Eric and Sierra are understandably upset after finding me on the floor of the hallway. I somehow wiggle out of the situation without telling them what really happened. They are under the impression I had a migraine.

It took a lot of talking to get them agree not to send me to a doctor.

Luckily, the connection with Aria was broken in the scuffle. It rattled her. She sent me an ignis letter not too long after and I had no choice but to relay everything that happened.

She was not pleased and cautioned that it may be too dangerous. I haven't written her back because she may be right.

After the incident, Eric and Sierra vote to order in. I excuse myself long before dinner, feigning being too tired over the migraine. The truth is I am rattled to my core.

Around nine, I receive a knock on my door. Sierra asks if she can come in from the other side of the door. I tell her to come in, despite already being dressed in my nighties.

I don't rush to cover up as she enters. Neither of us are shy around each other. We've had many sleepovers, so I am not surprised when she enters wearing a pair of boy shorts, a tank top and a blue and purple silk wrap around her braids.

Sierra looks around the room. She stops at a myriad of photos hung over the black desk opposite my bed, where I keep my laptop. My messenger bag lay on the floor, leaning against my gaming chair. A small oak dresser rests under the window, which looks out onto the quiet street of Arbor Hills Road.

Sierra remarks I need more furnishings in my room as she sits on the edge of my bed. She doesn't speak for a few seconds as she builds the courage to broach the subject she obviously wants to talk about.

"So, how's your head?" Sierra asks.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to bleed out on the floor. I guess my magic spell failed."

Sierra laughs. "I really hope you're joking. Witchcraft sounds a little extreme, even for you."

"It's better than obsessing over my...abusive ex-boyfriend."

"Why would you when you could obsess over the hot doctor. Are you ever going to tell me what happened in that room?" Sierra asks.

"What's to tell?"

"You were sitting very close. And you jumped apart."

I debate on what I can tell her. If I tell her I was reading his mind, she will think I'm a loon. If I lie, she will sniff the truth out of me immediately.

"We almost kissed."

"That's why he was so shocked when we came in?"

"Him? It caught me by surprise, too."

Sierra flashes a sincere smile. It warms my heart. I miss the days when I could be completely honest with her.

"We'd met before. He was very charming in the cafe. I think he flirted with me. Made me feel like I wasn't some weirdo."

Sierra laughs. It feels like forever since we talked about normal "best friends" topics. I regret having to bewitch her and Eric.

But it was for the greater good of their mental state.

It's something I have to live with, right or wrong.

I describe my meeting with Archer. I cannot help but blush while talking about him. It feels incredibly normal to be talking about a guy with my best friend. There is no discussion of dire dreams or vampire ex-boyfriends.

"It probably won't amount to anything." I say.

"Or you could end up sitting on the porch with your grandkids at the ripe old age of 80."

"That's a little far. You are right but I don't know anything about him."

"Then get to know him. Duh! We moved here to get a new start. So start!"

"I am. I will. I literally adopted a cat."

"Yes, the cat. Are we sure about the cat? Something is off about the cat." She leans into me. "Does it seem a little too smart? Like it knows exactly what we're saying."

I snicker before reminding her cats are not idiots. She reluctantly agrees that Collins is not so bad.

Sierra stays with me for another thirty minutes and we catch up on everything we have missed, including her first days of her new job. She is happier at this job than she ever was at her last one, and I am happy for her.

She leaves and I retrieve my Book of Shadows. I study the book for another twenty minutes before eventually closing the book. I write an ignis letter to Aria, telling her I will be personally kicking Anarch's ass all the way back to Hell.

I also inquire about information on the packs around the area.

I turn off the lamp beside the bed and tuck myself in, drifting away from the world.