Things didn't turn out the way Ryesen hoped for. The days that followed her outburst in Travis's face at the cafeteria were filled with unsettling guilt and uneasiness. Every day he would walk into class with a somber face. Say a gloomy 'good morning' to everyone without meeting her eyes and then sulk through classes without a word. 

He stopped saying good morning to her. He stopped sending her the regular folded piece of paper containing the regular question. Even the pile of letters in her locker stopped increasing. In other words, he did exactly what she asked him to do. Then why was she feeling that she was missing something? She thought that with time he'll get back to his usual self and that uneasy feeling would fade away. It didn't. In fact, she felt worse with every passing day.

"I wish I was like three inches taller", Zoe whined folding the extra length of her pants legs that fell pass her socks-covered-feet. "I'm the shortest person at home, and that includes my younger brother. Who's by the way, four years younger than I am and already a foot taller than me". She pulled at the legs roughly, still rumbling, "And that little giraffe hasn't even finish growing yet"

Ryesen broke in laughs in the girls locker room where they were changing for P.E. "Oh come on, you're not that short", she tried to cheer her up. She was grateful for the change of thoughts. Every time she remembered the hurt look in Travis's eyes when she rebuked him that day the tightness in her chest increased.

Zoe slipped on one shoe and started to twist the laces tightly, "Let's put it in a somewhat scientific perspective", she finished tying one sneaker and slipped her foot inside the other without stopping for a breath, "My great grandmother is eighty-nine and still alive and healthy. And now that she is old she's hunched over a walking stick. From what I've heard, even she was taller than what I am at this moment. Now, if I too live to be eighty-nine and I shrank and hunched over a walking stick like my great grandmother I would be as tiny as a raisin", she finished the other foot and stood up, "Just as short and wrinkly".

Ryesen had to sit down while she laughed her head off. Zoe sat next to her and joined in.

"I can't even remember what started this", Zoe laughed the words out.

Ryesen was still giggling as she reminded her, "It started when you realized that only the higher lockers were available".

"Oh, that", she said lightly, then crossed her arms in a fit making her friend laugh again, "Damn you short gene".

"Come on, lets go before Mr. Pete loses his patience again".

For Ryesen, P.E wasn't any less awkward than the rest of classes. The silent glances that others alternated between her and Travis didn't change. In fact, they didn't bother hiding them anymore. It was like everyone was waiting for them to catch a glimpse of one another and fire would spark between them. She kept her paces steady on the tall damp grass and her gaze straight ahead, avoiding the basketball field where the guys played.

Zoe noticed the glances too, "Boy, Travis is really taking it hard", She said in a low voice only Ryesen could hear.

Ryesen dropped her gaze feeling the weight of guilt building up, "I should have handled the situation better".

"Oh, no. I didn't say that to make you feel bad", Zoe stumbled on her words, "I just meant to say that, he really, really, likes you. And maybe, just maybe, if you gave him a chance you might end up liking him too".

That did not make her feel any better. In fact, quite the opposite."It's not that easy", Ryesen voice came out chocked. It won't matter if he liked her or not. It won't matter if she liked him either. In the end, she has to fulfill her half of a bargain.

"Is it because you're here temporarily?", Zoe asked coming to conclusions on her own when Ryesen didn't explain any further. Zoe exclaimed right away not waiting for an answer, "Because if that what's worrying you, he already heard about it, and still told you that he liked you".

He did say that. Ryesen remembers it clearly. There was a tiny ruffle in her chest.

"Relationships doesn't have to end because of distance, right? If it meat to be, it meant to be", Zoe hooked their arms together then gave her a genuine smile. "Frankly, I would like it very much if you stayed. Or in the least, stayed in touch when it's time for you to go back", she added.

Ryesen felt a twinge in her heart. "I would like that a lot", she said sincerely with a big smile.

"Let's go ladies", Mr Pete yelled while clapping his hands to get all the girls attention, " Warm up first. Give me a full round before we start. Move it!".

Zoe sighed, "I seriously think that sports should be categorized by height. People with short legs shouldn't be allowed to run as much as others".

Ryesen laughed. That was the nice thing that Ryesen learned about Zoe. She gets over misfortunes -as Zoe likes to call them- by joking about them until they don't get to her anymore, especially those situations she has no control over changing them. She might be the shortest girl in class, and apparently -after what she told her today- at home too, but she was making it work for her.

