I shrugged. "Here we go to the movies or the mall or just hang out. Or go to dances like Winter Formal tomop row night at school."
"We don't have anything like that." He frowned. "There are lots of books, which is how I learned all about the human realm. I… I hang out with some of the other. . servants. . who live at the castle. They're okay."
"Anybody your age?"
He shook his head. "Not really."
I chewed my bottom lip. "Do you have a girlfriend?"
"No." There was silence then for a moment. "We're here. I guess I'll say good-bye now."
We'd reached my house. I could tell by the big maple tree at the bottom of the front lawn.
"What did you think would happen if you told me the truth about who you really are?" I asked.
"It doesn't matter anymore."
"It does matter. Did you think I'd look down on you?" He pressed his lips together and was apparently finding the ground an extremely interesting thing to look at. "Something like that."
"Well, you were wrong."
He finally raised his gaze to mine. "But your father said-" "Forget about what my father said. He has a seriously outdated view of the world, but that's probably because he lives in a different one." I sighed. "Look, if this could be any other way I wouldn't take the potion at all. I don't want to forget about you. I don't want to forget about any of this."
"You have to drink it."
"I know that, but it doesn't mean I want to."
He let out a breath, but I still couldn't see it in the cold air. It had to have something to do with his amulet controlling his life force. Even in the darkness it pulsed with a soft green light over his sweatshirt.
"You can get back to your normal life with your. . your boyfriend, Chris." Michael said his name unpleasantly. "I'm sure you'll be glad when all of this is over."
"He's not really my boyfriend," I admitted.
That raised his eyebrows. "But I thought you said-" "I'm just going to the dance with him."
"I saw him kiss you in the hallway." He didn't sound happy about it. "And yesterday, too."
I thought back to Chris's hallway smooch. Had that honestly only been earlier today? It seemed like a lifetime ago.
"He's not that great a kisser," I said. "But don't tell anyone."
"I definitely won't." He glanced back at the street.
"Look, I really need to go now. Your father will wonder what's taking me so long."
"I think you worry about him too much." I walked right up to him and he glanced at me warily. I held out my hand. "Thank you for all your help, Michael."
He took my hand in his and we stood like that, silent, for a moment, and then, "Good-bye, Princess."
I just looked at him.
After a few more moments had gone by he raised his green-eyed gaze to mine. "You're not going inside." "Not yet."
"And you're not letting go of my hand." "I know."
He swallowed. "I can't leave until I know you're safe."
He looked away, pushing the dark hair across his forehead as if trying to hide his face from me. I reached up to push it to the side so I could see him.
"Princess. .," he began.
I'd sort of gotten used to him calling me that. I didn't even correct him anymore. "Uh-huh?" "You need to go now."
I knew he was right. I should be going inside-or rather, sneaking in would be better. A quick glance at my watch told me it was nearly one o'clock in the morning. Mom would kill me if she found out I was gone this late.
"I need you to do something for me first."
He raised his eyes to mine. "What?"
"Can I borrow your sweatshirt for a second?"
Even though I was already wearing a winter coat, he didn't hesitate to strip his own meager protection from the cold off his back and hand it to me.
"Thanks," I said.
"What do you need it for?"
"Protection," I said. "I don't want to get electrocuted again."
He looked confused. "Why would you be worried about something like that?"
"I just worry." I balled the sweatshirt up in my hands and pressed it against his chest and over the green stone of his amulet. This also pushed him back up against the tree.
His frown deepened. "What are you doing?"
"This." I leaned closer, went up on my tiptoes, and kissed him. He seemed to resist for a moment, perhaps surprised by what I was doing, but then he relaxed and kissed me back. Hard. His hands moved down to clutch my arms and pull me closer as the kiss deepened and went on and on.
"Just like I thought," I said as I brushed my lips against his again.
"What?" His voice was raspy.
"Way better than Chris Sanders. Like, there isn't even a comparison, really." I grinned and kissed him again. "I want you to know that I don't give a crap whether you're a servant or not. Remember that."
"Then I guess I don't care if you're a princess," he said against my lips.
"I don't want to drink the potion," I said, my heart clenching at the thought.