Page 59 of Eternally Yours
I took the bag from him. The label was from a fancy bakery I’d only ever seen on social media:Risky Biscuits.Inside, there was a stack of perfectly round white chocolate and cranberry cookies. No guy had ever brought me anything before. Knowing that he’d remembered that night, that he’d thought about me too, made my nerves dissipate all at once, replaced with a warmth that started in my chest and radiated up toward my neck and cheeks. “Thanks.”
We sat on the cold concrete floor, the cookies laid out between us, looking at each other like we had a year earlier. I saw the lights reflected in his eyes.
“I almost didn’t,” he said suddenly, looking away. “Come here, I mean. I... I thought it would be better if we didn’t speak again.”
“Better.” My voice was flat as his words fully sank in. He hadn’t actually wanted to see me. He was here out of someobligation—because I’d asked, because he owed me cookies.
“Safer,” he corrected.
“I’m not sure that’s actually any better.” Mortification made my face flush as I scrambled to my feet. I should have gone back down the first time Sahana texted me.
“Wait. Shit. Don’t go.” He ran a hand over his face. “I’m not doing this right.”
“Doing what right?” I asked. “Did I miss a conversation somewhere?”
“No. It’s just—I’m sorry,” he said, finally looking at me again. “I got in my own head thinking about how our families wouldn’t approve of... this.”
I noted the pause beforethis. “Why would that matter?” I asked. I hadn’t really thought much about my family—thought about anything beyond the fact that I’dlikedhim and I’d wanted to get to know him better.
“Because asuras aren’t supposed to intermingle,” he said.
“It’s an actual rule?” I asked, alarmed.
He exhaled. “I don’t know. It’s what my family told me. That the gods only let us keep our powers if our bloodlines remained separate or something like that.”
“The gods aren’t here,” I said. “We were stripped of our godly titles and left to fend for ourselves on Earth. If the worst thing that happens is that we lose our magic, I think I can live with that.”
He smiled a little. “I agree,” he said. “Will you stay now?”
I hesitated and then sat back down in front of him. “So whyareyou here?” I asked.
“Because I think I would have regretted it for the rest of my life if I didn’t come.” I could see the sincerity in his eyes. The cold evening breeze washed over us, and I smelled his smoky, spicy scent.
He was the one being earnest now, and despite my brain telling me to be cautious, I felt my irritation melt away. “Rest of your life, huh?”
“Just because I owed you cookies,” he said. “Asuras live a long life. That would be a lot of guilt to carry around.”
“Of course.”
He reached for a cookie, breaking it and handing half to me. “So why don’t you tell me what you’ve been up to all year?”
When I leaned forward to grab it, my fingers gently brushed his, and I swear I felt a jolt of energy between us.
NOW
By the time we reach the motel, it’s nearly evening. Sahana and I drop our stuff off in the room we’re sharing and then make our way down to the small meeting room where Ms.Mehta has pizza and soda waiting for us. We aren’t allowed a lot of free time since we’re here for a school event, so the room is packed with everyone trying to make the most of the one night we get to hang out.
Sahana winks conspicuously and stage-whispers, “Don’t be out too late!” before she disappears.
As I wait in the pizza line by myself, I scan the room looking for... I don’t really know what. I’m just anxious. We aren’t supposed to meet for another two hours, but I’m already antsy, full of nerves and excitement. I’ve waited for three years, and today, finally, I’ll meet the asura.Myasura, as I’ve come to think of him. Sahana has asked me a million times who I think the asura is—even thrown out her own guesses—but I’ve never let myself speculate. I likehim. I don’t care who he is in his human life.
Out of the corner of my eye I see Sagar step into line behind me. I turn, unable to resist teasing him. “Nice to see you socializing for once.” Usually he’s holed up in his room all evening, working instead of hanging out with the rest of us. “It’s good to try new things every once in a while.”
Sagar rolls his eyes. “That’s awfully judgmental, considering you’re not exactly Ms.Popularity either.”
“Ouch.” It shouldn’t affect me, but it stings a little. Sahana’s the more social one between us. She’s determined to not let the whole asura thing get in her way, but it’s always been harder for me. I don’t see how I can get close to someone and then have to lie to them constantly. It’s just easier to keep people at a distance—to have acquaintances and school friends that I can easily detach myself from.
“As if itactuallybothers you,” Sagar mumbles under his breath.
