I sighed. “Well, it was probably Tyler’s idea, but did you know Grayson works in the cafeteria?”
She nodded. “Yes. Part time there and part time as the headmaster’s assistant.”
His assistant? Shock filled me at the revelation.
“Did they sit at one of his tables again and act like royal douchebags?”
My eyebrow arched at her description. “Yeah. How did you know?”
Shiloh shook her head, anger flashing in her eyes. “They do it every time he’s scheduled. Or they did. I thought Javi put a stop to that.”
Hurt echoed in her voice. I didn’t know what to say. Javi’s friends were bad influences, but when it came to Grayson, he was just as bad as they were.
“Tyler used some chant and Grayson threatened to report him to the guards. Javi stepped in and nothing else happened.”
Except for the words Grayson threw at me.
“Now he probably hates me. Again.”
Shiloh frowned. “Who?”
“Grayson. That guy is so confusing. One minute he’s buying my coffee and the next he can barely stand the sight of me and I’m freaking sick of it!”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Are you sure it’s… hate?”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
She rolled her chair closer to me and sat down. “It sounds like he likes you and isn’t owning up to it. Some guys want you to make the first move.” Her lips pursed.
Was she hinting at Javi? Not wanting to go down that rabbit trail, I stretched my arms out in front of me and sighed. “I don’t know what to think anymore. I wish he would stop playing mind games.”
She gave me a yeah, me too look and tapped her lip. “Maybe you could try the old fake date trick?”
Noticing my obvious lack of understanding, she blushed and adjusted her glasses. “You know. Go out with someone else to make him jealous? I’ve never tried it, but it always works in the movies.”
I scoffed. “I don’t know. When does real life every turn out to be like the movies?”
“More than you think. Life is stranger than fiction sometimes.”
“But wouldn’t that be using somebody just to get someone else’s attention?”
She blushed. “Yeah, but not if they were in on the secret too.”
“Hmm.”
I was beginning to like the idea more and more. If I did this and he got jealous, then I would know he liked me. But if he didn’t get jealous… well, then I’d get my answer.
I smiled at her. “That is perfect. Thank you!”
She returned my smile and glanced at my physics homework. “Afraid, I can’t help you out with that though.”
Sighing, I pulled the book into my lap and shook my head. “I might have to get myself a tutor. Know anyone?”
Shiloh laughed. “Sorry. It’s just. The top physic student I know is… Grayson.”
My eyebrows shot up at this information. “Figures.”
“If the fake date doesn’t work, maybe you can try to get him to tutor you. That could work too.”
I snorted. “Yeah. I’ll impress him with my utter incompetence in physics.”
She shrugged. “Some guys prefer girls that are… less intellectually advantaged.”
A flush spread up her neck. I winced. Was she referring to Javi again? I frowned. What did the idiot say or do now?
“But not all,” I responded.
I fell silent, wondering if I should try to say something positive about my cousin. But how would I say it without making it too obvious? Shiloh was no idiot.
“Yeah.” She looked away. “I have to get my laundry. Do you want anything from the vending machine?”
“No thanks. I’m good.”
I watched her leave and stared down at the textbooks in front of me. Groaning, I picked up the first one and started reading.
Not five pages in and a knock sounded. Thinking it was Shiloh with her basket of laundry, I stood up and flung the door open.
It was Javi.
He glanced past me, disappointment flashing on his face as he noticed the empty room.
I opened the door up wider and let him enter. He stood, staring at Shiloh’s stuff like a creeper.
“What do you want, Javi?”
His head whipped toward me. “I heard you got sent to the headmaster.”
“Yeah. Did your dad tell you?”
He frowned. “No. My dad was there too?”
“No. He saw me go in the office though.”
Javi winced. “Oh.”
“Yeah.”
“You got a mark?”
I nodded.
“Why didn’t you say anything at lunch?”
My eyes narrowed. “Are you kidding me? I wasn’t going to tell all your jerk friends my business. And just so you know, Shiloh knows about what happened at lunch.”
He flinched. I walked back toward my side of the room and waved him in. He shut the door behind him and stalked over.
“What did she say?”
I stared at him. Did he regret his actions or was he just upset Shiloh knew what he’d done?
“What do you think, Javi? That little stunt you pulled was petty and douchey.”
He glanced away. “It wasn’t my idea.”
I scoffed. “So? You went along with it.”
His body stiffened. “He deserves it. He thinks he’s so much better than everyone just because the headmaster gave him a scholarship here.”
“He did?” I frowned.
Was that why he was chosen as the headmaster’s assistant? No wonder there was always tension between him and Brady. It was no secret father and son didn’t exactly bond well.
“You need to get over yourself, Javi. Stop worrying about Grayson and start showing Shiloh the kind of guy you really are.”
His shoulders slumped. “Yeah. I guess you’re right.”
I lifted my chin. “Of course I am.”
“Do you want me to talk to my dad about the mark? See if he can make it disappear?”
“Disappear? What do you mean?”
“He didn’t tell you what it did?”
I shook my head no, apprehension growing.
Javi frowned. “For sleeping in class, right?”
“Yeah.”
He grabbed my hand and turned it over, wrist up. “Look.”
A strange black symbol was drawn onto my skin. My eyes bulged. I touched it, finding the ink or whatever was used didn’t come off.
“What the hell?”
“It’s an enchantment mark. It will disappear usually within five to seven days, but while it’s there, you won’t be able to fall asleep.”
My jaw dropped. “What?
