"Was it wrong that I offered Travis some money?", Ryesen asked and hugged her legs to her chest.

Jarle took a deep breath, "Some humans consider it insulting to be offered money", he explained.

She shook her head, "I wasn't trying to insult him or anything, I was just trying to help. How is it that what I did is of any difference from the money he gets from his job at the supermarket? It's just money! Printed papers with a picture and serial numbers", she threw her hands in the air, "Humans are complicated".

She turned her head looking at the slightly blooming tulips. The bulbs that Jarle brought on his last visit to the Land of Man. She did as he instructed and coated them with her blood before planting them. They took longer to grow since she didn't want to use any potions, despite her inquisitiveness, but it was worth it. Now her patience was about to be rewarded and she could see a tiniest bit of the petals as the sepals grew apart. Grey. That was a strange color for tulips.

"Ah, yes! But that money is what he earns in return of something he does. He didn't earn what you offered", he saw her roll her eyes and chuckled. She clearly didn't fully grasp the relation between humans and money yet so he tried another approach, "Imagine this, Laigh praised you for a potion prepared by another and you kept your silence and became his apprentice". Knowing this Princess, she would never take credit for something she didn't do.

Her eyes rounded like saucers before hiding her face in her palms, "I'm a horrible, horrible faerie!" Her voice came out muffled. Guilt and shamed engulfed her in seconds. What have I done? No wonder he was angry at me!

Jarle patted her head, "What are you going to do to right your wrong?"

Peeking from between her fingers, "I don't know, call him? Apologize?" she hid her face again.

Jarle started to walk out of her room now that his mission here was over, "Perhaps you won't need to call him. He's been sitting in his truck in front of the house for the last ten minutes".

"What?", she jumped to her feet, in the middle of the bed, before jumping off and rushing out. "Why didn't you tell my earlier?"

A grin played on his lips as she dashed pass him, "And miss out on our conversation?" That granted him a growl.

Travis picked up his phone for probably the hundredth time and started typing his apology message for the hundredth time. 'I'm sorry' didn't seem like an enough apology. However, that was how his message started. As soon as he finished putting the message together he erased it. I'm already here! I should talk to her in person! Not through some lame message. He growled rubbing his forehead. A low knock on the window made him jump and his head snap in that direction.

Instantly he reached over and opened the door for her to climb in, "Hey...".

"Hi", Ryesen said as she closed the door behind her. She sat sideways so she'd be able to look at him. He didn't seem angry anymore. However, she could read the guilt that matched hers in his expression when he glanced at her.

She didn't prepare a proper apology, but as her mother always told her 'A simple 'sorry' is enough as long as it's from the heart'. And well, after Jarle explanation she felt a twinge in her heart.

"I'm sorry" Ryesen started, "making you feel uncomfortable or insulting you was nev...".

"No, I should apologize for the way I've behaved", Travis twisted in his seat as well to face her. The truck shook a little with his sudden movement. "You were trying to be a good friend and I took it personally and got all sensitive about it. I shouldn't have gotten all worked up like that and storm off the way I did" he scratched the side of his face before tucking his hands in the pockets of his sweater, "I'm sorry that I've ruined our night out"

Ryesen shook her head, "How about we both forget that ever happened?" she put out a hand.

His face beamed turning from gloomy to his usual cheerful self, "It's a deal!" His voice couldn't sound happier. Then his face changed to all business and serious as they shook on it. He laughed when she started to giggle. He sighed with relief.

"Would you like to come in for a while?" she asked, "Jarle said you've been out here for some time".

When Travis heard her invitation he was smiling, but then that smile died and turned to sheer embarrassment after hearing the other part about Jarle knowing he was lurking outside their house. Not a good impression! Not a good impression at all!

"As much as I want to say yes I have to decline. How about I come in some other time when I appear less of a psycho-stalker and more like a decent person" then his pockets-caged hands started to move rapidly as he tried to clear his slate "Frankly, I wasn't sure if you wanted to see me or not. I climbed in and out the truck like five times and started to write you like twenty messages to apologize then ended up deleting them. Thirty-five if you counted the messages I wrote yesterday before deciding to... um... stalk outside your house", he glanced at her sheepishly.

