"Let group meditation session number two officially begin!" Summer exclaimed. Victor gave her a quick glance before resting his eyes on the crystal buddha statue sitting on her dresser. Connor raised an eyebrow, presenting a nervous smile. "How are you guys not excited?" Summer added. "We don't have to lie to our parents ever again."

"Hold on, why aren't your parents here?" Victor asked.

Connor shrugged. "I don't know."

"Did you like, choose your parents? How does this whole coming back to the physical plane thing work?"

"I was given my orders and told that they lived near you."

Victor crossed his arms. "What if they decided to move? What if we moved?"

"I honestly don't know what I would have done."

"Okay, what do you know?"

"I know that you're an asshole." Connor smiled wryly. "I wish I had all the answers, but like I said before, I'm only here to observe you."

"Why didn't the big guy come here himself? Oh wait, let me guess, you don't know?"

"Everything is in God's plan."

"Whatever you say." Victor turned to Summer. "How did you fold so easily? All that arguing about what movie we saw was for nothing."

"I tried," Summer said—her fingers twiddling with her amethyst pendant. "I really did, but that woman can read me like a book." She sat on her floor pillow. "But that's all in the past. Let's focus on the present. Hey, meditation is all about focusing on the present. I brought it back full circle!"

Connor laughed, causing her to pause for the sarcastic quip, but it never came. She had grown so accustomed to his verbal jabs that their absence perplexed her.

"Did she take your water gun? I don't see it anywhere," Victor asked.

"I hid it in the garden last night, but when I went looking for it this morning, I couldn't find it." Victor shook his head. His chain swinging side to side like a pendulum. "Now," Summer said. "Let's get down to business. V, when you went angel mode before, your eyes were open both times, right?"

Victor sat down. "Yeah."

"When I started meditating, it was with my eyes closed at first, and then eventually I learned how to enter a meditative state with my eyes open. So let's do it that way. Connor, you should try it, too. If you practice enough, you might see your wings." Summer caught herself staring at his chest. She averted her gaze. "Connor, where's your necklace?" she asked.

"I overslept, and I was in such a rush that I forgot it. Sorry." Connor presented a look of genuine embarrassment.

Why is he being so nice? Summer thought. She wasn't complaining. Quite the opposite, actually. She rather liked this new, more endearing Connor. "Accidents happen. It's okay," she said. "Now, let's get back to it." She clapped her hands, startling Victor. "Focused meditation is when you meditate while focusing on an object, sound, or sensation. I had no idea we were gonna have to go demon slaying so soon, so my original plan of having you guys gradually get to the point of open-eyed meditation was ruined."

Summer suddenly got an idea. She shot up, ran to her dresser, and opened the bottom drawer. After some digging, she pulled out a blank sheet of printer paper and a pencil box full of colored pencils.

Connor got up on his knees. "What are you doing?"

Summer rigorously added the finishing touches. "You guys are gonna love this." She flipped the paper around, presenting her masterpiece.

Victor burst into laughter. "What the hell is that supposed to be?"

Summer looked at the paper, then back at Victor. "It's a demon. Connor, you see it, right?"

Connor used a hand to cover his mouth, trying to contain his laughter. "Uh... why is there blood coming out of its mouth? You know we're not fighting vampires, right?"

"It's called artistic license. Don't stifle my creativity."

Victor recovered from his laughing fit. "I don't think that's what artistic license means."

Summer grabbed some thumb tacks from her drawer. She stuck the piece of paper onto one of her walls, in full view of everyone. "Okay, I want you guys to focus on this demon—"

A loud guffaw interrupted her. "Sorry... please continue," Victor murmured.

"As I was saying... look at the drawing as you meditate. The same rules of clearing your mind and focusing on your breath still apply."

Summer observed them as they crossed their legs and began meditating. Her eyes darted back and forth between the two boys while focusing on their auras. After several minutes of stability, Victor's aura slowly started expanding. His eyes would flash gold, then return to their original brown color.

