I tried to participate as Poe read from a stack of index cards in his hands, but Reg was too busy showing off to let me get a word in, and I was distracted by the fact that Dexter was sitting just to my left smelling like something fresh and green, as if he’d been rolling around in grass.

And then I was distracted by thoughts of rolling around in the grass with him.

“Finally.”

“Finalement.”

Poe frowned and thumbed the edge of the cards. “More like, at last!”

“Oh,” Reg said. “Enfin!”

“Perfect.” Poe’s eyes sparkled behind his glasses as he stared at Reg. “Parfait.”

No doubt those two were headed for a roll in the grass themselves.

“That’s all the cards.” Poe tucked the stack away.

“Enfin!” I cried.

Dexter hefted a broad textbook from his backpack. “We still have a chem test to study for.” He tapped the cover. “Periodic tables and atomic structures.”

“Ugh,” I groaned. “There’s more?”

I silently cursed all my teen TV shows that never seemed to show students slogging through hours of schoolwork.

“There’s always more,” Sydney complained. “It’s like the teachers are trying to give us so much work that we won’t have time to get into any trouble.”

“And yet, somehow, you always get into trouble anyway,” Sophia needled her sister. “How do you do that?”

Sydney tipped her chin into the air. “Years of practice.”

Sophia gave Sydney a playful shove, and I found myself smiling at them.

Homework was on my list of the worst things about being human, but our new mortal friends made it tolerable.

Dexter scooted close to me, spreading the chem book across both of our laps. His arm brushed mine as he reached over to turn the page, and I felt a little current of static electricity run through my skin.

“Oh, sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to zap you.”

I bit my lip in a way I knew boys liked. “It’s okay. That’s my kind of chemistry.”

“Actually, that’s physics,” Reg piped up from my other side.

I responded with a murderous glare, until Dex leaned in to whisper, “Feels like chemistry to me.”

After another hour, the twins finally declared the study session done and treated everyone to another round of coffee.

Reg sipped his latte and made a face. “This tastes a little off today.”

“It’s the weekend barista,” Sophia said. “She always uses too much syrup.”

Sydney nodded. “We have a rule. No Lina, no latte.”

“Noted. Avoid sugary concoctions when the proprietor is away.” Reg set down his drink, so he missed the warning look I shot him about using words like “concoctions” and “proprietor.”

“The only times she’s not here are pretty much weekends and breakfast,” Poe said.

“All the busiest times,” Sophia added with a wink. “I’m pretty sure Lina doesn’t actually like people that much.”