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“Want to go for a walk?” Ever asks.

“Sure,” I say, since Bree and Eli are still in a heated debate about human holidays. They follow us as we turn down the sidewalk that surrounds the greater quad. “Are you going home for break?”

“I’m still deciding.” Ever searches my face. “I assume you’re staying here?”

I nod. “Yup. It’ll be nice to have a mostly empty campus.” Generally, people enjoy going home. What’s that like? I fiddle with my necklace. “Why are you still deciding?”

“Well, it depends on whether you’ll come with me.”

Surprise has me missing a step. “You’re inviting me to go home with you?”

She gives me a look. Yeah, dum-dum. “So, will you come?”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude and⁠—”

“Yes or no, Raina?” she interjects.

Spend a week wallowing in my loneliness or spend it blissfully unaware of reality at Ever’s? “I’d love to come.”

She beams at me. “Perfect.”

I turn to ask Bree and Eli what their plans are, but someone shouts my name. No, not someone. Bellamy. Shit. My gaze jumps all over the place. Where can I hide? But it’s too late; he already saw me. Maybe I can fake a fainting spell?

“Oh, Raina!” he calls again.

“Uh, Ray,” Bree says with a little laugh. “Did you forget you had a date?”

Oh, Goddess. What has he done? I turn, dread weighing me down. Bellamy, in all his vampire glory, has laid out a large blanket, several pillows, and there’s a picnic basket—a legit picnic basket—and a bucket with a bottle of mage champagne. He’s holding two flutes and lifts one to greet me.

“I’m surprised he put in so much effort,” Bree admits. “Good for him. You deserve to be treated like a princess.”

When they asked me about the dating rumors, I was ready to tell them the truth, but the blood bargain warmed on my arm. Apparently, part of convincing Melody this whole situationship is real is making everyone, even my friends, believe that we’re dating.

“Hello, sweet ruin. Did you hear me calling for you?”

Giving Bellamy a look that could melt ice, I sigh. “The whole campus heard you.” Which is undoubtedly what he wanted.

“I set up a picnic date,” he says, offering me a flute of mage champagne. His shadows are curled around the stem of the glass.

I take it, ignoring the way his shadows linger on my skin and the flutter of my pulse at their touch. “Do you want a gold star?”

My friends all exchange looks.

Bellamy simply takes my attitude with a smile. “I want you to come sit with me. On our date,” he says, one eyebrow hiking up.

No is on the tip of my tongue, but my forearm burns in warning. Right. The fucking blood bargain. Turning to my friends, I give Bree the wine and gesture to the picnic. “I guess I have a date.”

“And are you like”—Eli looks between me and Bellamy—“happy about that?”

“Overjoyed,” I deadpan, then notice the way they’re all tensed and clear my throat. “I mean, yeah. Super happy.” I link my arm with Bellamy’s. “See?”

None of them look convinced. Is it the gritted teeth? I really need to work on my fake smile.

“It’ll be fine,” I tell them, softening my expression. “He surprised me, is all, and I hate surprises.”

“Sorry about that,” Bellamy says, genuinely sounding regretful.

“It’s okay.”