Not Your Average Fairy Tale (Not Your Average Fairy Tale #1) (14 page)

"Come on," I said to Sam. "He's not worth it." I started walking away, with Sam right behind me, when Dax spoke again.

"You better tell Kendall to watch out. She's a pretty one. I'd love to get in
her
head. If I haven't already."

I tensed. The wind started blowing, whipping through the bushes and trees. I whirled around and felt power surge through my fingertips. A blue flash streaked across the clearing, hitting Dax square in the chest. I heard him cry out as a puff of blue smoke covered him.

Nobody moved.

Sam swore.

The wind still blew and lightning lit the sky. I glanced up, wondering where the storm had come from. It hardly ever stormed in our world.

I peered into the blue smoke that still billowed around the clearing, wondering if my magic had hit its mark. I smiled when I saw a rat’s tail slipping through the hedge where Dax had been standing a moment earlier.

"That was freaking awesome," Sam said. "You didn't even use your wand!"

I shook my head. "I'm not sure how I did that. I am so dead."

"Yeah, probably. Doesn't mean it wasn't cool, though."

"True."

"What was with the wind?"

"Not sure. Maybe Dax did it?"

Sam shook his head. "I don't think so. It started when he pissed you off."

"Huh." I'd have to think on that one. “We should get out of here.”

We hurried back towards the dorm.

"You going to see Kendall again?"

"I'm not sure what to do. I might stay away for a week or so. Just watch her from a distance."

"Why?"

I frowned. I wasn't about to tell him about the nightmare in her room. Or the fact that I was crazy about her. "It's nothing," I muttered.

He left me to my thoughts.

As we walked in silence, I came up with a plan. I'd keep observing her, taking notes on her interactions with people, but I wouldn't talk to her. I wouldn't let her see me for a while. It would be good for both of us, since I could sense she felt something for me as well whenever we were together. Besides, how could we even think about being together? I was a freaking fairy, and she was a human!

"Ash!"

I jumped as Sam pulled me from my thoughts.

"I've been talking to you for, like, five minutes." He raised an eyebrow and studied me. "Maybe you should–"

I cut him off. "Don't ..."

"I'm just asking what's up."

"Well, don't. I'm fine."

"Sure you are," he said.

I grabbed his arm. "Hurry up. I'd rather be in our room when Shenelle finds out what happened. No need to cause another scene out here."

"You're so good at causing a scene though."

"I know," I muttered.

Kendall

I got home from school, upset that Ash was still nowhere to be found. It had been almost a week since I'd seen him last. So, instead of sulking in my room the rest of the night, I took Cameron's offer to take me to dinner.

We went to a local restaurant. I ate chicken strips, complete with ranch dip and a plate of yummy fries.

Cameron had a salad.

I could just hear Ash calling him something rude. I knew he'd never order a salad.

After dinner, Cameron took me home. When he stopped the car, he didn’t make a move to get out. I reached over to open my door, but he started talking. “Thanks for coming with me.”

After an awkward moment of silence, Cameron leaned a little closer, putting his hand on mine.

“Look. I know you said you needed some time to think about us." He chuckled. "To be honest, I'm not sure what I did that made you need time in the first place."

"I'm not sure," I started. "I–"

Before I knew what was happening, he leaned in, touching his lips to mine. My eyes widened, but I didn't pull away.

The kiss was short and more than awkward. For me at least. He pulled back, a little hesitant.

I tried to smile. Tried to tell myself I'd waited two years for Cameron to kiss me. I wanted to say that I liked him still, but honestly, I didn't feel anything. He didn't ignite a spark anymore. There was nothing there. I thought about Ash. There were very strong feelings
there
that I didn't want to admit. I couldn't help thinking about how it would be to kiss him.

"Um, Kendall?"

I jumped, realizing Cameron had been waiting for me to say something while I sat and daydreamed about Ash.

"Sorry." I gave Cameron a small smile.

"Everything okay?"

