Page 61 of The Heir

“Hello, Emma,” he nodded, and I felt his eyes on me as I fumbled with the lock.Am I supposed to go counterclockwise orclockwise?I tried to remember, but Shad had a way of making my brain useless. “It is clockwise, Emma,” he softly whispered in my ear.

“Uh, thanks,” I said, spinning the dial around to re-start. Why could I never act normal around him? Once I finally got my locker opened, I saw a rose sitting on top of my books. It was a long-stemmed, yellow rose. The thorns had been picked off, so I picked it up and let my nose touch the velvet petals. The scent was intoxicating. How many times had I done that, and still, it amazed me every single time? Tied to the bottom of the stem was a little white piece of paper, and written in the most beautiful cursive, clearly belonging to Shad, one word was written:

Friendship.

My heart sank. I wanted to crumple up that paper and stomp it into the pavement. I didn’t want to be just his “friend.” I wanted so much more from him.Is that all he thinks this is? I love the gesture; I mean, hello, a gorgeous boy gives me a flower in my locker? Heart-eye emojis all day long.But why did he have to give me a yellow rose and point out‘friendship.’ Was he making it clear that friendship is all we would ever have? After that kiss last night, I was sure he had felt more for me.

“Shad, you shouldn’t have,” I said, trying to smile and be grateful, even though my heart was crumbling.

“I am sorry for last night. I should not have come over without asking. Sometimes, I just need to see you, and I cannot control myself, but I will—I promise.”

“Have you met yourself, Shad? I don’t think you could be more controlled if you tried. Seriously, it is almost like you are too perfect—I mean, not like you really are–who is perfect anyway? And I mean, just because you stand there, looking all perfect andacting all perfect doesn’t mean you are, I guess.” I closed my mouth and turned to my locker, ducking my face inside it.Did you really just call him perfect-looking? That is not something a friend would say.I closed my locker and cleared my throat.

“So, now I am beautifulandperfect? Emma, my darling, the compliments you give me are high praise, indeed. I have to admit, however, that you are wrong,” he said.

“Shad—”

“Do not worry. I will not tease you. But, there is just one thing I wanted to do before you go to first period today, my darling.”

“What?” I asked.

He smiled his playful smile and kissed my cheek, and I felt like I was soaring through the sky.

His electric touch was gone from me, just as quickly as it had come. But, the effects from his touch lingered. His words also seemed to linger with me as he walked away, and all I thought was:

darling,

darling,

my darling,

I am his darling.

Over and over again, through my soul, the words bent around me, making me feel them and know that those words were true.

Chapter Seventeen

Shad stood in the doorway of The Rose Village. His white shirt and tie were perfection. I stopped what I was doing to look at him.

“Need another rose?” I asked, hoping he wouldn’t pick the yellow rose again for ‘friendship’ and break me into a thousand pieces. Was I obsessing a little bit about that yellow rose he had placed in my locker?Yes.

He walked to the counter quickly, and placed his hands on the cool surface, right in front of me. “I need to show you something before it’s too late. Will you come?” He took my hand in his and kissed my palm so softly. The electric charge came, and I was reminded, yet again, that I was fully alive only because of him. He had awakened me; the hole was mended inside me, the ache was gone. I was sleeping beauty, and he had saved me with his kiss.

My mom had written a Sleeping Beauty tale, all her own. In her version of the story, the prince waited three hundred years–waited for his love, while everyone he loved grew old and, eventually, died. But he waited, and he was there whenshe awoke. In so doing and with his faithfulness, he had finally broken her curse. Shad may not have had to wait three hundred years to awaken me, but my awakening seemed just as powerful to me.

There were a million emotions bubbling between us. I heard the song within me as it played between us like always, and I savored the sound of it.

I will never tell him this, but I will go anywhere he wants me to go.

“I’ll go with you. You’re lucky— We are closing now.”

“Great, do you have a coat?” he asked, looking at my shirt.

“No, I don’t. Is it raining?” I asked, pursing my lips as I looked outside the window.

“I have an extra coat in my car. I’ll go get it.” He smiled and left, making the door chime in his wake. Moments later, he jogged back up to the door and held out the brown leather Jacket I had seen him wear a dozen times at school. I got goosebumps just thinking about wearing it. He handed it to me, and I slipped my arms into it. I had not realized that it had a hood, and I was grateful for it if we were going out into the rain.

“Thanks,” I said, turning to face him.

---