"Are you okay?" Ethan asked Ashley as the shorter boy finished up his pancakes.

Ashley sighed, setting his empty plate on the tray on the bedside table. "Ethan for the last time I'm fine. You need to stop hovering."

The two of them were in their bedroom, eating breakfast in bed. Ethan had taken the day off too so he could spend the day with Ashley.

"I know I just feel so... angry that I can't do anything to help."

"You are helping. You're here now."

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Azmi looked up in surprise as a new customer stepped in. She was tan with daises weaved between her dark brown hair which cascaded past her shoulders and reached her waist. She was a regular at their store, although Amzi's never gotten her name before. She'd never come in so early before; the store had barely opened a minute earlier.

"How can I help you, Miss?" Azmi asked, putting on their friendliest customer rep smile.

"I'm looking for something for... an old friend." The girl muttered, staring down at her feet. She never made eye contact. The few times Azmi had seen her eyes they noticed they were a pale blue.

"Anything specific? Do you have a message you'd like to send?"

"Yes. How do I say 'thank you' in flowers?"

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Ashley doesn't know quite what to do when he stepped into the Barnes 'n' Nobel's a few blocks from the Glen with Ethan. Like most stores of its kind, it was slowly going out of business, so everything was on sale.

"So where do you want to start?" Ethan asked, wrapping an arm around Ashley's waist. He'd stopped hovering quite as much, but Ashley knew it was going to take a while for things to go back to normal. Fortunately, he didn't mind that kind of closeness.

"I have no idea."

Soon, Ashley has a whole cart full of books, many more than the one Rick Riordan book he was supposed to get. He couldn't really help it. Technically, once he got the hang of his powers he'd have an unlimited source of money, so he wasn't too concerned about being frugal.

I've always wanted to travel before; maybe I'll get the chance to do that now? Or I could start a business? I don't think I've ever had so many choices before.

Ethan grabbed a few books for himself, shaking his head with a grin as he followed Ashley around the store.

Ethan almost ran right into Ashley when he froze right in the centre of the Paranormal section. He looked up, expecting to just see Ashley squealing about a random Fantasy novel. Instead, he was staring at the dark haired girl, who stared back at him from the other end of the row, a bouquet of flowers in her arms.

Bella.

Ethan pulled him back, ready to hurry away before she could say a word but the girl stepped forward and spoke quickly like she knew he was about to bolt.

"Wait!" She yelled, palms out in surrender. "I just want to talk."

"Ashley?" Ethan glanced at the smaller man, who was still shaking like a leaf. He nodded slowly, seemingly unsure. "Fine. But make it quick."

"Maybe we should move somewhere a little more private?"

Again, Ethan looked to Ashley who nodded once again.

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"I don't quite know how to say this, so I'm going to just blurt it out," Bella spoke, looking awkward as she perched daintily on the edge of the couch. It felt surreal having Bella in his apartment or even just so close. "I want to say thank you. I got these for you." She handed him the bouquet,

"What... I... What?" Of all the words Ashley thought she'd say he'd never expected her to say that. Much less offer her a bouquet of camellias and sweet peas.

He wasn't sure whether or not to be glad Ethan wasn't here. Bella had insisted on privacy, which had scared Ashley at first but now he was just bewildered.

"Right. I could probably have phrased that better." She sighed, playing with her hair, a nervous habit of hers. "I know what he... I know what he tried to do. I'm so sorry I never knew he was going to... I didn't know he was going to do... that."

"How... How did you know?" Ashley asked once he found his voice.

"I didn't see you for days, so I got worried and visited. Your dad was passed out in the apartment again, so I used the spare key you gave me." She paused, struggling with her next words. Bella's never been very good with her words. "I saw him, frozen on the ground. He looked scared... I-I've never really seen him like that."

"Bella... I'm-"

"Please don't say you're sorry. I know you; you've probably been beating yourself up about it since." She shook her head. "That man was a monster, Ashley. An actual fucking monster. I'm just glad he can't hurt anyone else again."

"A-Anyone else?" Ashley was almost too afraid of the answer to ask.

Bella bowed her head, strands of dark hair blocking her face. As she did, Ashley already knew the answer. "Bella... I'm so sorry... I didn't think he was capable of that."

Ashley wrapped his arm around her shoulders as she cried on his. Ugly tears rolling out of her between wretches like a dam had burst. "Bella..."

"I'm going to cut my hair." She blurted out quickly. "He liked it long. I don't want to look anything like the girl he wanted me to be. I'm going to cut my hair a-and start exercising and get a tattoo."

"And I'll help you pick which one."