*Ava's POV*

I awoke late at night to the sound of someone walking around in the living room. This frightened me a bit, so I slowly got out of bed and, careful not to alarm the sleeping Chris, tiptoed into the open space.

There stood Phil holding a sleeping Marlhy in a blanket. 

After I finished having my heart attacks, I cocked my head slightly and gave him a confused look. He nodded and placed her on the seat before coming over to me. "She fell asleep in the grotto," he whispered, "and she's still upset, I think. I'm so so so sorry for messing it up."

I reassured him it was okay, even though it wasn't.

Once he retreated into his room and I was alone, I crept over to her. Her darker-than-olive cheeks were stained with tears and she had a tense and uncomfortable expression on her face. Chances are it was cold out there and the ground didn't feel good at all. I felt horrible for some reason, even though I had nothing to feel bad about. I was who I was, and I was doing all I could to change it.

Still, though, I gently shook her awake. After a few seconds, her deep green eyes appeared once again, barely illuminated by a single magic light she had previously installed. When she noticed it was me, she furrowed her eyebrows and pushed me away.

"Marlhy, stop. I don't care if you forgive me or not, I just want you to listen," I pleaded. She gave it some thought, before lifting her arms and beginning to cast a charm. "Bleckenia autvragnir af andro frin prat ve komenni at hah," she chanted quietly. Green mist leaked from her palms and surrounded us.

She turned back to me. "Soundproof barrier," she explained, "talk at a normal volume. No bullshit, please."

I took a deep breath and began to, once again, explain my situation. "You're right about one thing - I am a faerie. Before you get worked up, though, I don't have any power. I lost that a while ago. My mum is a faerie-human hybrid, which is why she doesn't live in the forest, and my dad is just a human. I got the faerie gene, and I hate it. Always have, always will.

"I've been taking conversion therapy, which is why I have no power. I take it because I'm not evil. I'm a different kind of faerie, because I'm aware of how horribly we act. My mum found out I was converting and that's why we were fighting. She told everyone in our community and now all faeries hate me. I would have told you earlier except I'm trying to cover up my identity for my safety as well as yours. 

"I'm sorry, Marlhy, but I am who I am. I'm trying to change it, but I can't help being this way for now."

By the time I finished, I was crying. This was a touchy subject for me, and now I had unloaded it. The words I spoke hung in the air and created a tense atmosphere.

All Marlhy could do was stare at the floor, probably thinking. I cried quietly into my hands while she did. Finally, after a period of silence, she stood from her seat. I looked up at her, and at that moment I realized I had sunk to my knees on the floor.

She crouched down and toppled over onto me, hugging me close to her. I cried more into her shoulder, and she rubbed my back while I did, cooing "It's okay." over and over until I calmed down.

When I stopped crying, she spoke again. "I'm so sorry. I should have listened. That was selfish and ignorant of me."

"It's okay," I mumbled, "I would have reacted the same way. I'm a monster."

"No, you're not," she said sternly, "you're the twin sister of dreamy Chris Kendall, and the most beautiful and sweet girl I've ever met."

That made me smile, until I remembered her words from earlier.

"I like you, Ava."

That reminded me of my internal struggle. Did I like her back?

I pulled away. "Remember what you told me earlier?" I asked, wiping a tear from my eye. "Marlhy, I think I like you too."

She got the biggest, most adorable grin on her face before tackling me with another embrace. "Thank God. I thought I'd ruined everything by telling you."

"Can I ask you something?" I asked, in a suddenly serious tone.

She pulled away and sat up on her legs. "Uh, sure?"

"Will you be my girlfriend?" I smiled at her.

Without warning, she placed her hand on my cheek and kissed me lovingly. I smiled into the kiss. I could already tell I really did like Marlhy. After another moment, she broke the kiss and spoke a single word before going back in for another:

"Yes."

I LOVE THIS CHAPTER

IT'S LATE ASF I'M GOING TO SLEEP SEE YOU TOMORROW HOMIES