Page 3 of Forget Me Not

Callalily gave a small shake of his head. “Ray Ray, how long have you—no. No, I—Benny?”

“I’m here,” answered his friend—Benny. He flicked a glance to Ray then put his hand gently on Callalily’s elbow. He glared, and Ray realized he was growling again and made himself stop.

Callalily’s eyes were wide. “Do you not know me, Ray?” He asked it in a soft voice but then dropped his shoulders as though he already knew the answer.

“Should I?” Ray wondered, instead of thenothat would make Callalily droop even more.

A short, high, nearly hysterical laugh burst from Callalily before he went quiet. He clenched his hands at his sides and took a breath. He wanted to appear calm, which was practically lying as far as a fairy should be concerned. But what did Ray know of fairies? It didn’t matter, in any event, since the wings gave away everything, along with the fairy’s heart, and his scent.

Callalily was still sugar, still harvest fruit and school holidays, but now he was also hurt and confusion. Ray frowned, not at Callalily, but at the unpleasant mix ofbadandgoodwhere there had only beengoodbefore. Ray didn’t care much for sweets, although Penn did, and Ray liked to watch the servers in her favorite ice cream parlor dip a soft-serve cone into melted chocolate and then roll it in sprinkles. That’s what Callalily’s base scent was like, even with the panic and pain.Anticipation,Ray labeled it first, then changed his mind,reward.

Snack.

Snack,Ray thought again, his blood thick and slow, his skin hot. He’d never had a fairy. Fairies were delicate. They looked solid but they were all sheer wings and glitter. Ray would break one unless he was careful. Despite all their offers, he had always said no. He tried so hard to be careful.

But he wanted to eat this one, this parfait with slim hips and slender shoulders and collarbones for Ray to sink his teeth into.

He shook his head again and it hurt, but Ray barely noticed, his attention on trailing glitter and a full bottom lip.

He should have healed by now, which worried him, but was only one puzzle among several. The fairy didn’t smell like fear of him, but he also did not smell ofwant.

Ray was a werewolf backed into a corner, practically whimpering. Of course, the fairy didn’t want him.

Ray lowered his head.

Callalily lifted his hands as though he wanted to reach out. “What’s wrong?”

“You’re a fairy,” Ray answered, staring down at tennis shoes instead of bare feet, then at tight jeans.

“What the fuck,” Benny whispered. He did not seem to expect a response.

“Half-fairy,” Callalily said in a strained voice. “You noticed. I’m so pleased.” Callalily could have been knocked over by an especially gusty breeze but he managed sarcasm just fine. Sarcasm, apparently, was not considered lying.

Ray held Callalily’s stare until Benny hissed, “Cal, be careful.”

Ray looked at Benny, then down to his own hands, hoping he wouldn’t find claws.

“Oh,” Callalily said as if just noticing something. “He’s scared, Bens.”

Ray held in his snarl and left his hands in fists at his sides so that any claws wouldn’t be visible.

Benny ran his thumb over his phone. Glitter disappeared before it could land on Callalily’s skin. Ray’s face was hot.

“That’s, um, that’s Benny,” Callalily said suddenly, his tone falsely calm once again. “My best friend. He’s pack—no, you don’t know him anymore. Or me—you don’t know me. You don’t—Oh. Oh, I…”

“Breathe, Callalily!” Ray ordered without thinking, pushing away from the wall in the moment before Callalily dragged in a breath.

Benny moved his hand to Cal’s shoulder. He was gentle. “Take a breath, Cal. A big one. Okay, now hold it.” Cal reached up to hold Benny’s hand. He held his breath, then exhaled before taking another one, and when his fingers eased their death grip on his friend’s hand, Ray exhaled with him.

“You don’t need to worry.” It tumbled from Ray, drawing Callalily’s eyes up to his face.Distresswas sharp in Ray’s nose. “I’ll be fine.” Ray would heal. He was healing now, if too slowly. But his unhappiness was upsetting Callalily and the knowledge renewed the pounding inside his skull.

“Oh, Raymond.” Callalily scrubbed a hand over his face, then twitched his nose and pulled his shoulders back. “Are you injured in some way, or in pain? Not that you’d tell me if you were,” he added, with a somewhat watery sniffle that made Ray’s heart thump uncomfortably against his ribs and his eyes widen. Callalily scoffed; that was watery too. “You know I can see when you lie, Ray? Well, you don’t know, I guess.” His voice cracked but he went on as if it hadn’t. “But I can see when you lie.”

Ray glanced to Benny, who was worried and uncomfortable and possibly slightly pissed off, although, if he was, his anger was not directed at Ray or Callalily. Ray focused back on Callalily, who had raised his chin as though Ray was going to argue with him.

“You keep talking like you know me,” Ray finally said, doing exactly that.

“I know you better than anyone in the state,” Callalily declared with quiet certainty, “except for Penn.” He peered at Ray and seemed to lose his confidence, or just forget about it as fairies were said to forget about everything. “Is that… terrifying for you? You can sniff what I’m feeling, Ray. That makes us even. Don’t be scared.”

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