A Beautiful Dark

must have opened the window in my sleep. I’ve been getting up in the middle of the night and forgetting. It’s bad. Sorry.”
    I scrambled out from under the blankets, shut the window, and dove back under again.
    “The cold air is making me crave an omelet, though,” Cassie said, hopefully. “With hash browns.”
    Clad in soft sweatpants and hoodies, we drove to Big Mouth’s for brunch. In the car, Cassie called her mom.
    “Yeah, I slept at Skye’s after the gig. I’m sorry I didn’t call last night. Yeah, it went great! Yeah, we’re going into town for breakfast. Oh, my car died, so I have to get it towed. I don’t know, Mom. Hopefully it won’t be that much. How should I know? I’ve never had my car towed before! Look, fine. Whatever. I’ll call you later. Bye.” She hit the End button violently and huffed. “Jeez, parents are such a waste of space.” Then a look of horror washed over her. “Oh my god, Skye. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean that!”
    “Don’t worry about it,” I said lightly. “Your parents are definitely annoying.” It did sting a little, though, not to have anyone to call and let know I was okay or that I was driving into town to Big Mouth’s and the gas station. Not for the first time since she’d been away, I hoped Aunt Jo would get back soon.
    Brunch was greasy and delicious. Afterward I drove us to the gas station so Cassie could get a tow truck back to my house. When she went over to the attendant behind the counter, I went outside.
    “Skye?”
    I spun around and came face-to-face with Devin.
    “Oh my god, you scared me!”
    “I’m sorry,” he said, and in that second he looked like the fun Devin I’d hung out with the other night. The night I slept over at his place. It seemed like forever ago. “What are you doing here?”
    I nodded toward the front of the store. “Cassie’s car is at my place. It won’t start. We need a tow truck.”
    Up front we heard Cassie yell, “ How much?”
    I laughed.
    “You know,” Devin said, “I’ve always been fascinated with cars, even though I don’t need them to get around. That’s probably why they intrigue me. Anyway, they’re kind of a hobby. I’ve done enough tinkering on them over the years so I have a pretty good grasp of engine repair. I could come over and take a look.”
    “Really?” I asked incredulously. “You’d really do that? It would be a huge help. Cassie can’t afford much right now and her parents are pretty strict when it comes to money.”
    “It would be my pleasure. Why don’t I go there right now and have a look? You two go off and do something fun for the afternoon. I’ll be done before you know it.”
    “Wow, Devin, that is so nice of you. Thank you.” I smiled. He smiled back, the same smile that had been so endearing the other night.
    “Don’t mention it, please.”
    “Okay, see you later! Cassie!” I called, bounding up to the front counter.
    As we turned to leave the store, Devin smiled at us and waved. I thought it was weird that he hadn’t said a single thing about working on my powers that day but decided not to overthink it. Instead, Cassie and I drove to the mall.
    It was the best twenty-four hours I’d had in a long time. The gig at the Bean, the party, the sleepover, brunch, and then a full afternoon at the mall. Cassie made me buy this amazing winter white sweaterdress that was clingy in all the right places. She instructed me to wear it with tights and boots like I’d done the night before. I couldn’t wait to see Asher’s face when he saw me in it at school.
    Maybe it was thinking about him that caused him to appear while Cassie was in the changing room with no fewer than a dozen outfits. I was wandering nearby, trying to find something else that might interest me when suddenly he was standing in front of me.
    “Don’t look so surprised,” he said. “You gave me permission to lurk.”
    “At the party. Not when I’m shopping.”
    “I don’t think you specified.”
    “What are you doing here?” I asked impatiently.
    “Lurking.”
    “Seriously.”
    He lifted a shoulder, sighed. “I thought maybe we could do something together, something that has nothing at all to do with your powers. Maybe go to the Bean. Shoot some pool.”
    “You mean, like a date?”
    “Sure, why not?”
    “Asher, I don’t like these games.”
    “It’s not a game, Skye. I know I should avoid you, but all I can think about is being with you. I know the Elders won’t be