she asked.He didn’t say anything, but he kept moving through the line of trees surrounding her subdivision.“Hey, I—” She stumbled, catching herself with her hands and knees.He crouched beside her. “You okay?”“Fine.” She pulled herself to a standing position, ignoring his offered hand.“I guess I kind of forgot you were in a nightgown and barefoot.” He stared down at her midnight blue painted toenails.She curled her toes under, meshing them into the dirt.He saw the look on her face. “Oh, hey. It’s okay. I’ll get you some shoes.” He rested his hand on her arm.When his skin made contact with hers, heat flushed up her arm. The purple flames appeared in her palms. “Oh, I…”He jerked his hand back. “My car’s right over there.”She followed him again, bare feet scraping against the dirt, leaves, and twigs from the trees. Finally, the trees gave way to the back of a strip mall. Bright streetlights crowded the medians, lighting the closed stores. A lone black sports car basked in the glow of the lights.“Come.”
