“Oh my gosh, is that an iPhone?!" Laurel asked, her voice unconsciously rising in pitch and volume.Tamani looked up at her, his expression blank."Yeah?""He has an iPhone," Laurel said to David. "My faerie sentry who generally lives without running water has an iPhone. That's. Just. Great. Everyone in the whole world has a cell phone except me. That's awesome.”

“Tamani pulled out his cell."He has an IPhone?" her mom whispered as the second ring sounded in Laurel's ear.Laurel nodded. "I was saving that little tidbit of ammunition the next time we discussed me getting a cell.”

“Are you free to be anything more than a friend to me? If," and she stressed the if heavily, "I ever decided to live in Avalon and wanted to be with you, would you be free enough to do that?" He looked away, and Laurel could tell he'd been avoiding a conversation like this. "Well?" she insisted. "If you wanted it," he finally said. "If I wanted it?" He nodded. "I'm not allowed to ask. You would have to ask me." Her breath caught in her chest, and Tamani looked at her. "Why do you think David bothers me so much?" Laurel looked down at her lap. "I can't just storm in and proclaim my intentions. I can't 'steal' you away. I just have to wait and hope that, someday, you'll ask." "And if I don't?" Laurel said, her voice barley above a whisper. "Then I guess I'll wait forever.”

“Laurel, David? Would you like to share the joke with the rest of the class?" he asked, one hand on his skinny hip."No, sir," David said. "But thank you for asking." The students around them laughed, but Mr. james didn't look pleased. Laurel leaned back and grinned. David, one. Teacher who wishes he was as smart as David? Zero”

“Speaking of… does this mean you get your phone back?” I shrug. “I don’t really want that phone back. I’m hoping my whipped boyfriend will get me an iPhone for Christmas.”

“So there's magic? Real magic? It's not just all scientific like David says?"Tamani rolled his eyes. "David again?"Laurel bristled. "He's my friend. My best friend.""Not your boyfriend?""No. I mean...no."Tamani stared at her for several seconds. "So the position's still open?"Laurel rolled her eyes. "We are so not having this conversation.”