ghost fairy

Where did that leave her for now? Lounging around Micah’s extravagant house with little to do other than feel sorry for herself.

A gentle nudge of fingertips at her side made her prickle with uncertainty of how to react. She had come to welcome his touch. He was sweet. He always meant well. But times like this, when he didn’t understand her, she wanted to shove his big, stupid hand away.

She settled for shying away, hoping to get the message across. He did pull his hand away—but he also huffed out a sigh of frustration.

“How am I supposed to help if you won’t talk to me?”

Oh, she could definitely do without that testy tone of his voice. 

She whipped her head around to glare at him. “What’s there to talk about? I don’t need to come running to you every time I don’t feel like smiling, you know!” 

Once she started, she couldn’t stop, so she supposed she was giving him exactly what he wanted. Standing abruptly, she marched toward him until she reached the edge of the sill. He leaned away, and she felt the smallest flare of amusement and satisfaction that she could intimidate someone six times her size.

Jabbing a finger in his direction, she said, “Did you think that inviting me to move in here was going to solve all my problems? I’ve been fighting to survive all my life, Micah! Now, I’m just… just here. Taking up space and doing nothing, while every person I’ve ever cared about is still scraping by in the slums. The worst of it is that I don’t deserve to feel sad! I’m not the one suffering anymore, right? But it’s just… ugh!”

She finished with a frustrated growl and met Micah’s wide eyes. She couldn’t read his expression. Great. She’d probably pissed him off, and now they’d both be moping about it.

When it seemed like he wasn’t going to say anything, she looked down and rubbed her temples.

“I’m so fucking useless,” she said at the precise moment that he said, “I’m a fucking asshole.”

Her head shot back up. They gaped at each other.

“Don’t say that about yourself!” they blurted together.

Their overlapped voices made them both startle into silence for several more seconds. 

Everly broke first. She couldn’t bring her hand to her mouth fast enough to bury the laugh that bubbled out of her. That finally broke Micah out of his stupor. He looked strangely relieved, as though her giggle had saved her from imploding. Leaning an elbow on the windowsill, he rested his head in his hand and looked down at her. 

“You know, best friends finish each other’s sentences,” he said, smiling warmly. “But I have a theory.”

Part of her was frustrated to no end that he was trying to diffuse her outburst. Soft, soothing words didn’t fix the reality of the situation. But that was how he navigated discomfort, so she’d let it slide—for now.

She scoffed, utterly disarmed and pretending she wasn’t. “I’m dying to hear it.”

“Soulmates say entire sentences together.”