Not Your Average Happy Ending Read Online Free PDF Page B

completely. The looks on their faces were priceless.
    I was surprised how comfortable I was with her. She was so easy to get along with. I glanced over at her as we walked back to my house. She looked so calm and peaceful, soaking in the sun.
    “So, what’s with you and Sam?” I asked.
    Her body tensed and stared straight ahead. “What do you mean?”
    “Come on. I’ve seen the way you look at him. He’s pretty cute. Why don’t you do something about it?”
    She bit her lip. “It’s not that simple.”
    “Why not?”
    “We have a history.”
    I wasn’t expecting that. “Oh. It doesn’t sound like a good one.”
    She shook her head and hugged her books tight to her chest.
    I wasn’t trying to be nosy, but I was curious. Since Ash and Sam were best friends, maybe I could see how Sam felt. I could make Ash bug him about it. “What happened?”
    She sighed. “At the end of graduation, after all the stuff that went down with Shenelle and Ash, Sam asked me out. I was surprised, but so happy. I’ve had a crush on him for years.” Her eyes widened. “Don’t tell Ash I said that. Sam didn’t even know I existed until last year. I sort of had an awkward stage when I was younger.”
    I laughed. “Who didn’t?” I thought of my boy haircut and braces in junior high. That was a nightmare. I still hadn’t forgiven my mom for talking me into cutting my hair so short.
    “Anyway, the date went great. Better than expected. He kissed me and told me he’d call.”
    “And he never did,” I said, finishing it for her.
    “No, he called. He told me to meet him at a party, and when I got there I saw him kissing another girl.”
    I stopped. “What?” Jerk. Stupid, stupid, jerk face. And I thought he seemed like such a nice guy. A bit flirty, but nice.
    She frowned. “I know.”
    “Did you confront him or anything?”
    She shook her head. “No. And when he called later to ask where I was, I didn’t answer. I haven’t really talked to him since. Until recently I guess. When you got hurt.”
    There had to be some explanation, but I couldn’t think of a logical one. “I’m sorry, Misty.”
    She shrugged. “It’s fine. I’m over it.”
    She didn’t look over it.
    We stopped in front of my house. I knew she had to go back to her world, but I wanted her to stay and hang out for a while. I didn’t want to be alone. “Do you want to stay for dinner? My mom won’t be home until after we’re in bed tonight. I want you to meet Ellie anyway.”
    Her face lit up. “I’d love to!”
    I was glad to have her with me. I missed Ash way too much and it had only been a day without him. Hopefully he was okay.

Chapter 7
    Ash
     
    “I don’t know why I let you talk me into this,” Sam said as he climbed over a fallen tree.
    “I didn’t talk you into anything. You’re the one who insisted on coming.”
    “Whatever.” He muttered something under his breath before he continued. “I just didn’t want you to have to beg me, so I volunteered.”
    I rolled my eyes and tried not to laugh as he tripped over another tree root. He seemed to be having way more trouble than I was. “Aren’t you supposed to be all ‘one with nature’? You’re half elf for crying out loud. You should be used to frolicking through the woods.”
    He shot me a dirty look. “That would be cliché,” he said. “Nature stinks sometimes. Especially when you’ve been wandering around in it for five days.”
    “Give it a rest, Sam.” I was in a bad mood. A week had passed and we hadn’t seen even a trace of Dax.
    “This sucks,” Sam said.
    “Seriously, one more complaint and I’m going to blast you back to the Academy.”
    He shrugged. “At least there are girls there to keep me company.”
    A movement up ahead made me grab Sam’s arm. “Did you see that?”
    He nodded. “It feels strange in this part of the forest. Like dark magic. You feel it too, right?”
    “Yes. Definitely feel it.”
    The temperature dropped as soon as I said