Connor's aura hadn't moved an inch since they started. He would look at the drawing for a couple of seconds and then sneak a glance at her before returning his eyes back to the drawing. After ten minutes of this, Summer clasped her hands together. "Okay you guys, I think we're done for today. Group meditation session number two has officially ended!"

Victor groaned. "You're not gonna keep doing that 'group meditation session' thing every time we do this, are you?"

"Maybe. Maybe not."

Victor checked his phone. "Perfect. We ended just in time for me to prepare for my date."

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"Your what?" Connor asked.

"You remember that girl on the bus that was checking me out?"

"You mean the one that you creepily smiled at?"

Victor snorted. "I saw her as I was walking to English and I spit some game. It was love at first sight... for her."

Summer rested her hands on her hips. "Do you even know her name?"

"Come on, Summer, you know me better than that. I love all of my women. Her name is Catelyn, and she's a sophomore. Her sun sign is—"

"Okay, I get it," Summer said, her arms dropping to her sides. "What are you guys gonna do?"

"Hold on, Summer," Connor interrupted. "You're really letting him get away with saying he loves his women? Last time I checked, Bridgette was the only woman you were seeing."

Victor initially responded with a flat stare, but a hint of a smile eventually swept across his face. "Hugh Hefner didn't start off with a mansion full of bunnies."

"Ew," Connor said. "That was really lame, even for you."

Summer stifled a smile. Victor had always been quite handsome, but he recently figured that out for himself. Since this realization, he fancied himself some sort of playboy. "V has a point," Summer said. "We all have to start somewhere."

"Oh, my apologies," Connor said, immediately picking up on the sarcasm. "Shoot for the stars, V."

Victor's smile waned. "Thanks for the support, guys," he said. "Anyway, Summer, we're going to the coffee shop that just opened near the school."

"Have fun," Summer said.

"Thanks." Victor turned to face Connor. "Well?"

Connor gave him a fist bump. "Good luck, bro."

"Who needs luck when you have game!" Victor exclaimed as he rushed out of the room.

Connor stood near the door, picking at his nails. He eventually turned around and said, "I don't think I made much progress."

"You seemed distracted. Is everything alright?" Summer asked.

"You were in my peripheral vision the whole time."

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I should have stood farther away."

"I didn't really mind. It was just a little hard to focus."

Summer approached her drawing. She leaned forward to inspect it, her nose almost touching the piece of paper. "It probably had a lot to do with the drawing. I'm definitely gonna make some changes to it tonight."

She turned back around and was met with Connor's lips pressing against hers. Her eyes widened. Connor grabbed her hips, pulling her toward him.

Summer leaned into it, closing her eyes and delicately wrapping her arms around his shoulders. The smell of his cologne was subtle, yet intoxicating. Connor pulled back, his deep blue eyes piercing through his lenses.

"Um... what was that?" Summer asked—her heart fluttering.

"I got tired of looking."

"I noticed you checking me out, but I thought that was just a guy thing. So you actually like me?" Connor leaned in and kissed her again, tightening his grip on her waist.

"I tried to not develop any attachments," he said. "But I misjudged how emotional humans truly are. First, I developed feelings of camaraderie with V, and then I developed those same feelings for you. But one day, I looked at you and felt something... more. Do you want me to let you go?" Summer sheepishly shook her head from side to side. "Good. Because I really don't want to."

"I've thought about trying to see if you liked me, but I used to think our friendship was more important."

"Used to think? What changed your mind?"

"That kiss."

***

Victor perused his closet, searching for the perfect outfit. He settled on his favorite red graphic t-shirt and his yet to be worn pair of black jeans.

He checked his pair of red sneakers for scuffs and then jogged down the stairs. His father sat on the couch, watching a baseball game.

"Damn it, Martinez..." Mr. Au mumbled before checking the time on his phone. "Didn't you say your date was at four o'clock?"

