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CIARA HAD BEEN ASLEEP since seven in the morning, then woke up around noon. She didn’t feel tired despite getting only five hours of sleep.
She freshened up in the bathroom and then cooked scrambled eggs. Henry wouldn’t mind a good breakfast.
Except she had only tried cooking scrambled eggs once before, and it hadn’t gone well. She was planning to make eatable scrambled eggs this time.
And she did. They turned out to be digestible at least.
Ciara grabbed a plate and a fork and started eating her half.
“You cooked?”
Ciara nearly choked on the food in her mouth. “Henry!” she gasped out, coughing.
“Sorry.” Henry grimaced, watching his best friend.
Ciara stopped coughing. “No worries. I, uh, cooked us breakfast.”
“That is a miracle. Is it edible, too?”
Ciara laughed. “Try it.”
Henry sat down. Ciara had already set a plate for him. He filled it with scrambled eggs and began to eat. First, he only tried a mouthful. “It’s good,” he said once he finished eating the food in his mouth.
“Surprisingly.”
Henry chuckled. “Yeah.”
The two ate in silence for a little while. When it became too much, Henry started talking.
“I’m unbelievably sorry for being an ass.” He didn’t know how else to say it.
“It’s okay.”
“No, it isn’t.” He shook his head. “I was stupid because I worry about you. But I should also trust you. I know you’ve been doing these things for a while now. You know what you’re doing better than most.”
“I forgive you,” Ciara said. “It’s okay to worry.”
“It’s not just that.”
She pushed aside her plate. “What do you mean?”
Henry shook his head, sighing. “I don’t want to lose my best friend again.”
She reached over the table to squeeze her best friend’s hand. “I’m sorry I left. I am. It’s never going to happen again, I swear.”
Henry pulled his hand away, looking down. “It’s not just that.”
“I don’t understand.”
“At school, we used to be there for each other. For everything. Whether one of us needed help with something or a date or...anything.”
“I needed you more than you needed me.”
Henry smiled. “Maybe. But what I mean is that then Liam came into picture. Then you started dating him. And for a while, I felt shut out.”
Ciara’s eyes softened. “I didn’t know. Henry, I swear, if I had realised—”
“Well, then you broke up and everything seemed to go back to the usual. Except then there was this weird tension between me and you, as well as me and my brother.”
Ciara nodded. She could only picture what Henry had felt like. “I never meant to put you in such a position.”
“I know. But the least you could’ve done is told me about leaving. You just left out of nowhere. You walked out on me.”
Ciara swallowed. “I know, and nothing I say is going to fix that. I needed a break, and that’s no excuse, but it’s the reason I left. America and the job and everything, it was fresh air for me. But I had no right to walk out like I did. I didn’t leave because of you, and to be honest I missed you like hell. If you could ask Theo, he’d tell you.”
“Ciara—”
“No, just let me finish.” She looked straight into her best friend’s brown eyes, hair hanging on her face. “I’m sorry, and no number of apologies is going to fix anything. But from now on, I’ll do better. I promise I will. Henry, you are the greatest best friend one could have, and I’m the worst. If it counts at all, I’m back now and I’ll do whatever it takes to earn your friendship back. You mean a lot to me, and I never want to lose you again. I’d literally be dead without you. You saved my life by figuring out that those two witch hunters were in Canada for me.”
Henry smiled, the corners of his mouth twitching. “I like to be the hero.”
Ciara chuckled. “Knew it.”
“So, are we good? For real good?” Henry asked.
“On my behalf, of course. I can’t stay angry with you. Especially now that there’s nothing to be angry about.”
Henry’s smile grew brighter on hearing those words. “Good. Because I forgive you. For everything.”
Ciara grabbed her fork and pointed it at Henry. “But I won’t leave all the work for others. I’m going to do my job.”
Henry nodded. “I wouldn’t expect anything else.”
“Good.”
“So, how was America this time?”
“Busy as usual. It was just work.”
“But you visited Theo’s grave, right?”
Ciara nodded, an ache clutching at her heart. “Yes, I did. And I visited his mother.”
“How is she?”
“She’s moving on. Little by little.” Ciara smiled. “She’s such a sweetheart. I mean...she’s almost like another mother to me.”
“You seem to make a good impression on your boyfriends’ mothers.”
“It’s a habit.”
