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She wasn’t ancient at all. Vampires were still made in the twenty-first century? Strange this was her first thought when she’d only just discovered vampires were real. As though Esther had thought herself an expert in vampire lore, and Ashley was crumbling all her assumptions.

“And you thought I was too young for you.” Ashley smirked. “Like I said, if this was a romance novel, we wouldn’t even qualify as an age gap.”

“So that’s howTwilightand Pluto and…” Esther’s words faded as she fit the pieces together.

“Holes!” Esther jumped at Ashley’s outburst. “They quote that poem in the movie. With Shia LaBeouf. Did you ever watchthat one? Ilovedthe book and the movie. I basically had it memorized.”

Esther shook her head, barely listening. This was a lot. All of it. Vampires were real.

And also, Ashley had kissed her, and…maybe Esther liked it?

Did that make her a lesbian? She pulled up childhood celebrity crushes. Legolas, Rick O’Connell, Ryan Gosling, several interchangeable abs from the Avengers franchise probably named Chris. Yup, those still did it for her. Maybe she needed to call Uther and talk this through. But that thought scared her too. Since when had her casual study buddy and check-in-to-make-sure-she-wasn’t-murdered friend become the first person she wanted to talk to when an identity crisis popped up?

“Hey.”

Ashley placed a hand on Esther’s shoulder, and Esther’s attention snapped back to her. Phantom sparks traveled down her jaw where Ashley had touched her. Would she kiss her again? Esther’s heart beat at her chest, and her entire being channeled a forward motion. She was the sea and Ashley the moon.

“I’m sorry about how forward I was just now. I guess I was reading into something that wasn’t there. But don’t worry.” She hopped up from the log, jostling Esther from her trance. “I promise not to do that again.” She reached a hand down to Esther. “In fact, I was hoping we could start over. I’d like to be friends. Unless you’re uncomfortable, in which case it’s totally cool. I can back off. I just find you fascinating, and I think we could be good together. Even in a strictly platonic sense.”

Esther took her hand without thinking. But Ashley just pulled her up and let go, an impenetrable wall of a smile on her face.

“Okay. Friends.” Friends. Esther could be friends.

They started toward Esther’s house—the streets empty at this time of night—and the whole time, a gnawing feeling in the pit of Esther’s stomach told her she’d missed an opportunity she’d soon regret.

11

Ashley

Ashley adjusted her hair bow and took another picture to make sure it was centered. The silver in her vanity mirror might not show her reflection, but at least her smartphone camera was silver free. Her phone buzzed, and a notification dropped down, covering her bow.

Esther

Wasn’t there a Friends episode about the nonexistence of a selfless gift? I think they had a point. Change my mind.

All thoughts of accessories vanished, and a quick dopamine rush sent warm tingles up and down Ashley’s arms. She took a beat to remind herself they were just friends before replying. This week’s lecture had been on gift giving. They were just two classmates discussing a lecture. Nothing sexy whatsoever.

Ashley

what happened to you being a forever optimist?

Esther

Not condemning anyone to hell is different from not believing in the existence of a selfless gift.

Ashley

ok. counterpoint. free suckers at the bank. BAM!

Esther

Corporate America’s attempt to commoditize the human desire for community through trivial acts of goodwill.

Ashley

woooooooooooooooow

I’m not giving up but I’m going to need a min after that