Page 26 of The Heir

“What are you thinking about?” he asked. I looked at him, and he seemed amused.

“Do you own evenonet-shirt?”

“A t-shirt?” he asked, seemingly baffled.

“It’s just—you always wear this,” I said, motioning to his clothing. “And I wondered if it’s all you have in your closet.”

He chuckled.

“I have a few t-shirts, but I used to attend private school, and I have to wear this attire for work.”

“So Karen’s assessment was accurate,” I laughed.

He paused, touching the sleeve of his shirt. “Formal wear is just comfortable to me—feels like me, you know?”

“Comfortable?” I questioned.

“Yes. What about you? What clothing makes you feel most like yourself?”

I thought about it. I didn’t have an item of clothing that made me feel like me. I loved my sun dresses, and I loved my pajamas, but that sounded boring. “I like sundresses. They make me feel pretty.”

“I don’t think you could evernotlook pretty, Emma.” he whispered my name, and his face was next to my ear, his lipsalmost touching my skin, and his breath caressed me there like a soft touch. I leaned into him, his chest against my back, and electricity pulsed through me as I turned my head and looked at him. He sat still, staring back at me.

One moment, I was staring into his golden eyes; then the next moment, it was as if I was someone else–him,perhaps–looking at myself. I was looking into my own green eyes. Feelings erupted through me, and I tried to catch my breath. Words like:

perfection,

wonder,

beauty,

mine.

Those words floated through my mind, but I somehow knew that they were not my own thoughts, not my own words, and it confused me. I blinked, and then I was looking into Shad’s golden eyes once again. I turned away, and I wondered if I was losing my sanity for the thousandth time.

Chapter Ten

“Our new neighbor asked if I could hang out at his house after school. He can give me a ride home. Is that okay?”

“Ahim?” Mary asked with a raised eyebrow the next morning.

I rolled my eyes. “Just a friend in my math class—his name is Shad.”

Did her eyes just widen? What is wrong with her lately? Doesn't she want me to make new friends?

“Of course, you can. Just make sure his parents are home, and don’t get too attached to anyone. You know—high school doesn’t last forever.”

Huh? Why did she now not want me to make friends? ShelovedAsh.

“I am sure his parents will be there,” I said, feeling irritated.

“What are the plans?” She asked, as she pulled open the fridge to take out the orange juice.

“He wants to show me a collection or something,” I said leaning against the kitchen counter. The coolness of the stone startled me for a moment.

“Oh, sounds interesting,” she said as she filled up a glass of orange juice then capped it and put it back in the fridge. Well, have fun, but nottoomuch fun. Be safe, and don’t forget to text me when you get there.” She bit her lip, then smiled and took a long drink of juice.

“Is something wrong?”

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