Page 3

Two

Birthday Shower

T ristan looked up the weather report. They weren’t getting lightning any time soon in Harmony Hills or the neighboring small towns. But he saw that a small town in Washington was expecting heavy rain with lightning in the next hour.

Tristan didn’t think twice before teleporting there, outside the shelter of a building he had found on Google.

It was nearing midnight. In an hour, Alexa would turn eighteen. The sooner the lightning struck, the sooner he could finish his experiment and go back. If it didn’t by then, he would have no choice but to cancel his surprise. He wouldn’t risk her safety again.

Tristan kept to the shadows as he walked down a silent, rain-pattered street. He wore the bracelet on his left wrist along with his watch and stuffed both hands into the pockets of his jeans. He kept the hood of his black jacket up—the best choice when he was trying to blend with the darkness.

He hadn’t told his dad or Alexa he was here. Of course, they knew he was looking forward to experimenting with the bracelet, but if he told them he was at it now, they would likely panic—especially after learning that he was miles away from Oregon.

This was the first time he had ever teleported out of state.

There wasn’t a single star in the sky, and before long, a drizzle began. Tristan kept walking, his skin tingling with the crackle of electricity in the air as always—the hum of every electric device around him. Among them, he sensed the cameras hidden in nearby buildings and steered clear, tugging his hood lower.

His heart raced. He had never been in the rain before. The time on his watch showed there were only fifteen more minutes until midnight. He had left his phone behind—just in case—and so he couldn’t look up the weather reports again to ease himself.

The drizzle slowly strengthened into a downpour, and along with it came the bright flash that made Tristan jump out of his skin.

His heart now beat in his throat. Tristan gaped at the sky in amazement and then at the silver bracelet on his wrist.

Not even a tingle .

It worked.

Thunder clapped in the skies, and for the first time in his life, Tristan grinned up at the sky. Tears pricked his eyes as he closed them and exposed his face to the rain. The hood fell from his head. He stood there, drenched in the downpour, a strange sense of freedom in his soul.

Another flash. Another thunderclap.

He could only imagine having this freedom for the rest of his life and dancing with Alexa every time it rained.

Alexa.

Tristan’s eyes flew open. He checked the time on his watch. Five to twelve. He looked around him for prying eyes, his sharp gaze scanning every nook and cranny in the dark before he withdrew into the shadow of the nearest building.

He teleported back to his house, his grin still intact.

* * *

Alexa hadn’t meant to fall asleep. Tristan would come when midnight struck; not that he had told her he would, but she knew it. She had been revising for the upcoming end-of-term exams all night, and her eyes were so tired that when she tried to read something for a break, they started to droop.

She awoke to the feeling of something cool and soft touching her cheek. She stirred and opened her eyes, meeting Tristan’s electric-blue ones, and smiled sleepily.

“Wake up, sleepyhead. It’s your birthday.” His voice crooned with a smile.

“I didn’t mean to sleep.” Alexa rubbed her eyes carefully. “I knew you’d come.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Cassie told you?”

She mirrored his expression. “ Cassie knew you’d come?”

He smiled sheepishly. “I may have bribed her to let me wish you happy birthday first.”

Laughter bubbled up to Alexa’s lips. She sat up straight. “Wow. You sure have grown on my sister. She’s never let anyone else wish me first before.”

“What can I say? I have a reputation for getting into people’s good graces.”

“And causing heartache for girls.”

“I denied that one, remember?” Tristan leaned in and pressed his lips to hers before she could respond. “Happy birthday, my angel.”

“Thank you, my knight.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, ran her fingers through his hair, and noticed that it was wet. “Did you shower? At this hour?”

“It was quite the shower…” He tightened his arms around her, lifting her off the bed and making her stand on the floor. “Now, are you ready for your first surprise?”

“How many have you planned?” She laughed. “I told you I didn’t want anything.”

“No, you said you wouldn’t mind it if you didn’t get anything for your birthday because I’m the best gift you could ever receive,” he corrected, and she rolled her eyes. “So, I decided not to wrap myself up in gift wrap and instead make your special day worth remembering.”

“I don’t know… Presenting me with yourself would’ve made a strong memory.”

This time, Tristan rolled his eyes. “So, are you ready?”

Alexa looked over his shoulder at the table behind him and then around her room, anywhere he might have kept the presents. But there was nothing unusual in sight. Then it clicked. She met his amused glance with wide eyes.

“You’re taking me somewhere?”

“Yes, and it’s going to be just the two of us—and definitely not the clock tower—so I’d say, your PJs are perfect.”

“But my hair—”

“Is not a bird’s nest.”

“Then it’s a lion’s den,” Alexa insisted sarcastically and pulled away from him, walking to the mirror.

“ What? ” Tristan sputtered a laugh. “No, come on, you look perfect.”

