JACK POV

"I'll join you," I say to Rose an hour later as she grabs her leather jacket to leave.

Matt and Lexi are in deep conversation, his hand rested casually on the bar, his body leant forward - angled towards her. I don't know what the hell he's playing at. He's supposed to be setting up her happy ending, not coming onto the poor girl.

When I speak though he looks up suddenly, a gleam in his eye. Rose raises an eyebrow at me.

"Oh, you will, will you?"

I ignore Matt's eyes on me. Lexi has turned to look at us both too, the corner of her lip tugging up.

"Yup," I grin – trying to ignore the sudden attention, keeping my eyes fixed only on Rose's. "Come on, you can't leave me alone with these two..."

She sighs, there's a hint of disappointment behind her brown irises. She wasn't really heading back, she was going to go to the old house again. I know it. She always does.

There's a trace of humour behind her eyes, though, too.

It offers me a swell of happiness – which I quickly push away.

She's just a job, a contract.

A curse.

Nothing more. Nothing less.

I cock my head to the side.

"Come on, have a heart, Rose! I'm heading back now anyway. We live in the same building – I may as well come with."

She narrows her eyes.

"How do you know which building I live in?" I open my mouth to reply but she cuts me off. "Oh yeah, because you followed me out of it last night..."

"I didn't follow you..." I begin, but then see the smile playing about her lips.

She's just winding me up. I grin.

Typical Rose.

She gestures with her head towards the door.

"Come on then," she says. "If you must." She focuses on Lexi then slides her gaze over to Matt and back again. She points at her in a dramatic, teacherly gesture, "You...be good!"

Lexi looks up at her with faux innocence under her dark bangs, then gives an unsubtle wink.

"Hey, you know me!" says her friend.

"That's exactly why I said it...!"

Matt slides his gaze over to Rose – his blue eyes twinkling in the dim bar lights. He lolls back, his left bicep bulging out from his white top where his arm rests against the bar top.

"Don't worry, I'll look after your friend," he says.

Rose rolls her eyes and Lexi looks positively gleeful. I give him a hard look.

"Don't you have work to do?" I say.

He raises an eyebrow, a silent challenge behind his expression. Then he turns to Rose.

"I think my friend likes you, by the way," he says.

I feel like I've been punched in the gut. My fists clench at my sides. I glare at him, furious – hoping the glimmer of worry I feel at his words will be hidden from my eyes.

He can't be allowed to think that. Neither can she.

It is too dangerous.

He gives me a wicked grin that I'd love to wipe off his smug little face.

"I think you need to shut your mouth," I say.

He stares me out, the smile still toying at his lips; the air around us suddenly heavy amid the sounds of bottles clinking and bar chatter.

"Woah," says Rose, "time out. Let's save the major over reactions for another time." She takes a step back. "See you tomorrow, Lexi. Call me if you need me. OK?" She turns away from us then looks back at me, her blonde ponytail swishing over her shoulder, "You coming or what?"

I feel the tension suddenly ebb out of my body as she starts to walk away. I watch her for a moment, then shoot Matt one more hard glare.

I'll deal with him later.

Then I turn and follow her through the crowds of students towards the exit of the bar.

I catch up with her outside. The air is quiet, cool, and for a moment before she notices I'm there she seems to stop to embrace it; her eyes are closed, her chest rises and falls, a smile of pure pleasure dancing on her lips. The sight of her in this position knocks me back a moment. There's something intimate about it.

And it reminds me of something, something from before maybe, but I can't quite grab onto the memory.

"Don't you just love the smell of the air in the summer?" she says suddenly.

I'm pulled into the present. I give an exaggerated sniff.

"I dunno...just smells like sweat and booze to me."

I'm lying. I can smell her scent on the breeze; rose petals, soap, and magic. She looks at me and arches an eyebrow as she starts to walk along the footpath.

"Well, aren't you the romantic one..."

"I happen to find the aroma of sweat and booze extremely erotic," I say.

