His Miracle Mate

Chapter 4

Days passed by in a comfortable routine.

I mostly had breakfast on my own, though Haley sometimes appeared to keep me company, for which I was grateful. I didn't approach Sarah again after that first time, and I couldn't help but notice some of the hostile looks a few students threw my way. It was probably because I was hanging around Ezra and the others. I could think of no other reason.

After breakfast, I often took a stroll through the woods on my own, then spent the rest of the day with the other five I was now happy to call my friends.

Well, make that four. I had no idea what to make of Ezra. He was silent most of the time, almost brooding. But always by my side.

By the time Friday rolled around, it was scary how quickly I got used to his quiet, warm presence next to me, and how I looked forward to seeing him every morning.

Sometimes, our eyes would meet and an electric jolt would run through my veins. Those dark eyes were loud, swirling with so many emotions, some I recognized, others I didn't dare to.

It was now Friday, the day of the opening ceremony right before the official beginning of classes next Monday.

After breakfast, I skipped my usual morning walk and went back to find Ashley and Haley in our cabin.

"Morning, gorgeous!" Haley chirped, sitting by the island, the folds of her full floral skirt touching the ground. The long-sleeved yellow shirt she tucked into the skirt set off her beautiful skin.

Ashley was stirring her coffee mug, leaning against the counter and dressed in a crisp white pantsuit and tan wedges, her hair waving around her shoulders.

"Morning." I smiled, looking at Ashley's formal getup. "What's the occasion?"

She sighed and took a big gulp of her coffee. "Opening ceremony," she grumbled.

"Ashley here is part of the student council, you know that right?" Haley asked. I nodded. She stood up and threw an arm around my shoulders. "Which means she's going to be stuck with the others organizing the thing. You and I will take our time getting ready while she runs around like a headless chicken."

I bit back a laugh. Ashley stuck her tongue at Haley. "Traitor."

She looked at her watch and downed the rest of her coffee, wincing at the end. "Time for me to go," she put the mug in the sink and smoothed a hand down her suit jacket. "It's at ten. Don't be late, girls."

So I wouldn't see Ezra until then. The emptiness that thought caused me took me by surprise. Fortunately, Haley didn't leave me to my thoughts for long. She dragged me upstairs to my room and raided my closet, when she didn't deem my clothes proper, which were all casual, I had to admit, she dragged me along to Ashley's closet.

"The code is semi formal," Haley said, flipping through the clothes hung in Ashley's closet. I hovered in the doorway, unsure.

"Are you sure Ashley won't mind?" I asked Haley.

"It's okay! She doesn't mind" she said absent-mindedly, picking a dress off the racks and looking it over with a critical eye.

"How do you know?"

"I asked her," she replied, putting the dress back.

"When did you ask her? You've been with me the whole time," I said, looking around the packed closet.

"I lin- I mean, I asked her before. Before you came back from breakfast. Yeah, before," she said, flipping through the clothes more quickly.

She brightened, pulling a hanger from the rack and holding it up for me to see. "What do we think?"