“You say that all the time, even if I’m wearing a potato sack.”

“True. Because nothing can overshadow the beauty that comes from inside you. So, no matter how you appear or what you wear, to me, you are always exquisite.”

Alexa turned to him from the mirror. She wouldn’t fight him on this. While she knew she was beautiful, Tristan had a way of seeing past her outer beauty. He always admired her for the person she was rather than how she looked. Of course, he complimented her on her beauty too, but it wasn’t what he liked to rave about—unlike Jude, or any other guys who had tried to flirt with her.

Tristan saw her . That was why he was universally the best thing to ever happen in her life. Even Jesus had said that.

Alexa walked back to Tristan and accepted his offered hand. “I’m ready for my surprise.”

He pulled her into him. Gravity shifted and restored beneath them. Alexa opened her eyes and looked around their surroundings, then froze at the sight that met her.

They were on the rooftop of his house. If she hadn’t been here once before, Alexa would’ve thought he had transported them to a magical realm or something.

The twinkling fairy lights that strung all around made it look like a dreamscape. Candles surrounded them, and a sweet, familiar vanilla and coffee bean fragrance filled the air—the one she always smelled on Tristan. Rose petals were scattered across the ground and a plush blanket was laid out in the middle, surrounded by more petals and a vase of fresh roses next to it.

“Tristan…” She brought her awed, tear-filled gaze back to him and saw him watching her with a gentle smile. “This is…” She had no words.

“You like it?”

“No?”

His knowing grin was crooked. “You love it.”

She laughed and threw her arms around him. “Of course, I do. No one’s ever done anything like this for me.”

“You deserve only the best. Happy eighteenth, my love.”

Heart exploding with love, she pulled back and kissed him to thank him.

“Dance with me?” he murmured as she withdrew. Alexa nodded. Tristan played one of her favorite songs on a Bluetooth speaker, not too loud to reach the sleeping neighbors, and danced with her to it.

“How did you manage all this?” Alexa whispered, her gaze sweeping around their surroundings one last time before they fixed on him.

“Oh, it was quite easy once I figured out what I wanted to do.” He gave her a teasing smile. “You make it sound like I did a lot of work.”

“It is a lot to me.”

“I know,” he said with a soft, knowing smile. “It means a lot to me that I get to do this for you.”

She returned his smile. “I know, but to be honest, this is the last place I expected you to take me to. I know you don’t come up here often and how disturbed you were the one time you brought me here to show me around.”

It was right here that Merissa had activated his curse years ago.

To her surprise, his smile only grew. “I realized that the only way to overcome the darkness is by letting the light shine through it. You are my light, Lexa, and this moment spent here with you overpowers the darkest hour of my life.”

Alexa stared at him. “You know you’re my light, too, right?”

“I do.” Tristan leaned in and kissed her forehead. “By the way, I tested the bracelet.”

Alexa swayed back in surprise. “What? When?”

“I thought it was better if you and Dad didn’t know what I was up to until after I did it. You wouldn’t have let me—I teleported to Washington.”

She gasped, stopping mid-dance. “You—but that’s out of state!”

“I know.” He grinned. “I wasn’t sure it would work, but it did. I didn’t want to wait around until a thunderstorm came over to Harmony Hills. I wanted to get this done as soon as possible and breathe a little easier, so I went there about an hour ago after looking up the weather reports. The lightning struck, but I didn’t even feel a tingle. That was possibly the first time I was out in the rain without being struck down.” His eyebrows furrowed. “You’re not mad at me, are you?”

Mad? She was relieved .

Alexa hugged him tight. “Oh, Tristan… You will never have to suffer again!”

“Yes, and the next time it rains in Harmony Hills, I’d like to dance with you in it.”

Alexa couldn’t find it in her to wait. She wanted to fulfill that wish then and there. He deserved the world; if she could give him moments like this, nothing would make her happier.

“Take me there.”

“What?”

“Take me there,” she repeated, pulling back to look at him. “I want to dance with you in the rain.”

He laughed, looking surprised. “Really?”

“Yes.”

“But you’re in your PJ’s. Aren’t you worried about your appearance when—”

“Then take us somewhere deserted.”

“Cassie will have my head if you catch a fever—”

She narrowed her eyes playfully at him. “No one’s allowed to say no to the birthday girl. It goes against the rules of humanity.”

Tristan threw his head back and let out an infectious laugh. “I was only making sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. Let’s go then.”

“Oh, wait, I’m barefoot—”

“I’m too.”

“You mean it’s alright to go barefoot to another state and dance in the rain in an empty street?” she asked incredulously. “What if we step on broken glass or something?”

Tristan laughed. “You got me there. I’ll be right back.” He dropped his arms from her, stepped back, and disappeared into thin air. Her heart didn’t jump like the first times she’d seen him teleport; this was now a daily sight.

