Anna Banks

“It matters, Emma." He grabs my hand and pulls me to him again. "Tell me right now. Do you care for me?""If you can't tell that I'm stupid in love with you, Galen, then you aren't a very good ambassador for the hum-"His mouth covers mine, cutting me off. This kiss isn't gentle like the first one. It's definitely not sweet. It's rough, demanding, searching. And disorienting. There's not a part of me that isn't melting against Galen, not a part that isn't combusting with his fevered touch. I accidentally moan into his lips. He takes it for his cue to life me off my feet, to pull me up to his height for more leverage. I take his groan for my cue to kiss him harder.He ignores his cell phone ringing in his pocket. I ignore the rest of the universe. Even when headlights approach, I'm willing to overlook their intrusion and keep kissing. But, prince that he is Galen is a little more refined than me at this moment. He gently pries his lips from mine and sets me down. His smile is both intoxicated and intoxicating. "We still need to talk.”

“You know what my favorite part was?" he says, stepping closer."Hmm?""We didn't fight. Not once. I hate fighting with you.""I do, too. It seems like a waste of time when..."He leans impossibly closer, holding her gaze. "When?""When we could be enjoying each other's company instead," she whispers. "But you probably don't enjoy my company here lately. I haven't been very nice-"He brushes his lips against hers, cutting her off. They're softer than he ever imagined. And it's not enough. Moving his hand from her jawline to entwine it in her damp locks, he pulls her to him. She tips up on her toes to meet him and as he lifts her from the ground, she folds her arms around his neck. Just as hungry for him as he is for her, she opens her mouth for a deeper kiss, pressing her soft curves into him. And Galen decides there is nothing better than kissing Emma.Everything about her seems made for him. The way her mouth moves in perfect rhythm with his. The way she combs her fingers through his hair, sending a stirring jolt down his spine. The way her cool lips ignite heat through his whole being. She fits in his arms, as if her every curve fills a place on his own body...”

“The penguins love Emma. They waddle around, dive in and out of their pool, call out to her. She laughs. "They sound like donkeys!""Maybe you can talk to donkeys, too," Dr. Milligan smiles.Emma nods. "I can. Sometimes Galen can be a jackass.”

“Maybe you can talk to donkeys, too," Dr. Milligan smiles. Emma nods. "I can sometimes Galen can be a jackass.""That hurts my feelings, Emma," Galen says, trying to look hurt.”

“We both know dad was my parental trash can, the fatherly receptacle on whom I dumped my emotions.”

“Funny how a little sleep, a little makeup, and a lot of contemplating can make you feel like a different person - a stronger version of yourself.”

“I hope I don't look as sick as I feel. "The generals couldn't have picked a worse candidate for that Gift!" Holding my stomach doesn't stop it from churning. I can't imagine befriending Goliath and then leading him to the Syrena to be eaten. But I also can't imagine letting Galen or Toraf starve. Probably not Rayna either. It's time to introduce my new friends to the world of pizza....”

“What does that mean? Making out?" Galen says between bites. Emma puts her fork down. "It means, Galen, that you'll need to force yourself to kiss me. Like you mean it. For a long time. Think you can do that? Do Syrena kiss?" He tries to swallow the bite he forgot to chew. Force myself? I'll be lucky if I can stop myself.”

“I said, you'll have to prove that I ran into you on purpose. That I meant to cause you harm. And besides, I checked with you at the time---" "Emma.""---and you said you didn't have injuries---""EM-MA""Did you hear me, Galen?" I turn around and yell at the remaining spectators in the hall as the bell rings. "CHLOE IS DEAD!”

“Morning tide makes a great companion when you don’t want to be around people. It soothes and comforts and doesn't ask for anything. But the sun does. The higher it gets, the more I am reminded that nothing stops time. There is no escaping it.”

“Emma, we don't have to kiss. She already knows I want to sleep with you.”

“Uh,we didn't get your name.Did we get his name Emma?" she says as if on cue."I tried,Chloe.But he wouldn't tell me,so I tackled him," I say rolling my eyes.”

