Chapter 23: The green-eyed monster
"I'm exhausted. 'Night Josh," said Wyatt throwing his dinner jacket over his shoulder, "Tal, I'll see you inside, don't stay up too late," he said with a twinkle in his eyes.
The three of them had dropped Judy off at her house a while ago. Talia and Josh had kindly allowed him to walk her to the door and wish her a proper goodnight. He was only returning the favor.
When Wyatt was gone, Josh and Talia turned to face each other.
"I had a great time tonight," said Josh moving slightly closer to her.
"Me too," agreed Talia pulling her shawl tighter, but making no move to stop him.
"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?"
She could feel his warm breath on her lips.
"Only about a hundred times," she said softly, laughing breathlessly. "But don't let that stop you from telling me again!" she smiled mischievously.
"You are beautiful," he breathed, before closing the gap between them.
****************
Talia closed the door behind her and leaned against it. She closed her eyes in bliss. What an incredible evening! She could still feel the rhythm of the music still pulsating through her blood. Guys had swarmed around her like bees on honey and she had let them. Girls had whispered behind her back in jealousy, but she had learned to ignore them. Even Jessica, she thought, forcing herself not to grind her teeth. Josh had been kind and caring throughout it all. They had danced and they had laughed and they had kissed, she added thinking wistfully of his kiss just outside the front door a few moments ago.
The sound of laughter rang somewhere close to her and made her snap her eyes open. Wyatt's cheeky face beamed down on her.
"Talia and Josh sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g. . ." he sang teasingly.
"Pest," Talia said swatting him in mock anger. He ducked away to safety, easily enough.
"Had a good time?" Wyatt drawled.
"Yes, I did," she answered him honestly. She smiled refusing to let his teasing get to her, knowing that it was well intended. Yes, she had had a good time. So why did she have this vague feeling that something was missing? Talia shook the strange thought out of her head and followed Wyatt up the stairs.
*************
Valdis found himself once again in the shadows, staring at the couple. He glared at the blond boy as he watched him bouncing happily down the steps to his car. Why couldn't it be him, taking Talia to her prom? Why couldn't it be him kissing her goodnight? He didn't bother with his motorbike tonight. Mortal things were not for him. He was a demon, and it was about time he started acting like one. If he wanted the girl, that is. He shimmered both himself and the motorbike back to the Underworld.
"I'm exhausted. 'Night Josh," said Wyatt throwing his dinner jacket over his shoulder, "Tal, I'll see you inside, don't stay up too late," he said with a twinkle in his eyes.
The three of them had dropped Judy off at her house a while ago. Talia and Josh had kindly allowed him to walk her to the door and wish her a proper goodnight. He was only returning the favor.
When Wyatt was gone, Josh and Talia turned to face each other.
"I had a great time tonight," said Josh moving slightly closer to her.
"Me too," agreed Talia pulling her shawl tighter, but making no move to stop him.
"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?"
She could feel his warm breath on her lips.
"Only about a hundred times," she said softly, laughing breathlessly. "But don't let that stop you from telling me again!" she smiled mischievously.
"You are beautiful," he breathed, before closing the gap between them.
****************
Talia closed the door behind her and leaned against it. She closed her eyes in bliss. What an incredible evening! She could still feel the rhythm of the music still pulsating through her blood. Guys had swarmed around her like bees on honey and she had let them. Girls had whispered behind her back in jealousy, but she had learned to ignore them. Even Jessica, she thought, forcing herself not to grind her teeth. Josh had been kind and caring throughout it all. They had danced and they had laughed and they had kissed, she added thinking wistfully of his kiss just outside the front door a few moments ago.
The sound of laughter rang somewhere close to her and made her snap her eyes open. Wyatt's cheeky face beamed down on her.
"Talia and Josh sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g. . ." he sang teasingly.
"Pest," Talia said swatting him in mock anger. He ducked away to safety, easily enough.
"Had a good time?" Wyatt drawled.
"Yes, I did," she answered him honestly. She smiled refusing to let his teasing get to her, knowing that it was well intended. Yes, she had had a good time. So why did she have this vague feeling that something was missing? Talia shook the strange thought out of her head and followed Wyatt up the stairs.
*************
Valdis found himself once again in the shadows, staring at the couple. He glared at the blond boy as he watched him bouncing happily down the steps to his car. Why couldn't it be him, taking Talia to her prom? Why couldn't it be him kissing her goodnight? He didn't bother with his motorbike tonight. Mortal things were not for him. He was a demon, and it was about time he started acting like one. If he wanted the girl, that is. He shimmered both himself and the motorbike back to the Underworld.