No. It wasn't. "Yes. Thanks for dinner."

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said.

Before he could try to kiss me again, I hopped out and went into the house.

I needed a drink of water, so I started for the kitchen. I had a lot to think about, now that I felt my relationship with Cameron was basically over. Cameron was boring. And not my type. Now I had to figure out how to tell him that without being so blunt.

I turned on the light and realized I wasn't alone. Ash sat at the counter on a barstool. His usual easy smile was gone. He had the same look in his eyes the night he flung Cameron in the pool. He was furious.

"Have a nice
date
?" His voice carried an edge I'd never heard before. It took me a moment to answer.

"Yeah," I said, slowly. "It was fun. Cameron took me to dinner."

"That was nice of him."

"What? What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's nothing." He stood, walking around the table, pushing chairs in as he went.

"No, something's wrong."

He let out a breath and put his hands on his hips. "Has he ever asked you to go to dinner?"

I'm not sure why, but I could feel my temper creeping in. I thought about it. He never really did take me out much. "No, but ..."

"I don't know how you can't see it," he said.

My blood was boiling now, and I couldn't stop myself. "What is this about, Ash? Why do you always have something bad to say about Cameron? He's a good guy. He's nice!"

"Nice?" He took a step closer. "That's it?"

"What do you want me to say? I'm tired of you turning him into some kind of creep!"

"He
is
a creep, Kendall!" He threw up his hands. "Can't you see that? He doesn't care about
you
!"

I stiffened. "How can you know that?"

"Does he ever ask you how you're doing? Call you just to talk?"

"No–"

"Does he know when your birthday is? Can he tell when you're having a bad day?"

I sighed. "What is this about, Ash? Why do you care so much?"

He shifted his weight and dropped his hands to his sides. "I just can't believe you'd want to be with someone like him."

I narrowed my eyes. "And why would you care?"

"You're my friend! Don't I have any say in who you go out with?"

"No! You can have an opinion, but you can't tell me who to date." I folded my arms.

He ran a hand through his hair, avoiding my eyes. "Well, I
do
have an opinion."

"Apparently."

"And a question."

I sighed. "Ask away." I wasn't sure what to think. He was always so carefree and funny. I'd never seen this side of him before.

He studied me, his jaw working. "Do you love him?"

I was surprised at how easily I answered. "No." I'd had a few boyfriends, but I'd never been in love for real. 

He closed his eyes and took a shaky breath. "Then
why
did you let him kiss you?"

I put my hands on my hips and stared him down. "You were spying on me?" I sounded as furious as I felt.

He shrugged. "Of course I was."

"I don't believe this." I turned and stalked away, tossing over my shoulder, "I should have known you'd do something like that. It's not like you have anything better to do."

"Kendall–" he started.

A realization hit me and I stopped, turning slowly around. "You're jealous."

He shook his head. "I am not." His eyes slid away from mine.

"Then why are you freaking out about this?"

"I'm not freaking out. I just don't see why you like him."

"I just do," I said.

"You deserve better, Kendall."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do. Trust me."

"Trust you? With what? My feelings? You have no idea how I feel."

He stood up a little straighter. "I may not know what you feel, but I know what
I
feel." His eyes smoldered as they bore into mine.

I looked away, not falling for any of his fairy tricks. "I'm just a project for you. An assignment. That's it."

"You really believe that?" he said, sounding hurt.

I folded my arms and blinked away threatening tears. "Have you shown me otherwise? All you do is appear everywhere I am, begging me to make my wishes. That's all you care about."

He shook his head. A pained look crossed his features. "That isn't true. It may have been at first, but not now."

"Why should I believe you?"

He was silent for a moment. "I don't know," he said.

"Whatever." I turned and started for the door. "You don't give a crap about me. All you care about is yourself. About being a sandman. I don't even know why I bother. You'd think that–"

I felt his hand on my shoulder, pulling me to a stop. He spun me around and pressed me back against the kitchen wall, his face inches from mine. My heart was beating so fast I was sure I'd die of a heart attack at any moment.

