Theo rubbed his face and sat up. I thought he was about to leave but, instead, he pulled a small box out of his back pocket. He twisted the box in his hands as if contemplating something before he sat back down.
“This is for you.” He placed the box in my hand. “It’s for your birthday. I just … I didn’t want to give it to you in front of everyone else.”
“Oh,” I breathed in shock. “I didn’t think you got me anything. I figured you didn’t care. And i-it would’ve totally been okay if you didn’t get me anything.”
Why, oh why, did it mean so much to me that Theo got me something for my birthday?
A muscle in his jaw twitched. “I could never not care about you, doll face. Never,” he said, and his fingers quickly flicked out to skim my cheek. Just as quickly as he had touched me, he pulled away, but my cheek was left tingling. “Go on, open it,” he prompted.
I licked my lips and lifted the lid off the box. Something rattled at the bottom. I stuck my hand in and swished it around until my hand closed on the object. Slowly, I pulled it out.
It was a necklace.
The chain was long and pale gold, and hanging on the end of it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I fingered the tiny slender jar on the end of the chain. The jar was no longer and no wider than my thumb and a cork stopped the top. Inside the jar was moss, a few pale green and purple stones, and a live firefly. The firefly flitted around merrily and every few seconds its tail glowed a teal color and not yellow.
“Oh, my God, it’s beautiful, Theo,” I breathed.
“I made it,” he said and, when I looked up at him, I swore his cheeks were red.
“It’s incredible.” My mouth gaped open in awe.
“It’s an enchanted firefly.”
“The enchanter symbol, I remember,” I murmured. “This is … honestly the best present I’ve ever been given.”
“I’m glad to be the one to give it to you.” He flipped his head so his shaggy black hair would be out of his eyes. “So, feel any different? I know you worried about coming into your powers.”
“I feel like me. You mean … I’ve already gone all magicky?”
He laughed. “Yeah, wanna try a simple spell?”
“Yes,” I exclaimed without hesitation.
He lay down on the grass on his back, and I followed suit. It was starting to rain lightly now.
“Okay,” he whispered. “Concentrate.”
“I’m concentrating.”
“You’re going to do your hand like this,” he said and showed me how to wave my hand. Thumb over your middle finger with your index finger over your thumb. “And then you just do this,” he said and swished his right hand.
When I didn’t move my hand right, he corrected me.
“Just like that,” he encouraged when I finally got it right.
“Now say, ‘I come in peace’.”
“I come in—Theo!” I smacked him.
“Sorry, I couldn’t resist it.” He chuckled.
He was so carefree and happy right now. Lately, he had been so morose that I hated to be around him; it was nice to see underneath it all he was still a normal human being.
“What am I really supposed to say?” I asked.
Recovering from his laughter, he said, “You don’t say anything.”
“Nothing?”
“Nothing,” he repeated. “Close your eyes and envision safety, freedom, friendship.”
“Uh … okay,” I did as he said but felt doubtful this would actually work.
“Now wave your hand like I showed you.”
Biting my lip, I waved my hand.
I heard Theo’s delighted laughter and then, “Open your eyes, Mara.”
I opened them and gasped in surprise. Hundreds, maybe even thousands, of teal-colored fireflies lit the sky.
“Amazing,” Theo murmured. “You did it on the first try. You’re going to be a force to be reckoned with.” His voice was full of awe and pride.
He waved his own hand then and his fireflies joined mine.
“They’re beautiful,” I breathed, “so magical.”
Theo turned to me. “Would you like me to put your necklace on you?”
“Um, yeah sure,” I said, stunned by his offer.
He took the necklace from me and I swept my hair off my shoulders. He snapped the necklace in place but his fingers lingered on my sensitive skin.
I counted my breaths so I didn’t pass out.
One … two … three… What comes after three?
After an eternity, his fingers disappeared. It began to rain harder.
I twisted around to find Theo on his knees, his hands on his legs, and his head hung. His dark hair was already soaking wet and his shirt was sticking to his skin so I could clearly see his impressive physique.
Washboard abs? Check.
“Are you okay?” I shivered from the cool rain. The fireflies seemed undisturbed by the onslaught.
He shook his head back and forth and his hands fell off his knees to rest in the grass which he gripped like it was the only thing tethering him to Earth.
“I shouldn’t feel this way,” he growled, his voice laced with anger and desperation.
“What way?” I asked softly.
He slowly lifted his head. Rain ran down his hair, onto his face, and off his chin and nose.
“I shouldn’t care about you the way I do. Protectors are made to be indifferent, but I can’t be indifferent with you Mara. I think about you all the time and not about protecting you. I think about holding you, kissing you, being with you. I’m not supposed to have these kinds of thoughts about anyone,” he screamed and pointed to his head. His gray eyes blazed. “I’m supposed to protect you not love—” He buried his face in his hands and his chest heaved “Not love you.”
“What?” I gasped. “You—you don’t know me. How could you—?”
But aren’t you in love with him?
“I’ve known you for years, Mara. Years! But I didn’t realize what I felt for you was love until I saw you in the bed with Churchill. I’ve never loved anyone except my family and to feel it for someone that’s not was foreign. But when I saw his arms around you I knew then I was hopelessly in love with you. Hopelessly, irrevocably, undeniably in love with you. Despite all odds, despite everything, I love you.”
I opened and closed my mouth like a fish. What did one say when their crush expressed undying love?
His eyes darkened and he darted forward with his ninja-like reflexes. Before I knew what was happening, his mouth met mine and our lips began a fiery dance.
This … this was a kiss.
My veins, my lips, my whole body felt like it was on fire. My heart raced and my hands twitched with adrenaline. To steady them, I buried them in Theo’s dark wavy hair. It was softer than I had imagined it. He pressed me back so I lay on the ground and he hovered over me. My hands moved from his hair to his back and I pressed him closer so we were touching completely. His hips ground into mine and I thought I would explode. His lips left mine and crept down my neck. His lips were hot compared to the cool touch of the silver lip ring. Just as quickly as his lips had ventured south they started their trek back up and covered my waiting mouth. I inhaled the taste of him and brushed his tongue with mine. The sensation was incredible and I was surprised I didn’t spontaneously combust.