Page 45 of Faerie Gift

“Well, duh. What are we watching? Tell me you have something funny lined up.” She lifted the bowl of freshly popped popcorn closer to her chest before throwing a handful into her mouth.

“Funny ha-ha or funny unbelievable? Because there are options for both. Whatever we choose, I need mind numbing.”

“Agreed. Let’s go with funny ha-ha. I can’t think of anything more mind-numbing thanDumb and Dumber.”

“Except maybeDumb and Dumber To”. We turned the corner toward the common area and I reached over for my own handful of popcorn. “I don’t care,” I answered honestly. “Whatever you want will be fine.”

“Did you invite Nora?” Melia asked. The three of us had gotten cozy.

“I did. She said she couldn’t make it. But it’s okay. I’m fine with it being the two of us.”

Melia smiled. “We can get some quality gossip time in.”

Her tone had me chuckling. “Just who do you think we are going to gossip about?” I asked.

“Mmm, there are a few people on the list. Nothing serious, of course. Fun and games.”

“Oh, of course.”

The common room was just ahead; we hurried our steps, eager to sit down and relax together.

Things went from great to terrible in a matter of seconds when I saw a familiar blond head already in the room, standing next to the couch facing us.Persephone. By herself, or so I thought. Her gaggle of groupies had probably been given the night off to recharge their batteries.

She wore a pair of black leggings, a green turtleneck, and a leather jacket. Angelic face and devil eyes, although I couldn’t see her eyes at the moment. Only her profile.

But I was mistaken in thinking she was alone. And it didn’t take me long to recognize the familiar blond boy standing next to her with his back toward me.

What wasMikedoing here?

Persephone’s red manicured nails wrapped over Mike’s shoulder, her face tilted to the side as she stared up at him.

My body went cold all over and my stomach flipped like it was trying to free itself through my throat. At once the popcorn kernels lodged themselves into my esophagus. I had to fight not to choke.

I couldn’t tell if they were kissing or not…but it sure as hell looked like it.

Some sound most have escaped from me because Mike whipped around and his expression of surprised guilt bruised me.

No, I thought, shaking my head. No,no, this couldn’t be happening. Not with Mike. Not my Mike with Persephone, that nasty jerk.

“How could you!” I had no idea how to handle this.

“It’s not what it looks like!” he said immediately.

Melia let out a low whistle. She knew. She knewexactlywhat it looked like, too, so at least I wasn’t alone in my assumption.

“Are you seriously sneaking around and kissingher?” I gestured toward Persephone.

A meaningful smirk plastered across her face. An expression of someone who knew she had won.

I wasn’t sure which spectrum of emotions to lean toward, anger or hurt. The anger stemmed from the hurt, yet in the moment my reaction could go either way and I floundered for the right thing to say. To do. My fists clenched at my sides.

“Mike, this is just shameful behavior,” Melia chimed in. “Absolutely disgusting. I thought better of you.”

A warning glance from me had her zipping her lips and turning as though she didn’t want to see what came next.

Neither did I.

Mike broke from Persephone but he didn’t approach me. He stood rooted to the spot, looking at me. Looking at the popcorn. Looking at Melia. Because we’d clearly interrupted something important.

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