After the lecture, the class was dismissed. The students shuffled with their bags and jackets, climbing from their seats and making for the door.

"Do you have anything after this?" I asked Jasen. He gathered his things from beneath the desk, pulling a bag over his shoulder.

"No," he said. "Not for a few hours."

"Same here." We waited for the crowd to disperse — I still felt unlike myself. I knew how Jasen typically was; eager to shout the wrong answers in class for a short laugh from the other students. He was always the first in line to leave after the professor dismissed us; making high-fives or snide remarks as he kept through the crowd.

But today, he was different. He was tethered to me. So he hung back, waiting for the crowd to thin out into the hallway before standing up from his seat.

But even as the students fell out from the classroom, we weren't alone.

I actually recognised the man who approached us; I didn't know his name, but his stature was tall and heavy. He'd been at the Packfall game yesterday; I was certain of it.

"Jasen!" He greeted, walking past me towards him; the two greeted each other in a rehearsed handshake, and then parted with smiles. I only glared in their direction; for as long as Jasen was here, talking to this peer of ours, the longer I had to wait to get lunch.

That was another thing, wasn't it? We'd have to eat together. I could already feel the dread creeping up my spine, digging in its claws. If I had just remembered to bring the book today, then this likely would have all been over by now.

The two talked casually with each other. Jasen with a hand propped on his hip. I felt awkward, watching something I wouldn't ordinarily be a part of.

And then I got an idea.

I'd tried a reversal spell; a simple one, but I could also try a strength-draining spell. It was effective on spells, even mind-altering ones. Even if it didn't break the curse, it could weaken it enough for us to not be bound together by a couple of feet, but rather by miles. It could be a game changer, and I suddenly felt stupid for not having thought of it before.

I stepped into their conversation, shaking Jasen by the arm, "Jasen, we got to go."

"Why? Can't stand to see me talking to someone that isn't you?" He laughed as he said it, but his friend gave him a wary glance that only I noticed. I was suddenly aware of my grip, firm on Jasen's arm where my fingertips pressed into his skin.

His friend's eyes flicked between us, studying us for only a moment, "So are you two friends now? I noticed Cade was at the game yesterday."

I looked up at Jasen, awaiting his heated response or some kind of denial.

But instead he shrugged, "Yeah, we've been hanging out lately. Hasn't been too terrible," and he glanced at me as he said it, like it was some inside joke I should have laughed at. But I didn't; I couldn't, because we weren't friends.

But the lie had sounded so natural coming from him, that for a moment, it felt like we actually were just friends hanging out.

So instead, I hissed, "Speak for yourself."

He patted my hand, right where it still rested on his arm, "Ah, you'll learn to like me."

I felt myself bristle as I glared up at him.

His friend's eyes narrowed; not in anger, but in confusion. He glanced between us again, as if he couldn't quite put the pieces together.

"Well," he said, "You two seem... awfully close."

I could physically feel Jasen's form stiffen beside me, the typical amusement fading from his face.

I quickly let go of his arm, glancing away; physically recoiling, but at the same time, feeling the heat rush to my face. The subtle drum of my heart, the ache of the spell pushing me to remain beside him. Oh, how I could sense the magic was thriving off of my unease.

All it did was anger me.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jasen asked, all too defensively. The words taut; I didn't look at him, but I felt him shuffle beside me, desperate to put space between us.

I wasn't sure how to react; suddenly, I felt as if I'd just been thrown onstage without a script prepared. I wished I could just walk away — but I knew that I couldn't. With the heaviness in the air between us, I doubted the spell would let me take more than one step away before knocking me out.

His friend's relaxed tone cut through the thick air, "Relax, I was just kidding." But I could sense the unease behind it; the way his eyebrow lifted in a stifled curiosity, so minor I could have easily missed it.

I felt Jasen's eyes hover over me, sharp this time; almost demeaning.

"We're late," he said, abruptly. Wait for what? I didn't ask.