Victor sat in their large mahogany-colored recliner. He pulled on a lever and his feet shot up. "Yep."

His dad looked at his phone with a furrowed brow. "It's 3:55."

"Dad, trust me. Showing up on time is the worst thing you can do on a first date. You gotta make em' wait a little bit, it drives em' crazy."

"Dating sure has changed since I was a teen."

"Yeah, we have cars now." Victor flashed a sly grin. His dad snorted to himself and then turned his attention back to the baseball game. He lost himself in it, cursing at every bad pitch and fielding mistake.

Victor stood up. "Let's go."

There was a sheen on the giant white coffee cup towering over the shop. The building was red-brick, and despite it being completed only a month ago, it had the worn look of a hole in the wall. Sergio's Coffee was written in bold black letters on the front door.

Victor surveyed the inside of the shop, looking for Catelyn's beautiful auburn hair. He slithered through a crowd of students huddled near the entrance to get a better look, eventually locking eyes with her. She wore a stunning green blouse that matched her emerald eyes, her jean shorts showing off her athletic legs.

"I'm so sorry. My dad's car was having problems," Victor lied, presenting a suave smile.

Catelyn perked up, seemingly surprised by his apology. "Oh, it's no problem. Things happen."

"I just need to let you know that I go dutch on dates. Will that be a problem?"

Catelyn presented her wallet purse. "Not at all."

Victor sat down, still smiling. "I'm not really much of a coffee guy, but I had to check this place out."

"I can't make it through the day without my morning latte, and it's near the school so I can walk here after practice."

"Practice? You play a sport?"

"Field hockey. I've been playing since I was in elementary school."

Victor feigned a look of shock. "Wow, so not only are you gorgeous, you're an athlete. That's an elite combination." Catelyn blushed, dropping her eyes.

Victor could have sworn there was a hint of sadness there, but he brushed it off, sneaking a glance at her chest instead.

The waiter appeared, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. "How are you guys doing? My name is Mark and I'll be your server today. Do you two need more time?"

Victor smiled at Catelyn. "You're the coffee expert. What do you recommend?"

Catelyn's cheeks were still pink. "We'll both have a medium iced vanilla latte. Thank you."

Mark forced a smile. "Perfect."

Catelyn started bouncing her leg up and down, causing the table to shake.

"When is your next game?" Victor asked. "I don't know much about field hockey, but I'm down to watch you guys play."

"We have a game next Saturday."

"I'll be there."

The table stopped shaking. She smiled, revealing the tiny gap between her two front teeth. "So... do you play any sports? You sure look like you do."

"I've never really been into playing organized sports. Training with my dad keeps me in pretty good shape, so that's enough for me."

"I couldn't imagine doing anything like that with my parents."

Victor leaned in. "Why not?"

"They aren't very friendly." She chuckled nervously. "Sometimes, I wonder if they even like me."

"That's weird."

"What is?"

"I can't imagine anyone not liking you." The waiter showed up—ruining his smooth line—and placed their drinks on the table. Victor moved the cup to his mouth and took a gulp. It took everything in his power to not spit it out. "Wow... this is amazing."

Catelyn used the thick plastic straw to stir her drink. She took a sip. "This is way better than the lattes I make at home."

Victor put his cup down and glared at the light-brown witches' brew. "I think you might turn me into a coffee guy."

They finished their drinks while periodically stopping in-between sips for small talk. The conversation mainly revolved around Catelyn's thoughts on a variety of teachers and students. They laughed when Mrs. Walter's faint mustache came up, and the conversation came to a halt after mentioning their star quarterback's ACL injury.

They paid separately, then walked side by side to the parking lot, where Victor saw his dad's car pulling up. He gave her a side hug and then started toward the car.

"Hold on. I almost forgot something," Victor said, doubling back toward Catelyn.

"Wh—" Victor cut her off with a kiss.