“Well, Mum adores you.”
“I was your best friend before I was anything with Liam, though.”
“Still.”
Ciara smiled.
“So, did you hear about the wedding yet?” Henry asked, changing the subject. It was fair to tell Ciara.
“I did.” Ciara nodded, fighting back a grimace. “Iris already asked for my help.”
Henry raised an eyebrow. He looked at Ciara as if she had just said something unheard of. “Really?”
Ciara nodded. “Really.” She sighed at the mere thought of wedding planning. “It’s kind of odd, to be honest.”
“I bet!”
Ciara bit her lip. “Yeah. But I couldn’t just say no to her.”
“Why not?”
“Iris was so excited. And I’m sure she means well. She just wants help with the biggest day of her life.”
“Still,” Henry said, shaking his head in disbelief. “Planning your ex-boyfriend’s wedding is weird.”
“It is. I’m hoping I’ll be able to come up with good excuses most of the time.”
“So, you’re being kind and polite by lying,” Henry said.
Ciara nodded. “Is it wrong?”
“Not in this situation.”
“Did Liam ask you to be the best man?” Ciara asked Henry.
“Nope. I’m his brother and that’s enough,” Henry said. “I think he asked Hugo Stiller. Remember him?”
“Of course.”
She hadn’t seen Hugo in years. The last time she had seen him had been before she and Liam had been dating. It had been Liam’s last year—and Hugo’s too.
“They still hang out?” Obviously they did, but Ciara couldn’t believe how everyone was still hanging out with their old friends from school.
Henry nodded. “And Shawn, too.”
“Wow.” Ciara remembered Shawn.
“They started hanging out again after Liam came back to England,” Henry said.
“That makes sense.”
“Oh, and I should tell you about one thing.”
“Why that tone?”
Henry tilted his head. “What tone?”
“You talk about your crushes with that tone,” Ciara said.
“How do you still know me that well?” Henry asked, his mouth hanging open.
“I’m your best friend forever,” Ciara said and smiled. “So, is it Jenna?”
Henry blushed. “Well, y—”
“I knew it!” Ciara grinned in victory. “Finally! And official for how long?”
“A week.” Henry’s cheeks turned a deeper shade of red. “We’ve gone on one official date and then a couple of lunch dates.”
“So cute!” Ciara squealed. “When are you going to propose?”
Henry rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. “Give me a year at least.”
“Fine,” Ciara said and sighed dramatically. “But no more than that.”
Henry chuckled. “You’re more excited than I am.”
“I just think you two will be the cutest couple ever.”
“Well, looks like you’ll be around to see us together.”
“I can still go back to America if you want me to, but—”
“It’s good to have you back for good,” Henry said, cutting Ciara off mid-sentence. “I’ve missed you. Everyone has.”
“It’s nice to be back for good now,” Ciara said, nodding. “And don’t worry, I’m already looking for a flat, so I’ll try to move out as soon as I can.”
“No hurry,” Henry said. “I don’t mind you staying here. Especially now that you might be in danger.”
“Henry, I have plenty of enemies. I’ll always be in danger. But I can take care of myself.”
“I’d feel less worried if I knew someone was there to look after you, though.”
Ciara knew what Henry was implying. The familiar ache reappeared in her chest. “I’m not ready for a new relationship right now.”
Henry nodded. “I can understand that. Maybe you should get a dragon. Like a guard dog, but a guard dragon.”
Ciara laughed. It was an absurd idea. Dragons couldn’t be domesticated. They belonged in the wild unless they needed special care. For that, there were sanctuaries like the one Henry worked at. “That’d be something. But if I got a dragon, you’d never leave my house.” Not that she would have minded. Henry was her best friend.
“You got that right.”
“What happened to your dragon?”
Henry smiled. “I still see Roan at work every day. He’s growing fast, so I can’t keep him here anymore.”
“So he’s healthy and well?”
“He is.” Henry nodded.
Ciara couldn’t help but smile. “That’s good to hear.” Somehow, she had grown fond of that dragon.
***
“YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO come with me,” Ciara said to Henry when the two of them walked into the school hall.
They had turned the hall into a ballroom. It was beautifully decorated. There was sparkle and glitter floating in the air to make the hall look even more magical. Flower decorations were scattered around. The blue curtains had been changed for beige ones with golden stripes.