In a swift, sweeping motion, Jasen grabbed me by the wrist and stormed off down the room.

His friend from behind him, "Jasen!" The name echoed down the empty room. Jasen didn't stop, nor did he look back at him.

I allowed Jasen to drag me along and out into the hallway. Once there, his grip on my wrist fell; he'd left pale, white marks where his fingers had been. He let out a low exhale, leaning against the wall beside the door.

Then his eyes flicked to me, alive with intensity.

"You never mistook that as flirting, right?" He shook his head, as if he still couldn't believe whatever it was that his friend had suggested.

"Flirting?" I asked. "You mean you being an ass all the time is considered flirting?"

"No!" And the word spilled from him in a blurt. "No, it shouldn't be." Then he sighed again, frustrated. "Derek clearly thought it was."

"Derek, huh?" I asked. "I thought I recognised him from your game."

"He was the one who introduced me to the team here," Jasen said, straightening up as his posture relaxed. "I feel bad. Should I go back in and explain?"

"Explain what? That we're not friends, and definitely not more than friends, but actually we're bound together because of a botched proximity spell that I casted?" I scoffed.

But I caught it, the reflection of the fluorescent lights in Jasen's eyes, giving them a glass-like appearance. His features softened, just slightly.

"I thought we were friends," he said. The words almost hollow.

I faltered. How could he have ever thought that? He clearly hated me; he defeated me in every competition. We were rivals, not friends.

"If you were my friend," I hissed, "You wouldn't beat me in every single competition."

He scoffed, "What? You expect me to just let you win? To not try my best?"

"If I don't win the next competition—" but I stopped myself from saying any more. I turned away from him. I could see it now, clear as day. My father's looming figure, fists at his side. His reprimands. With every competition I failed, they grew worse.

"Cade?" Jasen's voice cut through the image I'd conjured.

"I have a spell to try," I said. "A weakening spell. If I can weaken this proximity spell enough, then our distance should increase while I figure out a way to break it completely."

"Let's get lunch first," Jasen suggested. "And then we can try the spell after."

"Fine," was all I said.

Jasen stepped through the hall first, waiting for me to follow. Begrudgingly, I did.

"Where do you want to eat?" He asked.

"I don't care."

"There's that little cafe on the edge of the campus," he said. "Not far from Building B, so if you wanted, we could stop by and pick up your book."

That caught my attention.

"Okay," I said. "Let's do that."

"And while we're back at my dorm," he continued, "You could try casting that weakness spell or whatever. That won't affect me, will it?"

"If I cast it right, it shouldn't," I said. "But it's pretty effective on people, so I can't guarantee it won't."

We started our decline down the stairs, stepping in unison.

"If it did affect me," Jasen continued, "What would it do? Like, would the weakness be permanent, or...?"

"Not really," I said. "It would be more as if you were sick for a few days, and it really wouldn't affect anything except for your Packfall practice, I guess."

He bit his lip, as if trying to decide if it was worth it or not.

"I'm the most skilled Witch in this place," I tried to assure him, "It's a super simple spell. I won't get it wrong."

I watched as we drew nearer to the front doors of the building. We stepped outside into the fresh air; the breeze delicately warm, the air rich with the scents of early spring. But the sky overhead was a pale cloud, the humidity heavy in the air.

"Could we wait on the weakness spell?" Jasen finally asked as we stepped onto the pavement sidewalk.

"Wait?"

"We have a big game next week. I just want to make sure I'm in good condition for it."

"You want to deal with an entire extra week of this?" I asked, my words betraying the disbelief that I felt.

"As long as you're able to," he said. "I trust you'd do the spell right, but I don't want to take any chances on this upcoming game. If we win, we could head to nationals next year."

Packfall had seemed like just another sport whenever I'd watched them practice; but hearing Jasen now, I understood what this meant to him.

"Okay," I finally said. "We can wait."