He reappeared within a minute and handed over her slippers before he bent down to put on his shoes. When he was done, he straightened and pulled her back into his arms, and murmured in her ear, “Close your eyes.”

Alexa obliged, smiling. Gravity shifted and was restored, and she opened her eyes, not waiting for Tristan’s cue. She glanced around, taking in the quaint, empty street they were standing in the middle of, the only sound was the drizzle of rain.

“Perfect.” She grinned. “Oh my goodness, I’m in Washington!”

Tristan chuckled and stripped off his jacket, and held it around her shoulders, but Alexa shook her head.

“If you’re not wearing one, neither am I.”

He tossed it to the bench on the sidewalk with a smirk. “Is Alexandra Ford eager to get in trouble?”

“No better way to start her eighteenth year.” And she was spun around under his arm.

The drizzle turned into a steady rain, and instead of shivering from the cold, Alexa felt warmth spread through her, basking in Tristan’s adoration. They spun and twirled, the rain mingling with their laughter, their clothes now clinging to their bodies. Alexa looked up at Tristan; his hair was plastered to his forehead and his eyes were bright with happiness.

“This is crazy,” she said.

“Beautifully crazy,” he corrected and leaned down to capture her lips in a soft, lingering kiss.

The rain began to fall even harder, drenching them, but neither cared. They pulled apart a moment later and continued to dance, their movements now slow. Every so often, Tristan would steal another kiss, and Alexa felt like she was living in a dream.

Every moment spent with him was like a dream, the kind she never wanted to wake up from.

As the rain’s intensity began to lessen, they finally stopped dancing. Drenched but wrapped in each other’s warmth. Breathless but wonderfully alive.

“Thank you for this,” Alexa said, staring into his alight electric-blue eyes, her voice small. “It’s perfect.”

Tristan brushed a wet strand of hair from her face. “Thank you , Lexa. When it comes to my dreams, you jump right at the chance to fulfill them.”

“And you make my nonexistent dreams come true; things I haven’t even dared to dream of.” Alexa shook her head. “You’re so romantic.”

“What can I say?” He touched his forehead to hers. “You were once my hopeless dream, and now that you’re real— we are real—this is our moment.”

“Our moment.” After a beat of silence, she asked, “Was that plush blanket on your rooftop for stargazing?”

He chuckled. “Wanna head back?”

“Honestly, I don’t care where we spend time as long as we’re together, but stargazing does sound romantic.”

“Then stargazing it is.” Tristan pulled her closer to teleport back when Alexa noticed his abandoned jacket on the bench.

“Wait!” She stepped out of his hold and grabbed it before letting him take them back.

They appeared in his room.

“I’ll get you a change of clothes,” Tristan said, walking toward his closet, dripping water on the floor on his way. “I’m sure you don’t want to stargaze in your wet ones.”

“Yes, but I also don’t think I’ll fit into any of your pants or shorts.” She took off her slippers and rubbed her feet on the floor mat he had thoughtfully landed them on.

Tristan pulled out a black hoodie and tossed it to her. Alexa caught it before it hit her in the face. “Do you want me to grab one from your room?”

“Yes, you’ll find one on my chair—”

He disappeared before she could finish that sentence and reappeared not more than ten seconds later, making her stifle a laugh, and tossed her the shorts.

“You can change in my bathroom; there’s a spare towel in the towel rack. I’ll use the common bathroom downstairs. Come find me in the kitchen once you’re done.”

She saw the pink coloring his pale cheeks before he turned and grabbed a change of clothes for him, as though the idea of her changing in his bathroom flustered him.

Now that she thought about it, it flustered her too. She’d never used his bathroom before other than when she’d been looking around his house once.

Before he could see her flaming cheeks, Alexa hurried past him into the bathroom and locked the door behind her. She sagged against it and exhaled, keeping a hand to her heart to calm its racing.

It was just a bathroom. And she was just here to change into dry clothes. Calm down, heart.

“I’m keeping this bag outside so you can put your wet clothes in it to bring them back.”

Ever the thoughtful gentleman.

“Thank you,” she murmured with a smile.

Once she heard the door close, she moved further into the spacious, masculine bathroom and found the spare towel in the towel rack. She squeezed the water from her hair and dried it with the towel. Then she stripped off her wet clothes, hung them on the curtain rod, and dried off.

She threw on her shorts and Tristan’s hoodie. It was too big for her, the sleeves extending past her hands and the hem reaching down to her thighs. His sweet scent wafted up and wrapped around her, and she hugged her arms around herself, smiling as she inhaled his aroma.

After combing her fingers through her hair, Alexa gathered her wet clothes and stepped out. She found the bag Tristan had mentioned on the floor and put the clothes in it. Then, noticing the puddle of water they’d left in a trail on his floor, she went back in, found a mop, and cleaned the mess before heading down to the kitchen.

