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“Justa cut?” I couldn’t understand how he could act so blasé about the whole thing. “Noah, why did you fight that guy?”

He huffed out a laugh but didn’t answer.

“Noah...”

“He insulted my family,” he said. “And he threw the first punch.”

“So, what, you just punched him back?”

“Why shouldn’t I?” Noah’s eyes flicked to mine, and I could see them burning with emotion. “He wanted a fight just as much as I did. I’ve got my grandfather breathing down my neck, dragging me from school to try and get me in line, and my ex-girlfriend cuddling some other guy in the stands. So, yeah, I punched him. And you know what? I don’t regret it. Hell, with how I feel right now, I’d do it again if I could. What I don’t need is your sympathy. And I don’t need to share my feelings with you. I just need to get this damn ball in the damn goal.”

He emphasized his words by turning and thumping another ball toward the goal, only this one went wide of the target, and Noah swore.

“Well, I’m sorry for bothering you.” I turned to walk away before he could say anything else. I could feel his eyes on me as I left, but he didn’t try to stop me. I didn’t want him to.

I walked back to the dorms, trying my best not to think about how my conversation with Noah had left me so much colder than the chill in the air had all night. I should have just agreed to go to Toddy’s and forgotten about my gloves.

CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE

“How was the driving lesson?” Cress asked when I returned to our dorm room on Saturday morning.

I groaned and face-planted on my bed.

“That good, huh?” she said.

I groaned once more before rolling onto my back and pulling a pillow to my chest. “Not as bad as when Anna took me out, but not far off.”

“Hey!” Anna complained as she walked out of our bathroom. “I happen to think we made great progress when I took you driving.”

“Don’t pretend it wasn’t a total disaster,” I replied. “And today wasn’t much better.”

“Was the instructor hot at least?” Anna asked as she plopped herself down on the bed beside me.

“If you find a fifty-year-old man who smells like fish hot, then sure.”

Anna grimaced. “Yeah, you lost me at smelling like fish.”

“But you were cool with the fifty-year-old man part?” Cress asked.

“Well, yeah. He could look like Lucius Malfoy.” She fanned a hand against her neck. “I could definitely be with an old dude if he looked like my favorite Death Eater.”

I rolled my eyes. “This one looked more like Dumbledore than Lucius.”

“Eww.” Anna cringed again, making me laugh.

“So, was the lesson really that terrible?” Cress’s voice was soft, and I could easily hear her concern.

“It wasn’t great. I just get so nervous and overwhelmed when I get behind the wheel that I freeze up. We didn’t even get out of the parking lot.”

“You’ll get the hang of it,” Cress said in an unsuccessful attempt to cheer me up.

“Are you going to have another lesson?” Anna asked.

“I think I’m going to have to. I hate driving, but I don’t want to give up.”

“That’s the spirit.” Cress gave me a warm smile. “So, I wanted to ask, do you have any plans for today?”

“Just homework,” I said.