Page 77 of Mistaken Magic

Hewas right.Iknew he was, soIsimply gave in. "Shekissed me in the atrium.Shesaid she liked me,Ithought she meant friend, andIdon't even remember whatIsaid back, if anything, but she kissed me."

"Ok, and now it's awkward?" he asked.

Ilooked away, my hand moving to my lips. "Idon't know how to know ifIliked it."

"Yeah, well,Ido."Hestepped back, moving to pick up all four of our sticks. "Seethe way you touched the memory of her lips on yours?Theway your mind refuses to settle?Isn'tthat how you feel when you have a crush on a guy?"

"ButI'venever been into girls before,"Ipointed out.

Hecame back, offering my sticks to me. "So?"

"ButI'mnot a lesbian.Ilikeguys!"

"And?" he asked, a smugness to his tone.

Ijust groaned, knowing he was pushing me. "She'ssupposed to be my best friend,Keir.Nevermind that we live in the same suite!Talkabout awkward.Imean,Iwalked into the bathroom just as she was leaving the shower area.We'regoing to bump into each other, andIdon't know what to say!"

Hegrinned deviously. "Yeah,I'dlove to see that.Evenbetter, both of you in that shower together.Maybea little mutual washing?Lotsof suds."

Irolled my eyes at him. "Sonow you're all teamAspen?Whathappened to the flirting, hm?"

Hemade a gesture with his stick almost like a backwards circle. "I'dlike to remind you that you just said you like guys.This, however, is a separate issue.See, this girlI'minto has this problem, andI'mall about the long, deep, and meaningful conversations."

"Aboutme having a crush on someone else?"Iscoffed.

ButKeirpointed his stick right at me. "Andshe admits it!"

"No,Imeant hypothetically,"Itried.

Hislips curled into that lopsided smirk he did so well. "Lie."

"Fuckyou,Keir,"Isnarled, turning for the door.

Buthe grabbed my arm, spinning me back to face him. "Hitme.Don'trun from me.Usethose sticks and beat the frustration out.PrettysureIcan block anything you'll throw, and ifIdon't, well, healing is one of my skills."Thenhe gestured for me to come at him. "Youlike the idea of having kissed a girl, right?Allexciting and new and dangerous?"

"Taboo,"Iagreed, smacking at him.

Heblocked with a loud clack. "AndAspenis beautiful.Imean, you can't deny that.She'salso powerful, which is what most people would be chasing - but not you.Everthink that's why she's so drawn to you?"

Ourweapons kept moving.Notas fast as before, but this was now a consistent paceIcould actually keep up.Itwas a lot like the setsBrackenhad given me for the dummy last week.Ileaned into the pattern, letting my muscles move from memory, and actually thought about what he was saying.

"Idon't know ifIlike her or ifI'mjust flustered,"Ifinally admitted. "Mostly,I'mfreaking out about our friendship."

"Truth," he said. "Solet's break it down.Doyou still like hanging out with her?"

"Yes."

Hetwitched to evade a shot that was a little too close. "Doyou think she's pretty?"

"Definitely,"Iagreed. "IwishIlooked like her."

"Ihappen to like how you look just as much," he assured me. "Doyou think her tits are nice?Maybeher ass is sexy?"

"No,"Isaid. "Well, not like that.I'mnot some guy who wants to jerk off to her.Ithink she's nice, though.She'sprobably the most caring personI'veever met, but she doesn't know how to show it.Toriansaid something about her being untamed in a way, and it fits.Shegave me a plant my first day.Sheraged atLiamto make them let me come here.Like, she's just so... real, you know?Iwas starting to think of her as my best friend."

"Sobe her friend," he said. "Didthe kiss disgust you?"

"No,"Iadmitted. "Itwas more shocking.Ijust didn't expect it."

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