“This is my last year. Why do I have to spend it with you?” I spat, grabbing my face in exasperation. 

He rolled his eyes at me as he threw his weathered rucksack down on the floor of our new room. “Say that again and I will literally set your sheets on fire, Williams.” 

We’d been to the Weeping Tower before, though that’d been in our first year when we’d needed a place to hide from a newly changed vampire that’d brought havoc upon the students at Hiraeth. That was technically the first adventure Hallow had. And if it wasn’t for the fact that he was so brave and smart with his hands, some of the students would’ve become vampires as well. 

I let my eyes scan the room around us. It was an enclosed place, the shape of a large cylinder, with two new and very neat beds draped over in silver threaded blankets of blue & gold, our school colors. 

The ceiling was like a spiral, pointing upwards into a mural of the night sky, which quite literally swirled like a Van Gogh painting as I continued to stare at it. Thankfully, the windows were drawn closed by velvet curtains that ceased to invite in any sort of light. Hallow was enough of a blinding beam to drive me absolutely mad. Even his attire was irritating me. 

Hiraeth uniforms consisted of light blue suits with a striped blue & yellow tie that no one technically wore. At the moment, Hallow was the definition of scruffy, with his wild head of hair and wrinkled uniform that’d most likely been kept in some tiny drawer in his home. The tie he was technically supposed to wear was hanging off of him, not even tied. He was my greatest enemy, but I found I wanted so desperately to fix it, and then maybe even strangle him with it. 

I dusted my pants for the millionth time, out of habit. Because whenever I was with Hallow, a sudden adventure would begin, and I knew that I’d eventually either be covered in something’s blood or something’s dusty remains. Maybe that was why Hallow didn’t fret over his appearance. He knew he’d ruin it immediately. 

Hallow was looking at the place like I was, taking it in, and jumped when his eyes landed on the mosaic floor beneath us. It seemed to be telling a glittering story of a lady. A weeping lady. 

“Fun,” I said, as dramatically as I could. “I’m to sleep with my enemy, a weeping lady, and now I’ve got to fight for a wish that will clearly be mine in the end anyway.” 

The boy wonder by my side threw an unsatisfied look at me. I received a lot of those over the years. I could just tell when Hallow was facing my general direction, like a wolf scouring the night for a fight. 

“Are you seriously complaining?” he said. He sounded disappointed. He shouldn’t have been. I was the king of dramatics. 

“About you? Yes,” I admitted, placing my own things on a random bed. I cared not where I slept. Hallow would be there 24/7. 

Merlin, I was going to share a room with Arturo Hallow. 

I tried not to seethe. 

“Why?” he asked, stepping closer towards me. I didn’t want him to do that. 

“You won this chance because you’re the chosen one like the rest of your family,” I snapped at him. 

He glared at me, visibly angry, “You won because your family is ancient!” “Oh don’t blame this on me,” I argued back. 

He sounded on edge, “Don’t blame this on me either!” 

We bared our teeth at each other, like we always did when we spoke. I couldn’t remember the last time we’d had a normal conversation. Maybe never. 

It wasn’t like I wanted to. Comparing him to the real world, I’d say he was what mortals called a ‘jock’. Whatever that meant. All I knew was that everyone in the damn school held him up like a trophy because of all the things he’d saved them from. He was an all-around hero, successful with his quests, and nearly friends with every student. 

I hated flashy people. And Arturo Hallow was just that. 

As if reading my mind, Hallow slumped his shoulders and sat on the bed opposite of mine. He seemed saddened by my lack of enthusiasm to argue further. For me, it was like a constant ringing in my ears, arguing with him. For him, it was like exercise, like running around the forest at night with a werewolf behind you, like falling into the lake and desperately fighting mermaids off with a rusted sword, like trying to fly a bird that you’d spelled to make ten times bigger. The idiot. 

“I’m your enemy, I know,” he said harshly. 

I winced at his tone. “Yes. Just keep that in your tangled head for the rest of this tortuous journey, Hallow.” 

He got up, abandoning the place where I stood. I stayed there, stone-faced as always, hoping to anyone out there that I looked as mad as I felt. Maybe the weeping lady below my feet would take pity on me and drag me into the floor with her. 

Sadly, that wouldn’t happen. 

I watched as Hallow began to unload his things silently, clearly avoiding me. It wasn’t like this was the first time we’d shared a room with other people. At Hiraeth, it was mandatory we share a dorm with over five students. Fortunately, Hallow had never been placed in any of my rooms. My family made sure of that, and so did the school. Much of our arguments led to a lot of explosions, and near-deaths. 

I only wondered why the headmistress, Professor Eva, chose to go along with this competition. I’d read about it in books, and figured that it would arrive soon, though I hadn’t anticipated it to come when Hallow and I were here. It was almost like fate, this prophecy. As if fate was reminding me that we’d always clash. Just like our families. 

Before me, Hallow closed his rucksack and threw it into some corner of the room. He threw a lot around the room, things I never thought he’d have. His family was incredibly famous, so I assumed he’d have . . . nicer things. Instead, he pulled out clothes I’d seen him wear over the years. Maybe he placed a charm on them to grow bigger, because Hallow sure as Hell wasn’t the scrawny boy I’d first met ten years ago. 

Sighing, I began to unload my things as well. There was no use in arguing when there was work to be done, even with Hallow only mere inches away from me.  

It was amazing, honestly, the fact that we’d been in the same room for over five minutes, fighting, yes, but we hadn’t yet done anything momentous, like blowing the roof off of the place. 

Hallow would agree if I told him. That was also funny. He’d agree. 

Since when had we ever agreed on something? 

I stole a look at him over my shoulder, eyeing the way he threw himself onto the bed, closing his eyes, obviously avoiding me. 

Silently, I let my eyes travel over him, to the way he stiffened under my gaze, as if aware of my staring. Still, I continued to do so. I couldn’t help it. 

Arturo Hallow was the wildest thing I’d ever had the misfortune to see. He had a crazy mop of the brownest hair, with legs a mile long, sun-kissed skin and a crooked smile that seemed to drive every person in the damn school crazy. Hallow was the stupidest boy I’d ever known, mostly because of the insane escapades he’d done over the years at Hiraeth, for example taming a dragon at the age of 10. Hallow was annoying, he was a pest, an absolute genius when it came to academics, and above all else he was my competitor in everything. Because if it wasn’t for Hallow, then I would’ve surely been the top student at Hiraeth. He was my sworn enemy for life, my one and only rival, and I was also deeply in love with him. 

He smiled, “If you’re thinking of killing me, then please do it when I have my eyes open.” 

My cheeks grew warm in embarrassment as I tore my gaze from him. His amazing senses always weirded me out. He was like a wild animal. “Oh please, Hallow, you’d be honored if I killed you, in any way I desire.” 

No. I wasn’t going to kill him so quickly and easily. I was capable of it, with my talents. 

Though he was also capable of killing me too. 

Arturo Hallow would probably die at my hands, but before that could happen . . . 

I had to kiss him first.