Page 29 of Midnight Ash

"Hashtag color me surprised."

"Hashtag green is not your color."

"Stop the hashtags. How did it go?"

"It was wonderful. You know when you hope you'll meet someone that you can do things with? Like watch a movie at home, but also go out to the theater or a museum? Mia is that person," she says, and then comes closer to whisper in my ear. "And she loves my chocolate."

"Ew, TMI, Nicki."

She laughs, "I meanactualchocolate. I hated when I dated that girl last year who was allergic. She could never come to my place, and I always had to wear clean clothes when we went out."

"So, you're saying that you go out with Mia wearing dirty clothes?" I tease.

"You know what I mean. Anyway, have you sent your manuscript yet?"

I raise my wrist, pretending to look at my non-existent watch. "Wow, it only took you ten minutes to bring it up."

"Ashton Cinder, I swear in the name of everything that is holy, I am going to choke you if you don't enter that book in the competition."

"Hold your horses, fairy-godmother-turned-evil-queen, I have the book with me to mail when the market closes."

She looks doubtful but goes back to her stall.

A guy and a little girl come up to the stall. The girl, who must be around my sisters' age, doesn't look pleased to be here.

"Hello there, I'm Ash, how can I help you today?"

"Hi, Ash, I'm Jackson, and this is my daughter, Hannah."

I turn to the little girl, "Hi, Hannah, nice to meet you. Is this your first time to the farmer's market?"

She nods and holds her dad's hand.

"Welcome, do you want to know about the vegetables I have in my stall?"

She shakes her head.

"She doesn't like vegetables," Jackson says. "I was hoping to get her a little more interested by coming to the market."

Jackson and Hannah aren't the only parent and child that come to the market for this purpose. Kids that grow up in the city have often never seen what some vegetables look like or where they come from.

"What's your favorite color, Hannah?" I ask the little girl.

"Pink," she says, looking up to her dad.

"Well, did you know that beetroot can make your tongue pink?"

Her eyes perk up, and suddenly, she's very interested.

"Not only that, beetroot has a special power. Everything it touches goes pink. How awesome is that? Would you like to try some?"

"Yes, please."

I cut a very thin slice from one of the beetroots and give it to her.

"It tastes funny," she says, twisting her nose.

"Don't tell anyone. That's the taste of an enchanted forest."