Born Wicked

LVII

Mike picks me up for school every morning. Julian's Porsche sits in the driveway, but I wouldn't feel right driving his car without permission, so I tucked the keys along with his wallet and phone on my night stand.

I see the guys at school and everyone sits with me again –well, Paige, Mike, and Tristan sit with me. Georgia and Paige have been busy the last few days, ever since I took Paige to the library and re-introduced them properly. From what I know, they meet after school and Georgia helps Paige learn how to practice. It's going very slow.

Tristan and Mike have stopped by every day. We order food, or I cook something small and we eat together and do our homework. It's so... normal. It's normal and weird and new and old and I have friends again.

The thought makes me grin.

It's been almost a week, but I think he'll come back to us soon. His cheeks are rosier by the day. Mike sits with him for a few minutes, long enough to dump some energy. I sleep next to him every night. It's my own little secret.

I don't know what to make of what Mike told me. I can't get a read on my own emotions? I shake my head. I don't understand. What I do know is that this boy has saved my life more times than I ever thought I'd need my life saved. He's been there for me in every way he possibly could and I owe him for that. I owe him my friendship at least. In reality, I owe him my life.

I asked Mike that first day, "Won't his parents notice if he stays here?"

He shook his head sadly. "He hasn't gone home. He's still at my house. I'll tell my parents he's with Tristan. They won't like it, you know, with Tristan being a Tempore, but they know we're all friends."

"But," I hesitated. I really didn't want to pry. "But I thought, since he had his car..."

He shrugged his shoulders. "His mom made his dad give it back to him."

"Oh," was all I said to that.

Since then, Mike brought some of Julian's things. He changed him out of his jeans and sweater and I did his laundry. Like now, I've just set out his toothbrush. It isn't easy, but I know that Julian would do it –and probably did, for me.

He's so peaceful I wish he really was just sleeping. I brush his teeth gently, wiping his face with a cloth. His facial hair has grown in and I thought about shaving it the other day, but I don't want to cut him –I've never shaved a face before. Besides, the golden scruff is positively sexy on him.

I developed a trick after the first night, where I rinse his mouth out with a sip of water and tilt his face to the side into a towel. This was after I almost drowned him and soaked my pillow the first time. I take the things I have back into the bathroom and then shut off all the lights.

It's my little secret. No one knows that this is my favorite part of the day. It's my gift to him and it doesn't come close to what he did for me, but it's the least I can do given the circumstances.

I lift the covers and slide beneath them. Curling onto my side I take his limp hand in mine. I'll lay here for hours just watching him be. I'll count the lashes, dark and bronze, that lay against his skin like angel wings. I'll trace the line of his nose, his hairline, his jaw. I'll stroke the flaxen whorls of his beautiful hair. I'll lay my head on his chest and listen to his heart beat with mine.

And then my eyes will drift closed as I lie next him and I'll sleep, peacefully in the crook of his arm pressed against his side. In the past week I've begun to dream of him again.

But first, the most important part—

A kiss.

It's all I have to give him. Energy, his and mine. Drawing from the others is like drawing from the elements. When I'm at school I talk to as many people as I can, I touch hands and shoulders as I laugh my way through the day. More than a few are shocked at my friendliness, my easy, winsome smile. I stay the hell away from Shane. Negativity and all that.