"The skies have been filled with amethyst tears." He wiped away a single tear that streaked down my cheek.

More than he knew. I was probably responsible for every storm we had had the last few days.

He gave me a sincere smile. "I think you deserve a break. What you need is a change in scenery, want to grab dinner?" he asked as if it was the most natural thing in the world. And maybe it was normal, but somehow I felt like I would be betraying Gavin.

I was speechless. A part of me hadn't expected it. Another side of me knew that it might lead down this path. A date? Is that what he was asking? Or was I just jumping to all kinds of crazy a.s.sumptions?

He held up both hands. "No strings attached."

I rolled the idea around in my head, as I left him hanging. What I really wanted was just a night to forget.

Forget who I was.

Forget what I was.

Forget my sorrow.

Before I could second guess myself or change my mind, I replied with a partial smile, "Sure, why not." Two friends having dinner, it didn't have to be any more than just that. Right? He had said no strings attached...

"Do you like Italian?" he asked, grinning from ear-to-ear. His dimples winked on both cheeks. He was just so d.a.m.n charming. Any girl in the world would be a puddle at his feet.

So why wasn't I? He was what dreams where made of, after all.

I tried to return his smile but only managed a fraction of his eagerness. I couldn't fake it. Even though I had said yes, inside guilt gnawed at me. "Who doesn't like a little Italian?" I replied.

Chapter 9.

IT SEEMED LIKE WE DROVE forever just to get to the nearest Olive Garden. In reality, it probably wasn't that far. It wasn't like we had a variety of choices when it came to dining.

My cheeks were flushed as I sat across the booth from Lukas. It had nothing to do with the fireplace beside our table and everything to do with him staring at me so intently. With the dim lighting, this suddenly seemed more intimate than I had bargained. It was supposed to be innocent, just two friends.

Who was I kidding? Friends don't kiss.

Well in our defense it had only been once and in a dream. Did that even count? Lukas and I weren't just friends. We had experienced some kind of weird dream thingy for years. And now, I didn't know how to act around him. Things weren't the same as they were in my dreams.

"So how long is this... strange vibe we have going to last?" he asked, flashing those lethal dimples at me. Leave it to Lukas to just lay it all there on the table.

I exhaled and smiled trying to relieve the tension in my shoulders. "I'm glad it's not just me. It's just so strange still seeing you for real. My mind doesn't seem to be able to keep up with what my eyes see."

"Understandable. I look at you and I still can't believe how much more beautiful you are in person."

That did it. My cheeks deepened, and I sheepishly tucked my hair behind my ear. I wasn't the best at receiving compliments. Luckily I was saved by our server.

We placed our orders, and I used that short time to regain some of my lost composure. The conversation moved to a less fervent topic. I couldn't have been more grateful.

"Have you thought about what you are going to do after high school? What school you would like to attend?" he asked me. His magnetic eyes shimmered under the dim glow of candles.

I shook my dark head and fiddled with the moonstone and amethyst at my neck. "School has been the furthest thing from my mind." And my grades were starting to show it.

"I know a really great school..." He let his words linger in the air. We both knew he was talking about his college. Like a seasoned frat boy he tried to sweeten the proposal. "Just think how convenient it would be to practice magic, and I could always use someone to spar with. There aren't many witches there, so we would be doing each other a favor."

Chewing on my lip, I considered what he said. Before all this, that had been my school of choice. Now...I wasn't so sure I even wanted to go to college. "I'll think about." It was the best I could do for now. A part of me couldn't commit to anything until I knew where Gavin and I stood.

I prayed that would be sooner than later.

Lukas grinned heavenly at me, like he had won a small victory. "That's better than no. And in the meantime, I will take every opportunity to convince you."

Wonderful. I think I just opened a can of worms.

Our food arrived and the air wafted with parmesan and tomatoes. Lukas dug right in. I, on the other hand, pushed my food around the plate in circles. I was having fun, but there was a strange tug in my belly. Being here with Lukas was nice, normal even, but...

He cleared his throat, pausing between shoveling monstrous bites of meatb.a.l.l.s in his mouth. "So this thing with...," he paused. "What's his name again?"

I looked up from my half eaten plate of noodles, meeting his quizzical gaze. There was just the slightest light to them. He had been watching me aimlessly play with my food. We both knew he remembered his name. "Gavin," I supplied.

He scratched his chin. "Right. This thing with Gavin is seriously bugging you."

I sighed heavily, leaning my elbows on the table. "To say the least."

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

I made a face. "I don't want to spoil dinner."

"It might make you feel better," he dangled like it was a piece of pie.

True, though I wasn't sure he was actually the person to be my sounding board, but really, who else did I have? My aunt, Tori and Austin were out of the question for obvious reasons. Sophie was his sister and although I could probably talk to her, it felt wrong. Lukas might just be the only person out there.

I gave in. "Let's just say that he didn't take it well when he learned that I had met the guy in my dreams."

He grinned wolfishly. "Clever. I like the sound of that. Hopefully it didn't come out just so."

I snorted. "Hardly, but no matter how you twist it, I still deceived him. I should have told him the truth much sooner than I did, and in the process I hurt him." I slumped against my seat, food forgotten. This was not making me feel better.