Everyone had put on their best attire. The girls wore beautiful long gowns, and the guys wore their best suits.
Henry smiled at Ciara. “I wanted to come with you.”
Ciara was still looking around the decorated hall, mesmerised by the beauty of it, when her gaze landed on a couple. Liam and Mia were already there. Mia was talking to Liam enthusiastically, and he was smiling at her.
It was his usual smile. The soft smile that reached his eyes, lighting up his entire face. Ciara was all too familiar with it. She could only daydream of being in Mia’s position—of causing that smile.
Henry’s eyes followed Ciara’s gaze, landing on the couple. He knew the look on his best friend’s face. He wanted both of them to enjoy the school ball, and that wasn’t going to happen if she was sad.
“How about we dance?” Henry said, hoping to get Ciara’s mind off his brother.
Ciara grinned. “Don’t step on my toes.”
“Never again.”
Liam spotted his brother—hand in hand with Liam’s long-time crush. He was jealous, watching his own brother lead Ciara to the dancefloor.
Liam had asked Ciara to go with him, but she had declined and chuckled as if it was a poor joke.
It had hurt.
Seeing her with Henry brought Liam a spark of hope. Ciara would never have ditched Henry. Not for anyone. If they had agreed to go together before he had asked...
Perhaps Liam still had hope.
***
THE BALL FELT ENDLESS.
Mia was nice, but Liam was growing tired of her constant rambling.
Ciara rarely rambled. She was more focused. Quieter, too, but she wasn’t shy. She just liked to keep to herself more than some people—people like Mia.
Mia was a tad clingy too. But Liam would never admit that out loud. Mia was one of Ciara’s closest friends. Liam also liked Mia as a friend. He just seldom had to endure her endless rambling. Ciara probably put up with it more.
Ciara was all Liam had been thinking about the entire night, filling his thoughts. He couldn’t stop sneaking glances at her either.
At one point, Mia excused herself to go talk with Jenna who had been waving at her. It was the perfect timing, because Henry had just left Ciara to go get drinks.
Liam saw his opportunity and walked past the crowd and over to Ciara. “Hi,” he said, standing right behind her.
Ciara spun around with her dark hair bouncing in the air and the hem of her dress flowing like waves. Liam could smell her perfume. He was convinced she only used it on special occasions. It was a fresh, floral scent. It suited her.
A wide smile spread across Ciara’s face. “Liam, hi.”
“You look beautiful,” Liam complimented, gesturing to her bright red dress. It matched her bold red lipstick.
“You don’t look too bad yourself,” Ciara said, smiling. She thought Liam looked rather handsome in his dark blue suit with a beige bow around his neck.
“Thanks,” Liam said with his usual soft smile.
Ciara took a quick look around. “Did you lose Mia or something?”
“She’s somewhere with Jenna.”
“Oh.” Ciara blinked. “She was excited about coming here with you.”
Ciara could only hope the disdain in her voice didn’t show as much as she feared.
Liam furrowed his eyebrows. “Mia’s just a friend.”
Ciara’s eyes widened. “She is?” The words flew out of her mouth.
Liam smiled, happy with Ciara’s reaction. “Yes, she’s a friend.”
“Why didn’t you ask someone else then?”
I asked you, Liam thought. But he couldn’t say that out loud. “Like who?” he asked instead.
Ciara shrugged. “Trixie?”
Liam scrunched up his nose and shook his head. “No.”
“She’s obsessed with you.”
“A little too much,” Liam said, grimacing.
Ciara couldn’t help but chuckle. “True.”
Liam spotted Henry caught in a conversation with two of his friends. “Looks like your dance partner is being held back,” he said, turning his gaze back to Ciara.
Ciara turned to see what Henry was up to. “Clearly.”
“Well, since both our partners are busy with their friends...can I have this dance?” Liam offered Ciara his hand.
She couldn’t contain her smile. “Of course.”
As Liam led Ciara to the dancefloor, she felt a blush creep up onto her cheeks. She could only hope she was wearing enough makeup to cover it. The blushing got worse once Liam placed his hand on her waist and pulled her closer.
Blushing or not, she liked it. It was a total cliché, but she felt like she could forget about everyone else in the room. Her focus was solely on Liam—and not stepping on his feet.
The dreaded night turned out to be wonderful after all.