachary laughs and the weirdest thing happens. My nerves calm a little. It’s gentle, like a springtime melody. “Yeah, I like plants…and gardening…and basically anything nature.”
“You’re in the perfect place then,” I say. “Your house is surrounded by it.”
