A Fractured Light (Beautiful Dark)

stopped believing that we might end up together. He should go out with Ellie , I thought. He should give someone else a real chance.
    I made my way through the crowd. Ian was wiping off the counter and bouncing along to the music. When he noticed me coming, he tried to back away into the supply closet, but he knocked into a broom and it clattered to the floor. He rushed to pick it up.
    “Hey,” I said, hopping up onto the counter.
    “Hmm? Oh, hi.” He averted his eyes.
    “Look,” I said. “I think you should date Ellie. She’s a really good skier. And . . .” I tried to think of more compliments. “She’s pretty, in kind of, like, an obvious sort of way, and—”
    “Skye,” Ian interrupted. “You suck at this.”
    “I mean it,” I insisted. “I think you should date her. I’m not mad. I’m happy for you.”
    He stopped nervously wiping down the counter and looked up at me. “This is it, huh?” he said. “There really is no chance you secretly love me, is there?”
    “I’m so sorry, Ian.”
    “It’s cool,” he said. “Ellie’s a good kisser.”
    “I’m not really asking for details here, okay?”
    “Yeah,” he said, grinning shyly. “Okay.”
    As I started to jump off the counter, Asher sauntered up. “Hey,” Asher said, nodding. “Two lattes.” He slapped a ten-dollar bill on the counter. Ian gave Asher a look that could kill. I knew the two of them didn’t exactly love each other, but I’d never seen Ian look at him like this. He started turning toward the steamer, then stopped and doubled back. A smirk played on Asher’s lips as he waited to see what kind of new amusing challenge Ian would bring.
    “Skye may be into you or whatever,” Ian said coldly, the ten slowly crumpling in his fist. “But it doesn’t mean I’ll ever stop hating you.” He glanced at me, his eyebrows knotting. Then he went to get us the lattes.
    “Why do you do that to him?” I asked, turning on Asher. “Stop smiling like that. It’s so mean.”
    “I don’t like the way he looks at you,” Asher said. “Like he thinks he’s got you all figured out or something.” But something in my gut told me that wasn’t what was going on here. Ian hated Asher—and not in a jealous way, the way I felt about Ellie. It had nothing to do with the fact that I loved Asher instead of him. He would have disliked anyone I dated, but his hatred of Asher was specific .
    Strange , I thought. Asher was so charming. He came across as a little cocky sometimes, but underneath it all, when we were alone together, no one I knew had a better or a stronger heart. I didn’t know why Ian couldn’t trust my judgment more. Or Aunt Jo—who seemed to seethe with dislike for Asher, too. Dislike—or maybe even distrust. Ian and Aunt Jo were two of the people I cared about most in this world. How could they both hate Asher so much? What was the connection there? What was I missing?
    What had he done to make them turn against him?
    “Thanks for the latte,” I said.
    “Don’t mention it.” He handed it to me and didn’t remove his hand right away. I tried to take it from him, but he held on tight. When I looked up, I realized he wasn’t looking at me. He was staring over my shoulder. I followed his gaze.
    Guardians. A whole group of them had just walked in from the cold, their glossy blond hair glinting menacingly in the light of the coffee shop. Across the room, Gideon and Ardith looked up, too, their gazes steely and cold. An invisible fist clenched my throat. Asher had said they would never do anything out in the open—but did that mean Love the Bean was safe, too? I wasn’t so sure. They moved as a group, fluid, seamless, and calm.
    The bell on the door rattled, and Raven walked in behind them—followed, seconds later, by Devin. She looked around appraisingly, and slipped her arm into his, as if everyone in the room wanted him.
    Not everyone.
    His eyes met mine—piercing, blue, and impossible to read. I looked back at Asher. Pure, unadulterated hatred burned across his face.
    “They wouldn’t do anything,” I said. “Right? Not here, in the open like this?”
    “Not if I can help it.” He strode across the room, Ardith and Gideon falling into formation behind him. The Guardians tensed and strengthened their stance. Onstage, Cassie was still singing. Her voice cut across the room, an eerie soundtrack to what was starting to take place. I stood by the counter, watching, wondering how, or when, I would