She giggled and then sighed. He flustered a bit when she said, "You are a decent human. One of the best I've ever met." He might understand the tacit meaning in her words, but nonetheless it was sincere and from the heart. She might not have known him for a long time, but it was hard not to like him. "I'm glad that you came".

And he was happy that he did. Despite the stalking part. He was jubilant that they cleared things out and she wasn't mad at him as he thought. He wasn't able to sleep last night dwelling on how the first time they went out alone ended. Now, he was at ease.

"Hey, do you have any plans for the evening?", he asked.

Ryesen nodded, "Zoe and I were planning to visit a bookstore we saw the other day".

"Oh, that's good".

The disappointing look the crossed his features twisted her heart, "Would you like to join us?". And the way his face lit up twisted her heart in a very different way. What he said next made her like him even more.

"First, ask Zoe if she didn't mind me tagging along. I don't want to interrupt your girls-day-out", imposing was the last thing he wanted to do. "Either ways, text me later. I have an early shift at the supermarket and it ends at two".

She nodded, "I'll ask her and let you know". Then she opened the door and slipped out. A gust of cold air made her shiver a little after leaving the warmth of his truck. "Have a good day at work".

He could not stop smiling when he was with her, "Thank you! And you have a good day too". She didn't give him a chance to open the door for her or walk her to the front door. Waving goodbye by the widow, he watched her rush inside, her long braided hair swinging behind her, before he hit the road to work. This day was off to a good start, hopefully it will end good too.

*********

Jarle and Ovia exchanged looks when Ryesen walked in. They didn't need to ask how things went. It was showing on her face as she teetered into the kitchen. Jarle was toasting sliced bread while Ovia sat at the counter eating grapes. The silence in the kitchen was charge with glances and soundless bubbles of laughs. Ryesen climbed on the stool next to Ovia where Jarle placed a plate of warm toast, butter and fruits.

Ryesen swayed in her seat turning it left and right like a young-ling Fey and said with a big grin, "I'm so happy, I don't think I can eat".

Ovia cleared her throat to cover a laugh, "You should eat before training as you're training with me today"

Ryesen stopped swaying and sat up straighter, "Okay" that wide grin didn't leave her face or help her case in an attempt to be serious. Especially when she giggled.

Ovia's previously compressed laugh broke out. Jarle chuckled too. Not minding them she went back to swaying in her seat and started to butter a piece of bread while humming.

After breakfast and training with Ovia she rushed to her room and straight to where she left her phone to call Zoe. As predicted, Zoe didn't mind. On the contrary, she thought it would be 'awesome!' They spoke for almost an hour. Ryesen told her about their outdoors movie-picnic.

"Oh my! Who knew that Travis could be romantic?" Zoe giggled.

Ryesen giggle too, but a hint of guilt nicked inside her, "I'm sorry for ditching you".

Zoe laughed, "Hey, feel free to ditch me anytime", then she sighed, "You know that I'm hopeless when it comes to... um... you know... this kind of stuff".

That made her wonder if there was a guy that Zoe liked. This would be a conversation for another time. She chatted a bit longer with her friend before hanging up. Then, wrote a text message to Travis telling him the news.

She didn't get to put her phone down as he texted her right away with a string of smiley faces that drew a grin on her face. Followed by the words "I'll pick you up at 2:45 pm"

Ryesen was on her way out when she stopped by the living room where Jarle was reading a book. Ovia went out to run some errands. "Hey, Jarle..." she waited as he set the book aside and looked at her. She smiled stepping closer, "I'll always love the books that you pick for me". With Jarle, she never needed to use too many words.

For years, Jarle was her link to the Land of Man. He was the one who chose books for her. She had shelves and shelves full with the books he has picked. It meant for him as much as it meant for her. That was sort of 'their thing'. His picks were to her liking and it teased her deeply those times where he brought only one book out of a series. Nonetheless, she loved them all. Somehow, she felt like she was breaking a secret tradition by going to a book store on her own. Jarle held a special place in her heart and she wanted him to know.

Not needing any further explanation, her message was received. A smile slowly stretched his lips and he nodded, "It will always be my pleasure, Princess".

