Burned » Kai Parker

24

"Is it too early to get Lia a gift?"

I gave Sam a 'seriously' look, my mouth flattening. "If you think that, you're a moron. The timing is fine. Don't make yourself crazy, okay?"

"Too late. I've boarded the train to Crazy Town." He grabbed my arm urgently, making me stumble to a stop. The pedestrians on the sidewalk grumbled impatiently, moving around us and shaking their heads. "I don't know what I'm doing, Eva. It's freaking me out. I always know what I'm doing."

I sighed heavily and pulled him under the awning of a small restaurant so we would be out of the way of the rushing residents.

I met up with Sam in the shopping center downtown after I got out of work. We thought it was utterly genius to make a dent in our holiday shopping on a weekday, but forgot to factor in that tons of other people would be carrying that same logic. There were just over two and a half weeks until Christmas, though, so in hindsight, the two of us should have known better.

So far, I'd gotten a cashmere sweater for my mom, because I'd seen her sigh longingly over its appeal when she saw one in public or fitted by a character on television. And a pair of earrings for her, because they were too pretty not to purchase. I still had to search for Luis, and Sam, too. It was going to be a little trickier to get a gift for my brother while he was my shopping partner, but I was sure I could pull it off sneakily.

Getting a gift would have to wait, however, until Sam snapped out of his "what are we" crisis regarding him and Lia. To me, to everyone around them actually, it was so obvious that they were into each other and were basically exclusive. I considered literally slapping sense into my older brother, so he could see that with clarity, too.

"Sam, I know it's been a while since you've been on the dating wagon, so you're nervous. But Lia really likes you. Clearly, you're doing something right. In fact, if I had to guess, she's probably just waiting for you to pop the question now."

"Marriage?" He blurted out, panicked.

"What? No, you idiot. Not that question. The girlfriend question."

"Oh." He looked sheepish. "You really think she's waiting for that? I wasn't sure if she was ready."

"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say she definitely is." I gestured to him. "And here you are, going crazy over whether or not to get her a Christmas gift."

He frowned down at the sidewalk for a moment, then glanced up like a lightbulb went off in his head. "So, I should get her one, right?"

I threw my hands up and began walking away from him.

"That's a yes," he huffed, hurrying to catch up with me. "Okay, okay. I see your point. I'm being insane. But I really don't wanna screw this up with her, Eva."

"Sam, the fact that you care so much tells me you won't." I nudged his shoulder with mine. "So quit worrying."

I looked at the sky while we rushed down the streets, stunned, a little, at how fast time had passed. Nothing but darkness and the moon, but the city was on its own schedule. Then, the sight reminded me of something crucial.

"Sam." My eyes lingered on the moon, then back to my brother, who had looked at me expectantly. "You know how the full moon was on Thursday?"

"Yeah." He immediately frowned and I knew he was jumping to bad conclusions. "Oh, no. Did something happen? Why didn't you tell me sooner? I knew I should have–"

"Stop. Yes, something happened, but it wasn't bad, I...Sam..." I grinned widely, giddy over the memory. "Sam, I controlled it."

"That's great," he sighed with relief. "But, uh, I'm not sure I'm following. You control it every month."