"You don't know what you're talking about," he growled.

It took a moment for me to speak. "Then explain it to me," I whispered, trying not to lose my hold on reality. He was so close. Too close.

His eyes bore into mine. "Fine," he said. "I
am
jealous. Happy?"

"No," I said.

"You are
so
stubborn," he said.

I didn’t have a response to that.

He looked at me defiantly, and I saw something in his eyes I’d never seen before. He pulled me away from the wall and into his arms. Before I knew it, his mouth was on mine.

His lips were soft, but urgent, expressing everything I wished he felt about me. Everything I felt about him. He didn't stop, and I eagerly kissed him back. He pulled me even closer. His hand crept up the back of my neck, getting lost in my hair. His other arm held me in a grip so tight, I couldn't move if I wanted to. Not that I wanted to. Ever.

I'd never been kissed that way before. Not by anyone. Especially not by Cameron. I felt like I was floating off the ground, and since Ash was a fairy, I probably was. My heart hammered in my chest, and chills coursed through my body. I didn't want the kiss to end.

He tasted like lime. Smelled like rain. I felt a gentle breeze tousle my hair, but ignored it. All I wanted to do was to drink in the scent, the taste of him.

What had started as a slight breeze whipped around us, pushing us closer together.

I opened my eyes, and Ash did the same. The wind was swirling around us now, full of pink and blue napkins that had been sitting on the kitchen counter. It looked like a tornado. His eyes widened, and he pulled away so fast I almost fell on my face.

"Kendall, I'm sorry." He was breathing hard, his face pale. The napkins twisted and turned, each one floating to the floor. "I didn't mean for that to happen. I ... I have to go."

I didn't want him to. I took a step closer to him, probably with a crazed, hungry look on my face. "Don't," I whispered. "Please don't leave."

He looked at me, his expression pained, but after stalling for a second, he vanished.

I sat down on the kitchen chair and put my fingers to my lips, telling myself what I had known for quite some time, but never acknowledged.

I was in love with Ash.

I was in love with a fairy. My fairy.

The front door opened, and Ellie yelled goodbye to someone outside.

I still hadn't moved from my spot in the kitchen. I sat, transfixed, gazing at nothing. Actually, I was staring at all the napkins spread around the room, but Ash had occupied my vision a few seconds earlier.

"Kendall?" Ellie asked, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You okay?"

"No."

"What's wrong?"

"I just kissed a fairy." I didn't look at her. I knew her expression would be confused, so I just sat there like an idiot staring into space. How was I going to explain this one? Ellie, I've been hanging out with my fairy godmother for the past month or so, who, by the way, is a guy. And I just kissed him right here in this kitchen. Oh, and I'm pretty sure I'm in love with him too. Actually, I know I am. Did I mention he has wings? Yep. Real ones that sparkle like stars, and feel as soft as a rose petal.

I realized Ellie had been talking to me the entire time and snapped out of my conversation with myself.

"Um ... Kendall, I think you should go lie down." She stared at me, concern written all over her face. She took a step closer and put a hand on my shoulder. “Do you feel okay?"

My eyes finally focused, and I looked at her. "I need to tell you something," I said slowly. "And, you're probably going to think I'm crazy."

"If it's about kissing a fairy, I think you've been watching too many movies. And yes, I'll probably think you're crazy."

I put a hand over my eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm serious, Ellie. You have to believe me."

"You really are serious," she said, pulling out a kitchen chair. She sat down in front of me, resting an arm on the table. "What's going on?"

"It's a long story," I said.

"I'm not going anywhere." She smiled. "And being your sister, not to mention best friend, I deserve to know why you've been so weird the past few weeks."

"Promise me you won't tell anyone."

"I promise."

"Promise you won't freak out."

She laughed. "I promise, Kendall! Just tell me already!"

I told her everything.