Travis was at her house for the second time today. This day couldn't have turned any better. He was constantly checking his phone from the moment he started his shift until the minute she sent him that Zoe said yes. Even though he has known Zoe for years, nowadays he appreciated her in a new different level. And boy, if his heart could stop knocking on his ribs while he and Ryesen texted. He was smiling during his whole shift. Almost greeted very single customer that he came across to the point that his supervisor was actually pleased with his attitude. How little did that man know?

He smiled when she went through his CDs, chose one and started swaying with the music.

They picked Zoe and headed to the bookstore. Ryesen had a list of books she wanted. Medicinal herbals were her main focus. Not that humans surpassed faeries in that field. Nope! Not even close. Nonetheless, comparison was something she enjoyed doing.

Travis's eyebrows shot up when he saw the books she picked, "Medicinal herbs?"

She nodded, "Yup, don't you think it's interesting?" and she left it at that.

He nodded but failed to hide that herbs were never his first choice. She hid her smile seeing how he looked at her books.

Zoe looked at her choices too before exclaiming, "If you're interested in that, my grandmother has a friend that you would love. She has this small shop that is fully packed with boxes and jars of herbs and stuff like that. And when I say fully packed I really mean it. All the way to the ceiling"

Ryesen's eyes sparkled, "I would really love to visit her place".

Zoe chirped, "No problem. I'll send you the shop's name and location later. And, oh, tell her you're from Ren's side", she winked at her, "That will grant you a special treatment".

Ryesen clapped getting excited, "That would be amazing, thank you!"

"Here, let me take those to the counter for you" Travis slipped the hefty collection out of her arms.

"Thank you!"

Now that the business part was over, it was time for pleasure. The novels section was just attacked by two giggling girls. Good thing that Zoe loved to read too. Their conversations were mostly either "Have you read this?" or "You must read this".

When Ryesen was finally done, she looked for Travis. He was standing in the kids section with two books in hand and a deep frown.

"What's with the face?" she asked stepping closer.

He smiled, "Oh, hey. Do you have any idea what a seven year old would like to read?"

"Oh, for Maggie? ", she peeked at the colorful books he was holding.

When she peered up he was looking at her with a wider grin, "What?"

He shook his head, "Nothing. I just think that you're amazing that you remembered my sister".

That flutter in her heart was back.

They spent another ten minutes picking some story books for Maggie. By the time all of them were done the score was three children books for Maggie. Five romance novels for Zoe. And nineteen books for Ryesen, alternating between business and pleasure.

The store owner was overjoyed by the number of books he sold. He offered to put Ryesen's books in a box so they would be easier to carry instead of those small bags. Travis picked the box for her while she held the bag with Maggie's books.

They stopped for hot chocolate and cheesy curly fries to keep them warm.

Travis carried the 'treasure box' and set it on the dining table at Ryesen's after they dropped Zoe off at her house.

"Thanks for carrying the box for me" she said while smiling at him when they stood on the front porch, "and for driving us"

He stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jacket slowly retreating backwards descending the few steps then stopping there, "You're welcome! I'm glad that you girls didn't mind me tagging along".

She laughed, "I don't think we'll ever will"

He didn't want to leave, but it was getting late, "I guess this is good night. I'll see you tomorrow at school".

She nodded, "Yup!" then added, "and say hi to Maggie for me"

He nodded too, "I will"

She didn't want him to leave yet either, but she can't ask the guy to stay. Out of impulse and before allowing herself to think oh her actions, Ryesen stepped closer, placed a hand on his arm, and leaned over placing a soft peck on his cheek. "Good night, Travis". Without waiting for him to say anything, she turned around and slipped inside the house.

Travis stared with wide surprised eyes at the closed door unable to move or grasp what just happened. His ice-cold fingers touched his flaming hot cheek where she kissed him. His lungs fought off his hammering heart and sucked in a shaky breath. She kissed me! His brain hooted. He placed his palm on his heart a wide grin displayed on his face. Ryesen kissed me! 

Hey guy's

I hope you all are doing well.

How do you like the development of events so far and what do you think of Travis and Zoe?

I would love to hear you thoughts

Some serious events are about to happen so don't go anywhere. *Evil cackle*

Thank you for reading! Love you all!