Weeks passed and Simon and Samira had gotten real close.
They had their own inside jokes. Sometimes they would burst out laughing for no apparent reason and everyone would ask what was so funny.
"Don't worry about it," Simon would say.
Samira still received dirty looks and threatening notes in her locker but Simon gave her strength to move on.
She felt different, happy and at peace. Her friend, Jessie even exclaimed to her one day that she was glowing.
Samira would blush madly every time Jessie bought it up.
Simon and his family always came over to visit and Simon would always make some excuse to have some alone time with Samira.
They would talk on the porch or in the backyard. They would talk about their fears, strength, weaknesses, and family.
They even showed each other what they could do with their powers. She never ever controlled blood around him and Simon never asked. He knew the risks of her trying to control blood.
They told each other everything and when they ran out of things to say, they would just enjoy each other's company.
Today was that day, today was Monday and his family came over to watch a movie while everyone was inside.
She walked away from Simon and stepped up onto a swing she and her father made when she was little and grasped the chains to steady herself.
She'd coaxed the swing into swaying side to side. "It's just. I love my mom and right now, the choices I made in the past made me someone I never wanted to be. If my mother saw that, she'd be disappointed." She paused, then began again. "She expected things of me, and one of them was to stay out of trouble and control my powers. If I got in trouble on purpose, my butt would be black and blue." She chuckled at the memory when she broke her mother's vase on purpose because she was angry with her.
"I always wanted to be like my mother. She didn't let anyone or anything stand in her." There was a small hesitation. "I want to be like that someday," she added quietly.
"I think you're already like that," Simon said. He got behind her and grabbed the chains of her swing, pulling her carefully to a stop. Gently, he put one foot on the seat, wedging it between her sneakers.
Pushing off with his other foot, he stood and started them swinging, pressing his chest against her back. He felt her breath catch. "The first time I met you, I knew you were tough and independent and special. All the other girls were so…whiny and bitchy and clingy and I hated that. But my dad raised me right, so I treated them with respect."
Samira smiled up at him over her shoulder, clearly amused.
"So you were a gentleman?"
"Perhaps," He whispered "But that's in the past."
"Did you…have a girlfriend?" she was biting her lip and he knew she was nervous.
"A few, no, wait that's an understatement, I had a lot but I didn't last long with them. There was something missing."
"Oh, I guess that's ok…" he noticed the slight tone of jealousy in her voice.
"Hey," he whispered near her ear, kissing her neck softly. "There's no one else. Just you. Not one for a long time."
She looked up at him for a long time, and kissed him gently before she could wimp out of it.
They continued to swing until Simon spoke up. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure," she said.
"Well, there's a carnival coming into town this Friday and I want you to come with me."
"Oh," She answered, surprised. "Well, I don't do big crowds."
"We don't have to be where the crowds are. We can hang out by the stands or the ferris wheel."
"But I've never gone to one." She saw something glint in his eyes and felt her reluctance breaking.
He was using his spells on her again!
She shook her head softly and scolded him playfully. "I thought you said you weren't going to do that again!"
"Caught me red-handed. I won't do it again. But please come with me? I want to go with you."
She saw the sincerity in his eyes and felt guilty about saying no so she answered, "yes."