Fallen 2. Torment(98)

she couldn't even bear to think about it.

"Miles." She pressed him back. "You shouldn't do this. Kissing me is"--she

swallowed--"dangerous."

He chuckled. Of course he would, because he didn't know anything about Trevor.

"I think I'll take my chances."

She tried to pull back, but Miles had a way of making her feel good about almost

everything. Even this. When his mouth came down on hers, she held her breath, waiting

for the worst.

But nothing happened.

Miles lips were feather-soft, kissing her gently enough that he still felt like her

good friend--but with just enough passion to prove there was more where this one came

from. If she wanted it.

But even if there were no flames, no scorched skin, no death or destruction--and

why weren't there?--the kiss was still supposed to feel wrong. For so long, all her lips had

wanted were Daniel's lips, all the time. She used to dream about his kiss, his smile, his

gorgeous violet eyes, his body holding hers. There was never supposed to be anyone else.

What if she'd been wrong about Daniel? What if she could be happier--or happy,

period--with another guy?

Miles pulled away, looking happy and sad at the same time. "So, goodnight." He

turned away, almost like he was going to bolt back toward his room. But then he turned

back. And took her hand. "If you ever feel like things aren't working out, you know,

with ..." He looked up at the sky. "I'm here. Just wanted you to know."

Luce nodded, already battling a rolling wave of confusion. Miles squeezed her

hand, then took off in the other direction, bounding over the sloping shingled roof, back

toward his side of the dorm.

Alone, she traced her lips where Miles's had just been. The next time she saw

Daniel, would he be able to tell? Her head hurt from all the ups and downs of the day,

and she wanted to crawl into bed. As she slipped back through the window into her room,

she turned one last time to take in the view, to remember how everything had looked on

the night when so many things had changed.

But instead of the stars and trees and crashing waves, Luce's eyes fixed on

something else behind one of the roof's many chimneys. Something white and billowing.

161

An iridescent pair of wings.

Daniel. Crouched, only half hidden from view, just feet away from where she and

Miles had kissed. His back was to her. His head was hanging.

"Daniel," she called out, feeling her voice catch on his name.

When he turned to face her, the drawn look on his face was one of absolute

agony. As if Luce had just ripped his heart out. He bent his knees, unfurled his wings,

and took off into the night.

A moment later, he looked like just another star in the sparkling black sky.

162





SIXTEEN

THREE DAYS

At breakfast the next morning, Luce could hardly eat anything.

It was the last day of classes before Shoreline dismissed the students for

Thanksgiving break, and Luce was already feeling lonely. Loneliness in a crowd of

people was the worst kind of loneliness, but she couldn't help it. All the students around

her were chattering happily about going home to their families. About the girl or guy they

hadn't seen since summer break. About the parties their best friends were throwing over

the weekend.

The only party Luce was going to this weekend was the pity party in her empty

dorm room.

Of course, a few other students from the main school were staying put over the

break: Connor Madson, who had come to Shoreline from an orphanage in Minnesota.

Brenna Lee, whose parents lived in China. Francesca and Steven were staying, too-surprise, surprise--and were hosting a Thanksgiving dinner-for-the-displaced in the mess

hall Thursday night.

Luce was holding out one hope: That Arriane's threat to keep an eye on her

included Thanksgiving break. Then again, she'd barely seen the girl since Arriane had

taken the three of them back to Shoreline. Only for that brief moment at Harvest Fest.

Everyone else was checking out in the next day or two. Miles to his family's onehundred-plus-person catered event. Dawn and Jasmine to their families' joint gathering at

Jasmine's Sausalito mansion. Even Shelby--though she hadn't said a word to Luce about

going back to Bakersfield--had been on the phone with her mom the day before,

groaning, " Yes. I know. I'll be there."

It was the worst possible time for Luce to be left alone. The stew of her inner

turmoil grew thicker every day, until she didn't know how to feel about Daniel or anyone

else. And she couldn't stop cursing herself for how stupid she'd been the night before,

letting Miles go so far.

All night long, she kept arriving at the same conclusion: Even though she was

upset with Daniel, what had happened with Miles wasn't anyone's fault but hers. She was