The school was almost empty by the time they were done. Zoe has already left. Ryesen stopped by her locker to get the notes she'll need for that research. As she picked her notebook one of the folded letters fell out. She recalled when he said, 'I like you'. That moment played in her head as she picked it up. 

'Maybe, just maybe, you might end up liking him too', Zoe told her.

She never stopped thinking about that. Could she do that? To like a human. Specially with everything that was going on and aligned to happen. She liked Zoe, and she was human. Yet liking Zoe was on a different level. Zoe was a friend. Someone she can talk to. Laugh with. Give advice when she needed it.

But Travis, Travis was a completely different deal. It was obvious from the moment he set eyes on her that it was more than just the, 'I like you', that he felt towards her. She could see it clearly and so could everyone else. Her outburst in the cafeteria wasn't because she hated him or disliked him. She simply was sparing him and herself a relation that was ought to fail and end.

Drowning in deep thoughts, she absentmindedly unfolded the letter she was holding and stared blindly at the streaks of whites, grays and black that filled the paper. For a moment she couldn't focus enough to make out what she was looking at. Her eyes grew wide and her lips parted in aw when her mind put the lines together making her heart bounce in her chest. It wasn't a letter. The only thing that was in writing was the date and the familiar signed T on the edge. The rest was a drawing of a girl's back with her hair tied in a ponytail. Part of her face was clear, she was looking at something, while her hand held a pen. It was a drawing of her during class. Fluid lines and agile details brought a simple piece of paper to life. 

She saw drawings of herself before in the Lights archives, but nothing like this. She picked another one of Travis's papers and unfolded it to another picture of her in the library with a book in hand. Carefree, in content and smiling. She didn't even see him there. Then she picked another paper. It was of her talking to Zoe. There was one when she was in chemistry lab. During P.E. Arts. Walking to school. By her locker. Thirteen drawings of her. Through thirteen drawings Travis expressed his feelings. And not for the mere attraction that came with her being a faerie. He even drew one with her arms crossed and an angry glare. She knew exactly which moment was that. It was when he started stopping by her desk every day to say 'good morning' and not budging until she returned his greeting which drove her mad. Even then, he drew her as he saw her. Beautiful. With a sparkle in her eyes.

Her heart ruffled in her chest in a strange way. She went through the drawings again. The more she looked at them the more she regretted how she handled things. That ruffle she felt turned to tightness that reached her throat. She carefully folded the drawings again, but instead of her locker she placed them in her bag. Father will chagrined if he knew how I acted. And mother, mother definitely will...

Ryesen's heart stopped as her hand touched an empty wrist. She reached her fingers inside the sleeve of her jacket catching nothing before squeezing her arm with her hand from the wrist to the elbow. She pulled off the jacket she was wearing and lifted the sleeve of her blue shirt. Panic started to form when she checked her other arm and her pockets, bag and locker. "Please no... Please, please no...". It was gone. Her mother's bracelet wasn't there. She tried to remember if she left it somewhere. Her brain chased her steps wildly through the day. She was wearing it this morning. The last time she touched it was during P.E while talking to Zoe. "Outside...", she gasped and ran.

The sun has started to set already. The few rays of sunlight were being swallowed by darkness faster than she wanted to. She started to look around for any shining objects with a racing heart. As time passed and it grew darker her desperation increased. What if I didn't find it? Her throat started to hurt and her eyes stung as she held back tears. What if someone picked it up and I never saw it again? 

"Ryesen?".

A voice made her gasp and spin around. Travis stood a few feet away with his bag hanging over his shoulder and a confused look on his face.

He took a step closer then froze as the words she yelled in his face played in his mind for the hundredth time, "I wasn't following you, detention just en...". Then he shook his head. The sadness he saw in her face made him ask, "What are you still doing here?". 

She swallowed the threatening to fall tears, but it showed in her voice, "I.. I was looking for my bracelet. I lost it".

Travis looked at her for a moment. It's none of my business. He told himself. But he couldn't bring himself to leave her. He strode to where she left her bag and dropped his next to it. "You take this side and I'll take the other", he said as he walked to the other end of the field.

Ryesen stared at his back torn between surprised and grateful. She didn't expect that from him. Not after the way she told him off. She saw him crouch searching through dirt and grass and a little spark of hope lit inside her. She returned to searching as well. As the minutes passed and sunset skies paled and pleated into night. Ryesen started to lose the bit of hope she had to finding her bracelet. Tears started to pool in her eyes. She couldn't loose it. Her heart would just break.

