Shadow

Cole's POV

**SURPRISE!**

    I could hear the shower running upstairs. I chuckled to myself, wondering how she would get all that glitter out of her hair. And I thought I'd have a hard time getting it out.

    Remembering Kiera saying she was hungry, I decided to start dinner. As soon as I thought of food, my stomach growled. I quickly looked around to see if anyone had heard it, embarrassed, but no one was around. Obviously. Kiera was upstairs and it wasn't like anyone else shared the house with us.

    I thought back to some of Kiera's favorite foods. If I couldn't impress her with vacuuming skills that I apparently lacked, then I would impress her with my cooking skills. Or what little cooking skills I had. Fajitas popped into mind and my stomach growled again. Man, it was like I hadn't eaten in days. Maybe superpowers increase your hunger? Or maybe I was just being a teenager. I didn't know.

    As soon as all of the food was on the stove and the chicken was sizzling, I heard someone step into the kitchen. I knew it was Kiera, by the light padding of her footsteps, so I didn't turn.

    "Are you cooking?"

     I smiled a little. I detected shock mostly, but she was also impressed. Score. I turned to look at her with a grin. "Yeah." My heart stuttered at the sight of her. Her hair was still wet from her shower and it didn't look like she had brushed it, but she was still beautiful. She didn't think she was beautiful, but she was. Always has been, and always will be. I turned back to the food, swallowing hard.

    What I didn't expect was for her arms to wrap around my torso from behind. I sucked in an audible breath, but the sound was swallowed by the sounds of the food cooking. The feeling of her arms around me did weird things to my brain. I couldn't think. My body seemed to forget how to do involuntary actions, like breathing and making my heart beat at a steady pace.

    "You're the bestest friend ever." Ouch. I tried not to wince. She couldn't have known how I felt about her. "And what are you making for me, Chef Winston?" She let go of my waist and coldness flooded through me. I usually didn't feel the cold, what with my powers of fire and light. But she managed to make me feel a lot of things I didn't think I was capable of.

    "Your favorite. Chicken fajitas." There you go, Cole. Finally managing words now that she's let go of you.

    She gaped. Man, I was just full of surprises to her, wasn't I? "Why?"

    I shrugged. Because I'm completely in love with you and want to impress you. "We haven't had a home cooked meal in forever, and you've been looking really stressed out lately, so I decided to make some." I took a breath. Quick thinking. The truth, but not the entire truth. "Plus, I've been craving your grandma's recipe."

    Kiera laughed a little. "Aww, Cole, you do have a sweet side." She was so close. So impossibly close, yet so untouchable. Why did she have this effect on me? After all these years, I thought—was hoping—that it would go away. It never did.

    Kiera's face was right next to mine. I turned, surprised. She never got so close to me these days. When we were younger, we would hug and play around all the time, like second nature. Now, I was lucky if I even got a brush from her hand.

    But this, right here, was a lucky streak I thought I'd never get the chance at.

    I turned to face her. Instead of her usual bright smile, I was met with her lips on mine. Something exploded in my stomach, just from the contact. I inhaled sharply. But as soon as it began, it was all over. All in what must have been a single second.