Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77293 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77293 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
“What I want,” Juan Gonzales said loudly, “Is Avery Connor.” He pointed at me with one blunt, stubby finger and since I was sitting right in the front row, he didn’t have far to point.
“Well, I don’t think—” Ms. Yasmeen began.
“I wrote him a poem,” Juan continued. He was staring longingly at me in a way I really didn’t like. Like a lovesick puppy or a desperately yearning lover.
“A poem?” Ms. Yasmeen said blankly.
“Yes, a poem. And I’m going to recite it to him right now,” Juan said, nodding and never taking his eyes off my face.
Then, right in front of the entire classroom, the big, bulky Drake dropped to one knee in front of me and began to recite.
“Hair of gold and eyes of blue
A heart of love, I have for you.
Lovely Avery, sweet and fine,
I want to make you mine, all mine!”
Oh no! I could barely restrain a groan. It was a love poem and Juan was reciting it to me in front of the entire classroom. He would never live this down—and he would doubtless make it his personal mission to pay me back for it.
But he wasn’t done yet. Clearing his throat, he continued with his extremely dubious effort at poetry.
“Cheeks as white and fine as linen,
Between the sheets, we’ll soon be sinnin’
An ass so cute I want to squeeze,
A gorgeous guy I want to please!”
At this point I wanted to point out that you really couldn’t rhyme “linen” with “sinning” but I was too horrified to do anything but watch as Juan went plowing on while the class sat in stunned silence, all eyes fixed on the way he was kneeling before me. At any rate, I had a feeling we were about to reach the grand finale. And sure enough, Juan seemed to be winding down. He threw out his arms and looked me right in the eyes as he recited,
“Skin that needs my soft caress,
A body I will soon undress.
Lips as red as berry wine,
Avery Connor, will you be mine?”
At that point, the entire class broke up into hysterical laughter. Jeering and hooting could be heard coming from every direction and people were pointing and whispering and talking behind their hands. They were also taking pictures on their cell phones of Juan kneeling there. Castle Nocturne messes with most technology but the Study Hall room happens to be one of the classrooms with the least magical interference. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone had captured the entire poetic performance, which they would probably post all over social media as soon as they could.
I sat there, feeling almost as embarrassed as Juan—well, no, probably not. He was going to be completely humiliated by this little stunt and once the spell came off him I was going to be in trouble.
“Excuse me, Mr. Gonzales—is this a joke?” Ms. Yasmine demanded at last, when some of the laughter died down and she could be heard. “Because if so, it’s not a very funny one.”
“No joke!” Juan insisted. Rising from his knees, he looked down at me. “I’m in love with Avery and he’s gonna be my boyfriend,” he announced.
This caused the class to break into fresh laughter while I winced inwardly. Goddess, this was going from bad to worse! I’d be lucky if Juan didn’t murder me after this little performance!
“Mr. Connor, do you know anything about this?” Ms. Yasmeen asked, frowning in my direction.
Mutely, I shook my head. I didn’t want to get Megan in trouble, though of course she had certainly gotten me into it.
“Mr. Gonzales, I think you’d better go,” Ms. Yasmeen said sternly.
Juan got a mutinous look on his face.
“Nuh-uh!” he insisted. “Not until Avery says he’ll be mine!” He looked down at me. “Will you, Avery? Can I be your boyfriend?”
“This has gone far enough!” Ms. Yasmeen stood up and thumped on her desk with one hand. She pointed a finger at the door. “Mr. Gonzales, leave immediately or face the consequences, which I assure you will not be pretty.”
Finally, Juan turned away, an angry look on his lumpish face. He was almost through the doorway when he turned back for a moment to look at me.
“I love you, Avery!” he said, which caused a fresh burst of giggles in the room.
Then, mercifully, he stepped out the door of Study Hall and was gone.
16
AVERY
“Megan, I don’t know what you did to that Good Manners spell but it is completely out of control!” I said tightly, the moment she got to the table at Suppertime.
Her face went pale.
“Oh no—I thought I fixed it! What happened?”
“You turned it into some kind of a love spell!” I exclaimed. “Every Drake I meet has been propositioning me all afternoon!” I ticked them off on my fingers. “I’ve been given candy, flowers, balloons, and very bad homemade chocolate chip cookies with lumps in them!”