"So what happened when you told him? Did he get mad at you?" he asked with a hint of irritation creeping in.

I twirled my straw. "Something like that. I haven't talk to him since the night I told him. He is avoiding me like I'm contagious with a deadly disease."

"Then he's an idiot." His eyes flashed.

I shifted in my sit. "It's not like that."

He arched a brow, clearly not believing me. "What makes you so positive? He hasn't called you. He's been avoiding you."

I shrugged. How could I make him understand that what was between Gavin and I ran deeper. It was more. There was some invisible thread stringing us together. "I can't explain it."

His gaze held mine with a glowing tint. "That's c.r.a.p, and you know it."

Doubt bubbled up. Did I? I wasn't so sure anymore.

Crossing his arms he declared, "He sounds like an a.s.shole."

"He's not, really. Actually he's been nothing but supportive," I defended.

"Well that may be, but if I were him, I wouldn't have walked away so easily." There was pa.s.sion and anger in his words.

Gulping, I believed him. The change in his eyes was swift, scarily so. I would be lying to myself if I didn't admit that there was a fraction of fear inside me. He must have noticed it, because a moment later he banked that fire, and sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound so harsh."

I frowned. Maybe I was just being overly twitchy about this whole thing. I had nothing to fear from Lukas, never had before. "Let's just forget about it."

"Under one condition," he replied, stretching his long legs.

Great. I was almost afraid to find out what his one condition would be. I eyed him warily.

He smiled at me with his Lukas award winning grin. "You share dessert with me. We need chocolate."

I snickered. "You're right. Chocolate makes everything better." Well at least if you are a girl.

He ordered a triple chocolate cake. Just one. And like that, there was a weight gone from air again. I could breathe. Gone was the weird tension, he was the Lukas from my dreams. My golden witch. My friend.

I missed him.

"Here." He forked a bite of chocolate cake, holding it suspended over the table. "You have got to try this." He stretched across the table. The college t-shirt he wore spread across the muscles on his chest.

Yum. And I wasn't just talking about the cake.

My mouth watered.

I kept my expression blank. A part of me knew I was crossing a line, but it was not like I was kissing him, even though it felt...more. The candle on the table flickered, and I rubbed my hands on my jeans. Leaning over the table, I took the bite he offered. The chocolate literally melted in my mouth. "G.o.d that is good," I said after I swallowed the sugary goo.

"You bet your sweet a.s.s." His emerald eyes twinkling.

"Your way with words is staggering."

"I'm just getting started."

"That's what I'm afraid of." I seriously hoped that was a metaphor for something else. Or I was going to find myself in a precarious situation with more guys than I could handle. Breaking hearts wasn't my forte.

Friend, I reminded myself. We are just friends.

Who would have ever imagined that at the brink of eighteen, I would find myself in such a mess? Certainly not me.

Chapter 10.

ANOTHER WEEK WITHOUT GAVIN.

Depressing.

This was getting ridiculous. How was he going to keep his grades up to graduate? It wasn't like he could just spell his way through high school. Or maybe he could.

Enough was enough. I got that he was mad at me, that he refused to answer my messages, but there had to be a way we could co-exist for gosh sake.

To make matters worse, Rianne decided today was the day she made me a target.

Goody gumdrops.

Between pa.s.sing periods she snuck up on me at my locker. I should have been able to smell her s.k.a.n.ky scent. She gave me an evil grin, flanked by two of her cronies. "Well if it isn't the school mutant. Where's your boy toy? Don't tell me he got tired of you already?"

I tried counting to ten in my head. It didn't lessen my rising temper any. The more words she spewed, the more intense the tingles ran through my body. I felt like I was going to burst.

Speaking of burst, her jeans were suction cupped to her legs, and I was pretty sure she wasn't wearing a bra. I had no idea how she could even move in that getup.

"Wait," she rambled on like I gave two-s.h.i.ts. "Let me guess." She tapped her blood red nail against her lip. "He found out what a freak you really are and ran for the hills." The smirk on her face was almost enough to make me lose it.

She had it coming, she really did. She must be glutton for punishment. There really wasn't any other explanation I could fathom. Just a little magic wouldn't be that bad...

How much more damage could it really do, especially when she was already h.e.l.l bent on slandering my reputation? Why not add more fuel to the flame? In reality not the best idea, but right then I couldn't think straight. I wasn't rational.

"Don't screw with me today." My whole body was shaking with the need to hurt her, and a haze of darkness swarmed behind my eyes.

"Ooh," she taunted holding her hands up. "What are you going to do?" she sneered, the two insignificant girls behind her giggled.

I could smash her like a bug, crush her under my Uggs. "You could stick around and find out," I snapped.

There was just the tiniest flicker in her golden eyes. Fear. Under all that hoochie, Rianne was afraid of me. I was small enough to admit that pleased me. She could say whatever she wanted. Spread all the nasty rumors she wanted. Just as long as she knew, there was nothing she could do to destroy me. I wouldn't give her the satisfaction.

h.e.l.l-to-the-no.

Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever.

A wicked gleam lit her eyes. "I just wanted to see your face when you found out I was banging your boyfriend."

That was it!