"Found it", Travis yelled lifting a fist up in the air.

Ryesen jumped to her feet and rushed to him eagerly checking his hand to ensure her heart that he really did. Her insides crumpled when she saw the bracelet in his hand. Travis was picking grass and wiping dirt off of it then running his hand on the side of his cargo shorts to brush the dirt away . 

"This is it, right?", he asked, still focused on cleaning it.

"Yes... Yes", Ryesen shuffled and opened her hand waiting to receive it.

Instead of setting it down in her open palm, Travis worked the clasp open, "It's not broken, must have slipped off during P.E". He circled her wrist a lock the clasp a bit tighter than before. He admired the piece of jewelry that touched her skin. It was as flawless as the girl wearing it. Judging by the way she pressed to her heart it must meant a lot to her. 

"Thank you", she touched it with her fingers calming her panicked nerves.

"No problem", he said stiffly. He couldn't stop that brooding feeling. He tried hard for the past days to let it go and get back to his normal self, but he couldn't. 

Travis's heart jumped when she lifted her head to look at him. She was about to say something when he cut in, "We should go".

Ryesen watched him as he walked pass her to where they left their bags. He didn't smile or joke or tease. Now, he was the one avoiding her. Travis slung his bag over his shoulder then picked hers. 

She was about to say something, but he cut in again, "I'll walk you to your car", he stepped aside and waited for her. The dim light for the lamp post enabled him to see her hesitation. Was she worried that he might try something? "I'll just make sure that you reach your car safely", he couldn't stop the scowling from his features or his voice.

The guilt she was carrying felt heavier under his expression. "I'm really sorry", Ryesen finally got to say, "I shouldn't have talked to you the way I did".  

"Its fine", Travis dismissed her apology looking away, "You made it pretty clear in the cafeteria to leave you alone, I got the message".

She stepped closer. "I didn't mean it like....". How can she explain it? In what context where she could share the part that was holding her back? She felt responsible for his closing up like that and it was bothering her deeply. She wanted to clear things out for him, but the truth wasn't something to be shared. Especially not with a human.

Travis turned to face her, his words filled with censure he couldn't contain anymore, "Then explain it to me? Cause I told you how I felt about you and you blew me off. Even though I know that you like me too at some point. I wasn't trying to ruin anything for you". His voice held a distraught edge covered by a humorless laugh as he rubbed his face with his hands. He looked at her in defeat, "Its... its just that... I never felt like this towards anyone before. I really like you, Ryesen. I wanted us to be friends, and hopefully, with time, maybe even more than friends".

Her heart ached and she looked away. That was the thing she could never have, "The thing is, we can never be anything more than just friends".

Travis brow knitted, "Do you have a boyfriend back home? Is that it?", the words bothered him more than he thought they will. He has been asking himself that question since the day he saw her. And it bothered him more when she crossed her arms and lowered her gaze. She does! The conclusion wailed in his head like sirens. Yet something never made sense for him, "Then why don't you look happy?".

A boyfriend? No, she didn't  consider the 'Dark Prince' as a boyfriend. He was her fate that she could never escape. "It's... it's complicated".

Silence stretched between them for a long moment. Travis wanted to ask more about that boyfriend of hers but he didn't. Not now at least. He hated the guy without knowing him, only because he stole the smile from her lips and the light from her eyes. "Then, how about we become just friends?", he suggested. He wasn't willing to let go just yet. He never felt strongly for anyone the way he has for her and he wasn't letting her go easily. Even if they were just friends. 

Ryesen's face brightened, "Really?".

Travis shrugged, "Why not? We could be friends".

 The guilt that she has been carrying was lifting off her shoulders and she smiled, "I would like that".

Travis's heart skipped a beat and he swallowed, "Great! Then friends it is". This will certainly be harder than what he thought.

They walked side by side to her car. Ryesen looked at him ,"Thank you for helping me search for my bracelet", her voice held deep gratitude.

"My pleasure", he was grinning.

"And thank you for the drawings too, they are beautiful", Ryesen heart did a little flip and she felt her cheeks get warmer despite the cool weather. 

Travis stuffed his hands in the pockets of the shorts. His face slightly changing colors, "Not as beautiful as the person who inspired them". 

There was an alarm going off in her mind. The same alarm that rose in many similar occasions towards such kind of friendships. But for once, Ryesen decided to ignore it.