“Realm Notes? What are you? Some kind of Dungeons and Dragons geek?” she asked, looking at his notebook cover, which he held open with his left hand. He had titled it Realm Notes one night in a study-induced haze. He did take tests, despite what the asshat next to him thought. The nosy kid laughed at her quip, but only earned himself a frowning glance from both girls before their attention swiveled back to Declan.

He opened the cover fully so that it was now face down on his desk. Then her words fully sank in and he couldn’t help a little chuckle at the irony.

Before he could answer, another girl, this one to the left of him, turned and spoke up. “Why don’t you just tell them the truth and get it over with?” she asked. He looked at her fully for the first time since she had sat down.

Declan recognized her immediately. “Alli? I didn’t know you were attending UVM?”

“Yeah, shocking right? I’m a CDAE major with a minor in Food Systems.”

Alli was from his high school and someone he considered more than just an acquaintance but not someone he had ever spent a great deal of time with.

“Usually just makes more questions,” Declan admitted to her.

“Oh. Yeah, I can see that,” Alli said, turning back to her own tablet.

“Hello? Remember us? Don’t just leave us in suspense here,” the pissed-off girl said.

“Here,” Alli said, rummaging in her book bag. She came out with a copy of the campus paper and tossed it to the girl. “Read that.”

The girl opened it to show the front cover. The headline was Who Ya Gonna Call? Demon Busters!

Declan had seen the article about Team Gordon-Demidova. Among other things, it covered the fact that the junior member of the team was a UVM student, albeit a very difficult one to photograph or interview.

Before anyone had a chance to comment, an older woman walked into the room and shut the door with a fairly loud bang.

“Ah, thank you all for your attention. I’m Professor Lilt. Your regular instructor, Dr. Cavanaugh, has had an unexpected personal emergency and I’ve been given the job of keeping you all on task,” she said, thankfully drawing all attention to herself and off Declan.

She was kind of frumpy looking, with messy, gray-streaked hair, a lumpy gray dress, and basic flats that didn’t help her short height in any way.

“So, I understand you all had a reading for today. Did any of you actually do it? Show of hands.”

At least ten hands shot up, including Nosy Ned’s, Alli’s, and Declan’s. The girls in front of him kept theirs down, although they both appeared to be dividing their attention between the substitute professor and the campus paper.