She doesn't look at me but I think I see her cheeks flush slightly pink. I feel a stab of pleasure.

"Hey, how about we check out that old house before we go back," I say. "You know, the one I went to last night."

She keeps her eyes fixed straight ahead. Her lips tighten momentarily.

"No...I don't think so."

"Don't you want to hear about my adventure there last night?"

She looks at me, feigning a feign interest. I know she wants to know more about the place, she always does. I see the tell-tale glimmer dancing in her brown irises.

"What? You see a ghost there or something?" she says – trying to keep her voice flat.

I shake my head.

"Nah, just an old creepy mansion. I was just trying to entice you," I wiggle my eyebrows.

"Well...you did a terrible job..."

Liar.

The five-storey block of student dorms comes into view. We walk the same dimly lit footpath towards it that we were re-united on last night.

We head up the stairs to the third floor and I walk her to her room. She turns in the open doorway so she's facing me - blocking my entry to her room. Her body is suddenly just inches from mine; I can feel her heat, smell her scent. She tilts her face up to mine, and my thoughts suddenly scare me.

A jolt of panic mixed with something else fires in my veins.

Just over her shoulder my eyes home in on her bed.

I look into her eyes and she frowns, confusion and concern flitting across her face.

"What is it?" she says, "You look...scared, or something. What's wrong?"

"I..uh..." I take a step backwards. I force a grin onto my face, "Nothing."

She raises an eyebrow then smiles.

"Night, Jack," she says.

"Night, Rose."

She turns and closes the door, leaving me out in the hallway alone; my heart pounding though I cannot explain why.

***

The next morning I head into our corridor's shabby shared kitchen and stop still in the doorway. Matt is sat there in his stylish chequered pyjama bottoms and black tank-top – an attempt to look stylish even in his nightwear. He's leant forwards onto the table, his head resting against its surface.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I ask.

He grunts then looks up at me.

"I live here, dude," he says – his voice hoarse. He pushes himself upright on seeing my expression, "As part of my happy ending assignment, remember?"

"You could have moved anywhere on campus and..."

"I moved into the same residency as my buddy."

He gives me a weak smile and I sigh, moving across the room to the kettle.

"Look, dude," he says, "I'm sorry for what I said last night, I was out of line. And pretty pissed to be honest..."

"Yeah, well. Don't interfere with my work like that again."

I make a mug of instant coffee then turn to look at him, leaning against the counter. He's got his head back on the table – a weird, hoarse moan comes out of his mouth like he's some kind of zombie.

"What the hell's wrong with you, anyway?"

"So...hungover..." says Matt.

"Serves you right. Anything happen with Lexi?"

"Just got really, really, drunk," he looks up at me pitifully. "That girl can really handle her liquor."

A glimmer of admiration suddenly crosses his face which he clearly attempts to hide from me. I raise an eyebrow. Does he actually like the girl? He slumps back onto the table and I turn to the nearest cupboard, pulling something out.

"Do you want something to take the edge off?" I say.

He looks up suddenly, hope in his eyes.

"A hangover potion?"

I throw a packet at his head. It hits him and he groans. I give him a look.

"Aspirin,"

He fumbles for the packet and pulls out the painkillers, then he looks up at me.

"Your girl headed out early this morning. Did you know?"

I did. I heard her door click shut when I awoke.

I nod.

"You know where she was headed?" he says.

He's acting casual but I know he already knows.

"Yes," I say, shortly, "The same place as always."

"The Godmother won't be happy."

I look at him sharply.

"Just...just... let me just do my job."

There's a hint of sorrow behind his eyes, mixed with something else that I can't quite interpret, as he stares up at me.

"I have to do mine too, bro. I'll need to tell her. You know that."

Our gazes bear into one another. My mind processes what the Godmother might have me do if she is told where Rose is heading.

But it's my contract, my job, my duty.

Rose's desire for answers isn't important. The curse is all that matters.

I sigh heavily.

"Yeah. I know. Tell her."