Page 53 of Faerie Gift

“Yes, there was. There is. I mean—” He took a step into the room.

My eyes must have widened because he stopped there, not coming any closer, hands still behind his back. I resisted the urge to fiddle with my hair. I hadn’t showered or changed my clothes since I’d got there, and more than likely I still had cobwebs and dirt smeared along my skin and in my hair.

“I appreciate your worrying about me but I’m fine. Everything’s fine,” I told him.

His brows drew together. “It’snotfine, Tavi. I hate the way we left things. Then you get sick and come here, I don’t even get to see you in class. No chance to try and explain myself…”

I swallowed my tongue to keep from saying anything nasty, because the words were bubbling up for sure.

“I’m sorry,” he said again. “Okay? I’m sorry we got into a fight and it made you question…meand how I feel about you. I swear nothing is happening between Persephone and me—”

“I really don’t want to hear about it,” I interrupted. My stomach surged and those eggs suddenly felt way too heavy.

“You have to listen. We were only there at the same time because she cornered me and was trying to talk me into a date. Nothing is going on. I don’t want her.”

My heart thumped against my chest. “You don’t?” I asked, blinking.

“No.” Mike shook his head emphatically, raising his gaze until our eyes met. “She’s a nice person and I might, in some circumstances, consider her a friend, but that’s all.”

He thought her a nice person? Huh. “I might have seriously questioned your intelligence if you did fancy her,” I joked.

Something in my tone changed him and his face lit in a brilliant smile. “Right?”

“I mean, you are free to like whoever you want, of course.” I pressed my lips together, trying to cover my definitely too eager smile.

“I just don’t want anything to come between our friendship,” he said hurriedly, taking a single step forward into the room. “You’re too important to me. You’ve always been there for me, since day one, going above and beyond. You actually care, unlike a lot of the people here. Not about my title or my bloodline, but me. You care about me.”

My cheeks warmed under the praise. “I think you should flip it around. You’re the one who rescued me.”

“I like to think we rescued each other. You’re a good friend. I can’t lose what we have. I don’twantto lose you.” He fumbled behind him and drew forward a foot-long box. “I, ah…this is for you.”

“Where have you been hiding that?” I laughed, and at least this time it didn’t bother my throat. The sound ended on a snort I didn’t bother to hide.

Mike shrugged and stepped forward to place the box on my nightstand. My nerves skittered at his nearness. “I got you a little something. It’s nothing, trust me. Something I thought you would like to lift your spirits.”

“You really shouldn’t come too close.” I dragged the blanket higher to hide the lower half of my face. My wolf practically purred at his nearness, but I knew my breath had to be rank.

“If you want me to stay away then I will. I’m not worried,” he insisted. “Open it and see what you think.”

I could tell he was nervous to see what I’d say about his gift. Hmm. Curious.Adorable.

I shifted enough to grab the box, struggling to keep the blanket high at the same time. Why couldn’t he have texted ahead and given me time to clean up? More than likely I smelled worse than I looked. I’d been battling a fever, after all. “What is it? What did you do?”

He hadn’t bothered with wrapping paper, opting instead for plain brown paper. I knew the shape of the box. I’d purchased enough shoes to recognize it. Ripping through the paper, I let it drop to the floor, revealing a shoe box. He got me shoes?

Not just any shoes.

My heart flipped over in a joyous somersault.

Lifting the lid, I saw the brand spanking new pair of Converse All Stars sneakers. Except these weren’t black and white like my old ones. They were done in shades of black and purple and blue like the sky at twilight, with little white dots for stars.

Mike lifted his left shoulder, shifting from foot to foot as he watched my reaction. “I know you love the style,” he said. “And those are your favorite colors. Aren’t they? Oh jeez, what’s the matter? Why do you look sad?”

I rubbed at my eyes when tears stung them. He’d done this for me. He’d apologized, and not only apologized but put a lot of thought into a gift for me. Something he’d known I would like. I had really needed a new pair of sneakers; my other ones were worn to the point where I had a hole in the right sole.

“Nothing.” My voice sounded wet. “You’re right, those are my favorite colors. You know me so well.”

My answer eased something in him and his smile lost the tension at the edges. “I like to think I do. Iamsorry. About Persephone.”

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