His cheeks flushed again. “Yeah. I do.”
“And your magic...” I continued, leaning forward. “The way the shadows respond to you. It’s beautiful to watch.”
“Even when I destroy toilets and benches and wall paint?”
“Especially then,” I grinned. “It shows how powerful you are.”
Ash took a deep breath, his fingers fidgeting with his nearly empty cup. “I still don’t get it. Why me? And don’t say it’s because I’m cute, because we both know that’s not true.”
I frowned, genuinely confused. “What are you talking about? Of course you’re cute.”
“Silver,” he sighed, his voice darkening, “you don’t have to lie to me. I’m not an idiot.”
I felt an anger rise in my chest. Who had hurt this poor boy? And told him he wasn’t cute or worth anyone’s time or attention?
“I’m not lying,” I replied, pushing myself to my feet. “And I’ll prove it. Stand up.”
“What are you doing?” He seemed almost frightened.
“Stand up,” I repeated.
But he didn’t move.
“Fine.” I grabbed him by the collar and leaned down close, my lips only an inch from his before I stopped. “Can I kiss you?”
His eyes widened, those sapphire blues like twin oceans drawing me in. I watched his throat bob as he swallowed hard. The shadows around his feet swirled anxiously, reaching up around my ankles like they were trying to pull me in.
“W-What?”
“I said, can I kiss you?”
There was a long pause.
“Y-yes,” he whispered, the word barely audible even in the quiet corner of the café.
I closed the distance between us, pressing my lips against his. They were soft, warm, and tasted faintly of caramel. I kept thekiss gentle, not wanting to overwhelm him. But gods, it was hard to restrain myself when that familiar electric spark multiplied tenfold the moment our lips touched.
The shadows around us darkened noticeably, and I heard several gasps from nearby tables as the café lights dimmed. I didn’t care. All I could focus on was Ash, the way his breath hitched, how his hands tentatively came to rest on my shoulders, then on the back of my neck.
When I finally pulled back, his eyes remained closed for a moment longer, like he was savoring the sensation. The café lights flickered back to normal, and I became aware of several students watching us with open curiosity.
“Still think I’m lying?” I asked softly, my thumb brushing across his lower lip.
He opened his eyes slowly, looking dazed. “I… I don’t think so.”
“Good,” I grinned, feeling oddly proud of myself for rendering him speechless. “Because I’m not.”
A mug shattered somewhere behind us, breaking the moment. Ash seemed to suddenly realize we were in public, his face turning that adorable shade of crimson again.
“Everyone’s staring at us,” he whispered, mortification creeping into his expression.
I glanced around, confirming that yes, we’d become the center of attention. Most of the onlookers quickly averted their eyes when I caught them looking, but a few continued to gape unabashedly.
“Let’s get out of here,” I suggested, grabbing our jackets from the backs of our chairs. “Go for a walk or something.”
Ash nodded, clearly relieved at the suggestion. As we headed for the door, I noticed his shadows trailing behind us, more agitated than before, swirling and dancing like they’d been stirred up by a strong wind.
Clearly, I’d gotten under his skin. Hopefully in a good way.
