Page 65 of One Last Wish

“You and your sister are close, then?” I questioned, resting my face on my hands as I smiled at him. Actualsmiling. What the hell was in that hot chocolate?

“Yeah, there’s only four years between us. She’s my best friend most of the time.”

“You’re lucky.”

“You should come over to my house and meet her sometime. She knows all about you.”

“Do you have any hobbies other than me?” I teased, taking him in. Theo wasactuallya good looking guy. I’d always believed he wasn’t my type, but watching him being serene and so self assured, it made him look handsome.Handsome?What was Ithinking? I shook my head to clear it.

“You’ve been my favourite thing to talk about since I met you.” Theo blushed. Looking at his watch, he stood up. “Have you had enough to eat? I have one more surprise for you.” There wasmore?

“What is the deal with you and Darce?” he asked once we were back on the carriage. We were still in central park. The winter wonderland that lay in front of us was mesmerising. It could have been picked from a dream or a romantic movie.

“We’re friends, that’s it.” Because that was all we could ever be. Darce had made thatperfectlyclear.

“I worried there might have been more between the two of you. You guys seemed to instantly click when he started at Bookends.”

“Darce is a complex character. I honestly don’t think I’lleverunderstand him. I like him, that much is true, but the guy gives me whiplash most of the time.” Where was my honesty coming from?

“What are my chances with you, Alora?” I turned to look at him, taking him in. It was like I was seeing him for the first time. “If you need time, I’ll give it to you. We can have as many dates as you want until you’re sure, but you must know, I’m obsessed with you. You’re all I think about.” I was sure Theo had quoted that straight from a book I’d read. “Please consider me as an option. I can make you happy, I know I can.”

“I’m not an easy person to be with, Theo. Getting mixed up with me is not a great idea. I keep my distance from people for a reason.”

“You’ve treated me like shit for three years and I’m still here. Doesn’t that tell you something?” The carriage stopped and my eyes widened at the view in front of me. There was a small, frozen lake decorated with lanterns, and fairy lights lit the trees surrounding it. The entire lake was outlined with tiny tea lights. Theo couldn’t have done this alone. Who had helped him?

“I thought we could do some ice skating.” He held his hand out to help me off the carriage. As I took it, the contact made my skin tingle a little. Music began to play, but not justanymusic, one of my favourite pieces.The River Flows in You.Such a simple, yet elegant piano piece.

“Theo...H...How did you know? This song...is...”

“Take a chance on me, Alora. All you have to do is take my hand. It could be as easy as breathing.” Were these really his own words? This didn’t seem like theTheoI knew.

I took his hand without even thinking. Something inside me clicked, and my chest soared, but not in an aching way like earlier.

Two pairs of skates were waiting for us, and before I knew it, we were gliding effortlessly across the ice.

“Is this safe?” I questioned a few minutes later. “I don’t want to have to jump in and save you if you fall in?”

“Oh, and why do you thinkI’dfall in first?” Theo chuckled, pulling me with him.

“You’re the clumsy one,” I teased as he spun me around to the music. “How did you even doallthis? You’ve been workingallday.”

“I have magic elves,” he breathed, looking down at my lips. “I really want to kiss you, Alora.” Theo moved slowly towards my lips. I was too stunned to object, but the moment his mouth pressed against mine, something feltwrong. My legs felt too warm, Some strange force seemed to be pooling at my feet, gripping me so tightly that I could hardly breathe. I pulled away abruptly as Theo and I both looked down. The lake was filled with a strange, bright white light that was gradually getting brighter. This had to bereal! My mind couldn't make this up.

“You can see this, right?” I stressed, watching a bewildered Theo.

“What the hell ishappening?” He tried to pull away from me, but we were locked in place. “Alora! Your hands!” I looked down to see what he was talking about and gasped at the warm firelight that covered my hands and forearms. Those golden, swirling sun marks I’d seen in my dreams were visible to my naked eye. This washappening! This wasactuallyreal! “Put them in the ice. It should put the fire out!” If I could move, I might have tried it.

“It doesn’t burn,” I muttered, feeling the power fill my body as my hands began to burn brighter. I don’t know how, but I knew I’d be able to break the ice-white light with the power from my hands. Pushing my fingers down toward the ice, I let the light go, letting my power diffuse the ice-white light. Warmer yellow light pooled at our feet and freed Theo and me.

Theo was the first to rush to the side of the lake and drop to his knees as he reached land. “What the fuck is going on? Imustbe dreaming! Did we get high on something?” He was freaking out.

As I walked slowly back onto the land, I took in the fairy lights in front of me. My hands still had a soft, warm glow to them, almost like flames on my fingertips. I reached out to the lights in front of me, calling to them, pulling their energy towards me. I was mesmerised by the fact that I could make them dance in front of me, weaving them around with the power at my fingertips, using the tiny lights like sparklers to make patterns in the night air.

This wasreal! It was that, or I’d gonecrazy! I was wielding light.

“That’senough, Alora,” came a voice.

Everything was plunged into darkness.

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