you,” she said, putting the safety switch back in place on her tiny can of pepper spray. “You scared the crap out of me, Amir.”
“ I’m sorry,” he said, stepping closer. “I was hoping we could talk.”
Shayla paused for a moment, as if considering this, not wanting to seem too eager. It took every ounce of her will not to launch herself into his arms and beg him to take her back on his terms, any terms. Anything had to be better than the aching loneliness she felt every day that only he could fill.
“ Why don’t you walk me home and we can talk there?” she said, already walking in the direction of her apartment. Amir fell in beside her and walked silently, hands shoved down into his pockets. She tried not to look at him but couldn’t stop peeking at him out of the corner of her eye. She couldn’t help but notice the way the night breeze ruffled his wavy hair, or the way his jacket fit across broad shoulders. She was relieved when they finally arrived, but nervous as well. What did he want?
When they were inside she offered him coffee; he accepted, of course. The silence stretched on as she made the coffee. Once she’d finished and handed him his mug, she sat beside him on the couch, not too close, and waited. He had wanted to talk so she would let him go first.
“ I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m here when you haven’t heard from me in weeks.”
She nodded. “I didn’t think I’d see you again.”
“ I couldn’t stay away.” He finally raised his head to look at her and Shayla’s heart broke at the pain she saw there. Something was bothering him and whatever it was, it had caused him to walk out of her life. Now he was back, and Shayla hoped to God he was ready to tell her why.
“ I need you to understand that I didn’t leave because I didn’t want to be with you. I need you to know that.”
She reached out tentatively and took his hand. Her tension immediately eased, and his seemed to as well. The gesture was so familiar to them both. “I do understand,” she replied. “At least , I understand that this didn’t happen because you wanted it to. I just wish you would tell me what it is.”
“ That’s why I’m here. It’s hard to explain, Shayla, so bear with me.”
“ I’m all ears.”
He took a deep breath, a sip of coffee, another deep breath. Shayla waited in silence.
“ I’m not what you think I am Shayla. I didn’t lie to you, but I didn’t tell you the truth either. I’m…that is, I’m not exactly human.”
Silence. He looked up at her nervously and she fought against a smile. “Seriously?” she asked with a chuckle. “What are you , an alien or something?”
“ You don’t believe me.”
Shayla shrugged. “I’ve heard worse excuses from an ex-boyfriend.”
“ It’s not an excuse.”
When she shrugged again, his mouth tightened with obvious annoyance. “You see the plant over there, the one you haven’t watered in months?” She nodded. “Bring it to me.”
Still amused, and wondering what he was going to do with the plant, Shayla gladly obliged him. The plant was a hibiscus, or at least it was a dead hibiscus. When her parents had taken her to Hawaii the summer after high school graduation, Shayla had fallen in love with the tropical state flower. She’d bought one, hoping to bring a little bit of Hawaii’s warmth and exotic flavor into her apartment. It had died within a month. She kept forgetting to throw the darn thing out.
“ Watch,” he said, placing the pot on the coffee table. He kneeled in front of it, and Shayla kneeled at his side, watching as he’d instructed. He closed his eyes and placed his hands on either side of the brown, wilted flower. Within seconds, a white glow appeared around Amir’s head and shoulders, growing brighter by the second in its intensity. Soon, the flower had taken on the same glow. The gnarled stems straightened and returned to their natural deep green color. The leaves perked up as the green
“ I’m sorry,” he said, stepping closer. “I was hoping we could talk.”
Shayla paused for a moment, as if considering this, not wanting to seem too eager. It took every ounce of her will not to launch herself into his arms and beg him to take her back on his terms, any terms. Anything had to be better than the aching loneliness she felt every day that only he could fill.
“ Why don’t you walk me home and we can talk there?” she said, already walking in the direction of her apartment. Amir fell in beside her and walked silently, hands shoved down into his pockets. She tried not to look at him but couldn’t stop peeking at him out of the corner of her eye. She couldn’t help but notice the way the night breeze ruffled his wavy hair, or the way his jacket fit across broad shoulders. She was relieved when they finally arrived, but nervous as well. What did he want?
When they were inside she offered him coffee; he accepted, of course. The silence stretched on as she made the coffee. Once she’d finished and handed him his mug, she sat beside him on the couch, not too close, and waited. He had wanted to talk so she would let him go first.
“ I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m here when you haven’t heard from me in weeks.”
She nodded. “I didn’t think I’d see you again.”
“ I couldn’t stay away.” He finally raised his head to look at her and Shayla’s heart broke at the pain she saw there. Something was bothering him and whatever it was, it had caused him to walk out of her life. Now he was back, and Shayla hoped to God he was ready to tell her why.
“ I need you to understand that I didn’t leave because I didn’t want to be with you. I need you to know that.”
She reached out tentatively and took his hand. Her tension immediately eased, and his seemed to as well. The gesture was so familiar to them both. “I do understand,” she replied. “At least , I understand that this didn’t happen because you wanted it to. I just wish you would tell me what it is.”
“ That’s why I’m here. It’s hard to explain, Shayla, so bear with me.”
“ I’m all ears.”
He took a deep breath, a sip of coffee, another deep breath. Shayla waited in silence.
“ I’m not what you think I am Shayla. I didn’t lie to you, but I didn’t tell you the truth either. I’m…that is, I’m not exactly human.”
Silence. He looked up at her nervously and she fought against a smile. “Seriously?” she asked with a chuckle. “What are you , an alien or something?”
“ You don’t believe me.”
Shayla shrugged. “I’ve heard worse excuses from an ex-boyfriend.”
“ It’s not an excuse.”
When she shrugged again, his mouth tightened with obvious annoyance. “You see the plant over there, the one you haven’t watered in months?” She nodded. “Bring it to me.”
Still amused, and wondering what he was going to do with the plant, Shayla gladly obliged him. The plant was a hibiscus, or at least it was a dead hibiscus. When her parents had taken her to Hawaii the summer after high school graduation, Shayla had fallen in love with the tropical state flower. She’d bought one, hoping to bring a little bit of Hawaii’s warmth and exotic flavor into her apartment. It had died within a month. She kept forgetting to throw the darn thing out.
“ Watch,” he said, placing the pot on the coffee table. He kneeled in front of it, and Shayla kneeled at his side, watching as he’d instructed. He closed his eyes and placed his hands on either side of the brown, wilted flower. Within seconds, a white glow appeared around Amir’s head and shoulders, growing brighter by the second in its intensity. Soon, the flower had taken on the same glow. The gnarled stems straightened and returned to their natural deep green color. The leaves perked up as the green
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