Void - CoraLee June, Raven Kennedy Page 0,2

but still autonomous from me. It was deadly and dangerous. I’d always considered myself a pacifist, but the supernatural community saw differently.

I leaned forward and kicked his boot before snatching the joint from his hands. “To Molly,” I said with a half grin before taking another worthless drag. The smoke filled my lungs and then disappeared up against rafters.

Handing it back, Reed replied with enthusiasm before inhaling. “To Molly!”

The trap door opened as we laughed, and brunette hair appeared, ruining the camaraderie of the moment. A frowning face popped up, and I watched in amusement as Poppy Rhodes’ nose wrinkled in disgust at the smell. Reed scowled the moment Poppy situated herself on the platform near the stairs. She was in uniform—she was always in uniform. The white button up top was fastened all the way to her chin, and the pleated, plaid skirt hit her knee. I bet she slept in the damn school’s attire, all the way down to our standardized knee highs.

“Headmistress is looking for you, Devicka,” she said while looking at me and avoiding Reed’s gaze. It was awkward, to say the least. They’d had a hot moment in the girl’s bathroom three months ago and had been avoiding each other ever since. Poppy was controlled by...well, control. She didn’t like outlying variables. She liked everything just so. She liked following a plan. And being attracted to Reed was something she wasn’t quite sure how to cope with.

“When isn’t she looking for me?” I replied coolly, though a sense of anxiety gathered in my gut.

With graduation just around the corner, I wasn’t in the mood for any last minute demerits or lectures. I’d barely survived as it was. It was hard juggling the need to take risks with my desire to finish school and get out of here. Knowing her, she’d fail me on an easy subject just to keep me under her thumb for another semester. My mother would probably tip her for it, maybe buy the school a new wing.

Poppy shook her head, her eyes oddly lit up with excitement that I wasn’t used to seeing from her. “You don’t get it. There’s some hot guy here saying he’s friends with your mother. Everyone is talking about it,” Poppy rushed out with a smirk, and I had a feeling the only reason she was here was to report back on who this mystery guy was. Being at an all-girls school made my classmates dick-crazed. I was sure everyone was snapping photos and drawing hearts around the poor guy’s name.

A hot guy? My mother? That could only mean one thing. I cringed.

I stood up and fluffed out my blonde hair that flowed down to the middle of my back before tightening the drawstrings on my sweats. “Thanks for letting me know.”

“I’ll come with,” Reed said before a thump sounded behind me.

I turned around to look at Reed and laughed when I saw him sprawled out on the floor, his tongue flopped out. He was trying to lick his lips but kept hitting his chin. “That’s okay. You should probably stay here. You’re high as fuck.” I snickered, though the sound felt forced. I was glad we decided to let loose tonight; otherwise, he would’ve insisted on coming with me. He always had my back, and I had his.

“You’re probably right,” he replied before rolling his neck and stretching out onto the floor. He jutted out his hips before spreading his thighs apart to rest his hand between them. Poppy stared at him, licking her lips before shaking her head. Yeah, she had it bad.

“Okay,” I said, bending down to peck a kiss on his forehead. “See you later.”

“See ya,” he said, breathing out another puff before waving me away.

I bumped Poppy’s shoulder on my way over, motioning for her to descend the stairs. She eagerly placed her Mary Janes on the steps and scaled down, and I followed after her, closing the trap door behind me.

I was so preoccupied with getting to the ground that I didn’t notice scraping my palm against a rough patch of wood until blood started trickling down my arm. I winced at the pain. “Dammit.”

“You okay?” Poppy asked once my feet were firmly planted on the ground. She gave me a cool once-over as I cradled my hand against my chest, accidentally smearing more blood against my shirt and skin.

“Just a little cut,” I gritted out. If I took off my necklace and let my Void out, I knew it