“Hey, you know what else I don't care about? You giving me orders.”

“I'm betting Cinderella didn't feel this foolish, but then again, Cinderella wasn't as clumsy as an intoxicated walrus.”

“How about a rain check?' She smiles, but I know it's not real because it doesn't crinkle her eyes. 'Sure. Some other time.'I nod and grab my car keys. Before I flip the light on in the grage, she's behind me, tugging on my backpack.'You want to go to school? Fine. But you're not driving. Give me the key.''I'm okay, Mom, really. I'll see you tonight.' I plant a quick kiss on her cheek and turn to the door again. 'That's nice. Give it to me.' She holds out her hand.I clench the key in my fist. 'You practically shoved that car down my throat Monday, and now youre taking the key. What did I do?''What did you do? Well, for starters, you used your face to stop a cafeteria door from swinging open.”

“Oh, and I need to known where Jersey is and if I have enough money to buy it.”

“Why don't you ever call me my prince?" Galen says, feigning insult."Shut up, my prince. There, is that better?”

“Remember, people, study the rule sheet. Snuggle it at night, eat lunch with it, take it to the movies. It's the only way you're passing my class," Mr. Pinner calls over the bustle of students herding out the door.”

“Sure, I’m gray-shading the line that separates stable and crazy, but the point is, there is a line. And I haven’t completely crossed over to lunatic.”

“The metal frame groans, and something under the hood lets out a mechanical hiss. Smoke billows up from the front, the universal symbol for “you’re screwed.”

“I keep my back turned while he maneuvers his shorts into place. “Are you decent?” I call after a few seconds. No matter how many times I tell him I can’t see into the water yet, he insists I’m just trying to look at his “eel.” For crying out loud.”

“When his mouth snaps shut a third time, I splash water in his face. “Are you going to say something or are you trying to catch wind and sail?”

“Galen?”“Hmm?”“You can put me down now.”“I’m not ready yet.” He tightens his hold.“You don’t have to hold—““Emma? Can you hear me?”“Uh, yes. I can hear fine. I just can’t see—““That’s a relief. Because for a minute there, I thought maybe you didn’t hear me when I said I’m not ready yet.”“Jackass.”

“There’s nothing wrong with your daughter, Mrs. McIntosh. I said we’re not sleeping together. I didn’t say I didn’t want to.”

“He’s your problem, but what a great problem to have.”

“What did I do?”“What did you do? Well, for starters, you used your face to stop a cafeteria door from swinging open.”

“That he found me clear across the country seems more miraculous than a push-up bra.”

“he should have been paying attention to me when he saw that I wasn’t paying attention at all.”

“And then I feel it. It saturates the water around me, thrumming withoug rhythm. The pulse. Someone is close. Someone I don't reconize. Slowly, I tiptoe backward, careful not to splash or slosh. After a few seconds, tiptoeing doesn't make a whole lot of sense. If I can sense them, they can sense me. The pulse is getting stronger. They're heading straight toward me. Fast.”

“Emma this is not a joke. Look at your hands! They're... they're... wrinkled!""Yes that's because-""No way. I'm not going down for this. This isn't my fault.""Toraf-""Galen will find some way to blame me though. He always does. 'You wouldn't have gotten caught if you didn't swim so close to that boat, tadpole.' No it couldn't be the humans fault for fishing in the first place-""Toraf.""Or how about. 'Maybe if you'd stop trying to kiss my sister, she'd stop bashing your head with a rock.' How does my kissing her have anything to do with her bashing my head with a rock? If you ask me, it's just a result of poor parenting-""Toraf.""Oh and my favorite: 'If you play with a lionfish, you're going to get pricked.' I wasn't playing with it! I was just helping it swim faster by grabbing its fins-""TOR-AF."He stops pacing along the water, even seems to remember that I exist. "Yes, Emma? What were you saying?”

“Basically, everyone thinks--knows--how sweet I am.Emma, you threw my sister through hurricane-proof glass.”

“It's easy to remember, because dating rhymes with mating, and they're almost the same [...] So your mom thinks we're ma-- Uh, dating?”

“Nice shack”