Page 70 of Kissing is the Easy Part

Sean

When the power cuts at ten, someone comes up behind me and taps me on the shoulder. It must be Flora messing with me again. When the lights flicker back on, Lindsey stands beside the fireplace. “I want to thank you.”

“You’re welcome. You should thank Flora, though. She did everything.”

She nods. “Already did.”

“Happy birthday. Are you having fun?”

She laughs. In the corner, a small mountain of presents has gathered, including a giant teddy bear—courtesy of Jake and Dylan—with a tag that readsFrom Your Second and Third Brothers, a handmade wreath woven with faux flowers and silk ribbons from her freshman-year friends, and stacks of books and enough pastel stationery to last her all four years of high school. “This ismuchbetter than Craigslist llama.”

“Told ya. The best revenge is moving on.”

“Sure. Look, listen carefully, because I’m never going to say this again for the rest of my life.” She takes a deep breath, her eyes on the silver ornaments hanging on the fake tree. “You’re a great brother, and I love you.”

“I disagree. You’ll probably say it again many, many more times in the future.”

She giggles. “Hey, wanna know what my birthday wish is?”

“Find another boyfriend and get married before Christmas?”

“Ha-ha. No. I wish you and Flora would get back together.”

Through the crowd, Flora leans against a table, her wings fluttering as she chats with a group of guests. Eyes bright, not a single strand of hair out of place.

I want to pull her aside and ask her what the kiss meant, because I never dare assume anything with Flora, but she doesn’t spare me a second of her attention. She’s fully back in event planner mode, circulating around the room to make sure no one’s bored.

When our party dwindles and my parents finally kick everyone out, Flora barely acknowledges me as I walk her to her car. She’s draped a trench coat over her angel costume, but I remember what’s underneath. I can also taste her on my lips.

“Good night.” She lays a hand on her car door handle, and it unlocks automatically. “I hope you had fun.”

“I did. Thanks again. None of this would’ve happened without you.”

She offers a cool smile. “You’re welcome.”

My heart hammers. What happened in my room, anyway? I knew exactly what her wish would do to me. It would give me hope, and the smallest sliver of it was all it took for me to fall completely. “You wasted one wish tonight.”

“I don’t think so.”

I scratch at my palm, my nails digging in. “I would kiss you even without the wish.”

Her eyebrows rise, her lashes casting delicate shadows on her cheeks, like palm tree leaves on sand. “You like my costumethatmuch, huh?”

I swallow hard. “I like it, but the truth is . . . I like you.”

I said it, finally. Once the words are out, there’s no turning back. She’ll have complete control over me. “Flora, I really like you. You know,thatkind of like.”

These were the words she’d once said to me. Now the roles are reversed, and with the confession out there, it feels like something cracked open. With no alcohol in me to bolster my confidence, my body can’t decide whether to flee or stay. Every beat of silence stretches, and I brace for whatever comes next.

She’s hurt me before. She can do it again, easily.

Her eyes stay on my face for a minute before she lets out a peal of laughter. “Who doesn’t?”

I stand rooted to the ground. Flora’s up-front but never cruel.

“Honey, are you ready to go?” Madison pulls up in her car and yells out of the window.

Flora whips around to wave. “Yeah, in a sec.” She gets in her car, but her gaze lingers on me through the window. Then she rolls it down halfway and asks, “Why are you telling me this?”