Tristan had left the lights on all the way downstairs for her and she couldn’t help but smile at the lengths of his care. Albert wasn’t home tonight due to some emergency at the hospital. So they didn’t have to worry about waking him up accidentally.

Tristan met her halfway in the living room and stopped in his tracks. His eyes took her in up and down before he smiled.

“I love seeing my hoodie on you.”

Alexa blushed. “It feels like I’m swimming in it, but it’s so cozy and smells like you.”

His lips twitched into a smirk. “The best part is that you look even more adorable in it.” He closed the distance between them and took her cold hands in his surprisingly warm ones. “Now, how about that stargazing?”

“Ready when you are.”

Tristan teleported them to the rooftop. They sat down on the plush blanket and he reached for a basket nearby.

“What is that?”

“Hot chocolate, your favorite,” he said, taking out a thermos and two cups. He poured the steaming hot drink into one and handed it to her.

“Oh, Tristan… my heart can only handle so much melting.”

“And I thought mine could only handle falling for you so many times, but it happens every day, and I’m handling it just fine.” He patted his chest and poured himself a cup, then winked at her. “You’ll get used to it.”

Alexa laughed. “With you, I don’t doubt that.”

Tristan set the thermos down and positioned himself behind her. She sat between his legs, and he drew her backward to lean on him. Alexa blew off the steam and sipped from her cup. She heard him take a sip as well.

“This is the best birthday I’ve ever had,” she whispered.

He squeezed her hand, which was intertwined with his on her lap. “I wanted to give you a night you’ll never forget.”

Tears pricked her eyes. After losing her dad only six months ago, she hadn’t wanted to celebrate this birthday. Even now, thinking about him evoked painful but sweet memories. She had thought she couldn’t handle a birthday without him, but surprisingly, she had found happiness.

Happiness, home, and love.

Alexa still wished her dad were here, but then she remembered what Haxsel, the man who visited her at the hospital, had said. All the pain in her life had brought her to Tristan. And she didn’t regret it.

“You’ve done more than that.”

“And I intend to make it even better.”

Alexa craned her neck and looked at him incredulously.

“What? Your birthday started only an hour ago. This is just one of my surprises.”

She shook her head in disbelief. “You sure are going to spoil me by the end of the day.”

“Absolutely.”

They lay down on the blanket side by side after finishing their hot chocolates. A yawn escaped Alexa, and Tristan turned to her with a teasing smile.

“Tired, angel?”

“Tired?” she parroted with a laugh. “I’ve never felt so awake in my entire life. Yawns can be misleading.”

“Just saying, if you happen to fall asleep, I can always carry you to your bed.”

Alexa withheld the urge to roll her eyes. Like this would be the first time it had happened.

“Thanks for the heads-up,” she said sarcastically, another yawn escaping her, “so I won’t be surprised when I open my eyes to the sunlight in my bedroom after closing them to the starlit sky.”

He chuckled and continued to stargaze. After a moment, she heard him exhale. “Do you ever think about how small we are compared to all this?” He continued without her answer, “Yet, finding you feel like discovering my own universe.”

Alexa closed her eyes, her heart skipping. “I feel very much the same.”

“Everything else seems so insignificant when I’m with you—dang it, since I laid my eyes on you.” Alexa felt him shift and opened her eyes to look at him. He had turned fully onto his side, propping himself up on one elbow to look down at her. “What if I told you that the starlit night sky pales in comparison to the way your eyes light up when you see me?”

“Oh, my gosh, Tristan!” Alexa brought her hands to her face as her cheeks burned. “Did I turn you into a poet? Because I’m very much certain you told me you weren’t one when we met.”

His deep chuckle fell in her ears, and he pried her hands away. “I also told you I didn’t know the first thing about flirting before I did just that. I think I tend to become someone else when I’m around you. You brought out the romantic in me I didn’t know existed, all the parts I have buried, my best and my worst. Now I’m turned inside out, thanks to you.”

“Worst?” she repeated in a horrified tone.

He laughed. “You didn’t exactly think my stalker role was cool.”

Alexa swatted at his chest playfully. “Only that one time, and you know it was because I was so confused and scared when you said you loved me. I even held a grudge against the hotdog you bought me because of that.”

Tristan burst into laughter. She laughed along with him, basking in the deep, open, and rich sound of his laugh. She loved it when he laughed, especially when she was the cause of it. He was indescribable, yet she somehow managed to write about him in her journal every day. And now, a new thought hit her—what would it be like to write a song about him?

“I love you, Alexandra Ford,” he said after calming down.

“I love you, Tristan Knight.”

He lay back next to her and turned his face up to the heavens. Alexa scooted closer to him for warmth, and when she stole a glance at him after a short while, she realized he was watching her instead of the stars.

And she knew she was simply the luckiest girl to exist.