And They Were Roommates(65)

Technically, this is still dangerous. The administration could connect us back to Delilah if we’re caught. But I was hoping they’d overlook that at the promise of a new and shiny attack method. “We have a plan.” The lie feels filthy on my tongue, but I have to. We need this one last chance. “Hopefully, this is a good enough offer. Otherwise, everyone’s tradition—and only way—of communicating with the sister academy will vanish forever, right? If we fail, report us.”

Eli’s mouth twists. “Until the mixer.”

As the crowd leaves, Jasper faces the rest of us. “Apologies, everyone, for not disclosing Charlie’s involvement with the love letters. I wished for this to remain as hidden as possible from our patrons.”

“I already knew,” Xavier says.

“For I, too, did,” Blaze says.

Robby points a thumb at Blaze. “Blaze told me yesterday.”

Jasper’s brow spikes high. Slowly, his focus drifts my way.

“Sorry,” I say through a wince. “It kept accidentally coming up.”

“You really think you can rewrite hundreds of letters from scratch?” Robby asks Jasper.

“During finals?” Xavier adds, equally skeptical.

“No,” Jasper says, “which is why Charlie will still help me write.”

I trade confused looks with everyone. “But they don’t want my letters.”

“They think they don’t want your letters,” Jasper says. “I, however, know you are more than capable. And you wish to help. Therefore, you will.”

I do want to help, especially when Jasper is calling me a talent. But knowing him, those could just be flowery words he doesn’t mean, and ones I shouldn’t trust. Besides, today alone, I’ve lost multiple hours of finals study time to STRIP. To get back on track, I’ll have to pull an all-nighter. If love letters get added back to my schedule, I’ll never sleep again if I want to rank. Would that even be enough?

“Even with two people, I’m not sure if we’ll finish in time,” Robby mutters.

“The reason we took so long last time is because Jasper had to teach me first,” I say, but I’m not sure if I’m trying to convince them or myself more. “We can do this. The two of us will just have to … spend a lot of time together.” I look to Jasper.

He nods, but his stare is vacant. Uneasy. Why? Does he think we can’t do this?

The bell tower chimes twelve times. The lunch bell.

After goodbyes, Robby, Xavier, and Blaze wander toward Dix.

Jasper stays at the fountain, pulling me aside by the coat cuff. “I apologize, Charlie. For all of this. That’s why I feel especially bad asking something else of you.”

“What is it?” I say, nerves prickling in my chest.

“I told you that I planned to move back in with my aunt, but I fear she’ll notice what we’re up to. She may see my journal. The letters.”

“You can’t write in the crypt after classes?”

“We’re on a time crunch. I’ll need to work through the nights, and my aunt will notice if I stay out past curfew. Won’t you need to work the same?”

“I guess,” I say, not following the logic, but I’m too overwhelmed with the weight of what I’ve promised to think any more. “You’re back to Xavier’s, then?”

Jasper’s blue eyes bounce around the maple trees in the Halo. “Being closer to you over the next ten days could help us complete these on time.”

He’s asking to be roommates again.

“Oh,” I say.

“I know how much of an ask it is to return to the room.” Jasper’s cadence is quicker now. “But our futures at Valentine depend upon this, do they not? I won’t be a distraction, I promise.”

My smile comes out more like a grimace. Because only months ago I would’ve done anything for a private room. Especially during the week before finals.

But since Jasper moved out, all I’ve been distracted by is the lack of him there. No more page turns. No more buzzing lamps. No more eleven pillows shuffling through the night. Every noise I once loathed is all I want to hear.

“I can survive until the mixer.” My heart makes me say it, and I’ve never wanted to dig a hole out of my chest more. There’s no way I can survive rooming with the one person who could never return my feelings. “But promise you’ll leave the moment we’re done.”

Jasper’s mouth twitches in a way I can’t read. “I promise.”





Chapter 33

THE THREE MUSKETEERS




WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6

“Charlie!” Xavier lunges for the machine bar slipping out of my fingers, and I jolt. He snatches and slaps the bar back into place above my head with a clang. “Where were you, man? You just kept going and going after your reps.”

Did I?

I sit up from the machine, glancing around the workout room. All I remember is thinking about all the study guides I have to finish after this. “Sorry. Zoned out.”

“Last month, you couldn’t get through one power lift without passing out, so good work. But overdoing it can strain your muscles. We don’t want that one week before testing day.”

As if I could forget.