“I have money saved,” I blurt out. “If you need it. It’s not, like, a lot, but . . .”

“Don’t be silly.”

“I’m serious.”

He smiles at me sadly and reaches out to pat my shoulder. “You put too much pressure on yourself, kiddo.” He holds out the box of cookies. “Want one?”

“No thanks.”

“More for me, then.” He takes the cookies and heads over to the living room.

I don’t finish my homework until after two in the morning, which is mostly because I keep losing focus and staring blankly into space. The potion for my AP Potions homework should be a breeze to brew, but I’m just too tired.

I’m starting to think that no amount of coffee is going to get me through my current workload. At this point, I’m jittery all the time, and even though I’m technically awake, my brain is basically asleep. I’m sort of alert on the days I get to share magic with Mom and Dad, but they usually only offer on days when I have important tests in my magic classes.

But oh well. I brought this on myself, and it’s all in the name of the scholarship, so there’s not much I can do but suck it up and run with my four hours of sleep. Huzzah.

Chapter 15

At magic levels between 25 and 50, you will develop more control over the building blocks of physical magic. It is also possible to begin training in higher-level magic skills, such as transfiguration, molecular magic, and herbology.

—Your Magical Body: A Health Textbook for the Magical Teen

Lex, because she’s true blue, drives me to school in the morning. Mom and Dad take the bus to the mechanic to deal with the car.

“You look like shit,” Lex says when I get in her car. She’s wearing the Victoria’s Secret sweats she sleeps in, and her hair is in a messy bun. “I love you, but you really do.”

“I got rained on yesterday,” I say, gesturing to my frizzy ponytail. “Didn’t have time to restraighten it this morning.”

“No, you look tired. You’ve got dark circles like nobody’s business.”

Dang. I forgot to put on Face Awake potion.

“Here.” She hands me a small Starbucks cup.

“Aw, you got me coffee,” I say, clutching the warm cup.

“No, I got myself coffee. Because I woke up at six in the morning for you. Because I’m the best friend ever.”

“True. You are the best friend ever.”

“You need the coffee more than me, though,” she says, turning around to check her blind spot. She reverses out of the parking spot at a breakneck speed.

Even with the coffee, I have a hard time staying awake in my classes. Every time I sit still, my brain force quits, and I nod off violently.