"Isn't that kinda like caving, though?"

"Probably, but teaching isn't as easy as you'd think. There's a bunch of crap that goes on behind the scenes, and that's not counting the battle with Darkness that seems to be, like, never ending and the annoying fact that professors keep getting killed, and more and more fledglings are getting Marked, so we're short staffed."

There was a long, uncomfortable silence, then Shaylin said, "Yeah, it must be real inconvenient for you that professors have been disemboweled and decapitated and gored. Not to mention all the new red fledglings you have to teach because we haven't died for real. Yet."

Erik frowned. He hadn't meant it like that. Not really.

"I think that came out wrong," he said.

"And I think I need to remember that peas do not turn into pretty turquoise sea foam and an untouched beach."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She was really hot, but Shaylin totally messed with his head and confused him.

"It means I needed a reality check. Thanks for giving me one." Shaylin picked up the pace, and Erik was still trying to figure out the peas and turquoise comment when they were suddenly stepping from the winter grass of the school grounds to the sidewalk that ran into the front of the girls' dorm.

"Um, you're welcome?" he offered as they came to the wide cement stairs that led to the porch of the dorm.

Shaylin was still a little ahead of him, so she reached the first step before him. Standing on it, she was almost at eye level with him, which was weird because she was so little.

"No, you don't need to 'you're welcome' me," she said, sighing. "I really wasn't thanking you. I was just reminding myself of something."

"Of what?" he asked, honestly interested.

She sighed again. "Of the fact that what the eye can see is not what's actually the most important thing about a person. The most important thing is what's hidden inside."

"Only with you, it's not really hidden at all, right?"

"Right." She spoke softly.

"I really didn't mean what I said before. I was just venting. You know, girls do it all the time," Erik said.

"Erik, you're not making it any better by being a misogynist."

"Misogynist ... that's bad, right? Nothing cool, like a gynecologist?"

"Erik, maybe you should try not to speak." Shaylin sounded annoyed, but he could see that she was struggling not to laugh. And then a little giggle did escape from her pretty pink lips. "Gynecologist? Did you really just say that?"

"I did, and I'm proud of it." Erik put on his best good ol' boy Okie accent. "I do 'preciate me a career that's all 'bout them thar girl parts."

"Okay, that's enough for me," she said, still giggling. "I gotta go before-"

Shaylin moved back and completely missed the next step. She was absolutely going to fall right on her cute, round ass, but Erik was faster than gravity and, almost like a superhero, he caught her around her waist, keeping her from hurting herself.

And then there they were. She was standing on a step above him and he had his arms around her waist. When she was falling her arms had flailed out, and as he caught her they'd automatically wrapped around his shoulders. So she was pressed against him so hard he could feel the black bows on that pink bra.

"Careful," he spoke softly, gently, like she was a frightened bird. "I wouldn't want anything to happen to you."

"Th-thanks. I almost fell."

Shaylin gazed at him and he got lost in her big, brown eyes. She smelled as incredible as she had the night he'd Marked her-sweet, like peaches and strawberries mixed together. He'd never wanted anything as bad as he wanted to kiss her. Just once. For just a second. He bent. It seemed she was tilting her lips to his. He bent some more, pulling her closer.

And that's when she whacked him in the chest.

"You're trying to kiss me now? Really?" Shaylin shook her head and shoved, pushing him off his step.

Erik staggered back. He was trying to figure out exactly what had gone wrong when he heard the mocking laughter. Feeling like shit, he looked up to see Erin and Dallas standing at the top of the dorm stairs just outside the wide doorway.

"Damn, talk about mixed messages," Dallas said. "First she's all over you, then she's shoving you away. That just ain't right."

"Yeah, when a girl says yes she should mean yes, and not 'hey, I think I'll tease you and then reject you.'" Erin air quoted.