7. Ezra

Chapter 7

Ezra

“ E zzy?” Nova’s meek voice came from where she stood by the island. A half-eaten cookie was in her hands, crumbs slowly falling on the ground as she messed with its edge.

The only benefit of Nova being a Manipulator was that her eyes were a window to her thoughts and feelings before she could mask them, but she rarely masked around me. Her lavender eyes were replaced by a mauve hue, indicating she was scared. When the human put his hands on her against her will, I should have ripped him limb from limb or at least ripped off the mask to track him down later and make him regret his actions.

“Yeah?” I asked, watching the crumbs pile by her boot-clad feet. My eyes trailed up her body as she rocked back and forth in her stance.

“Will you stay here tonight?” she asked, so low I could barely hear her.

Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes ping-ponged around as she slipped a piece of the cookie into her mouth, avoiding looking at me. An almost imperceptible shiver spread through her, and goosebumps lined her arms. I grabbed the fuzzy blanket off the back of the couch, walked over to her, and wrapped it around her shoulders. She finally shifted her eyes to me and gave me an appreciative smile, color shifting back to lavender.

I had slept at Nova’s multiple times before after a late night, but I avoided it, especially if I had to work the next day since the couch was too short and half of my legs hung off the edge. Tonight, however, I would do anything to ensure she left safe. I would sleep leaning against the wall, on my feet, or hanging from the ceiling if I had to.

I clutched the edges of the blanket and pulled her into my chest, her arms wrapping around my torso. “Of course.”

“I’ll apparition some clothes for tomorrow and your toiletries,” she stated, slightly mumbling.

I nodded. A basic navy T-shirt, a clean pair of jeans, a toothbrush, and pajama pants appeared on the couch a few minutes later. I didn’t wear a shirt to bed, but Nova and Crystal kept the apartment as cold as the Arctic, so I asked her for one. Out of all the abilities in our world, making things appear from thin air was by far the most convenient. Only Manipulators and Transporters could tap into that benefit, which always felt somewhat unfair to me. I would give anything to apparition the remote control for the television when it was wedged in the depths of the couch instead of spending ten minutes looking for it.

“I’m gonna change,” Nova announced, shaking herself free of the blanket. I let go of her, folding the blanket to set it back on the couch as she disappeared into her room.

Clean sheets and a flat pillow sat on the top shelf of the laundry room. I grabbed them and started setting up my miserable bed for the night. Trying to forget about what happened at the club was futile. I should have pummeled the guy’s face, but Nova was instantly wrapped around me. Her face had burrowed in my chest, and I hoped she couldn’t hear my heart racing. No one had the right to grab Nova.

“Hey, Ezzy?” Nova stepped out of her room, looking like herself again. Gone were Crystal’s clothes, replaced by a black tank top and orange cat pajama pants. The makeup was gone, and her hair was twisted into a braid. The bottom of it rounded her neck and continued over her shoulder before draping over her chest. The lack of covering showed off the moon and stars inked into her skin, decorating her collarbone and arm. “You don’t have to sleep on the couch…if you don’t want to.”

“Huh?” I asked. I reminded myself to blink, but my eyes were glued to her, and her words didn’t register.

“Crystal mentioned after the last time you slept over how you were half hanging off the couch,” she explained. She turned her eyes to the ground. “We can share my bed if you want.” She hesitated before adding, “Plus, you need to be able to function tomorrow for work, and I know how much you need a good night’s sleep.”

“Okay,” I forced myself to respond, feeling my mouth dry up, and followed her into her room. My hands started trembling, and my mind was racing. We had slept in the same bed many times as kids and into early high school, but it had been a long time since I had allowed it to happen. My self-control around Nova was well-honed, but I had no control over my actions if I was asleep, and the prospect of sleeping next to her made me nervous. I worried about accidentally cuddling her or mumbling something embarrassing in my sleep.

Nova’s bedroom was very her, and I loved the personality splattered all over the room. Dark purple velvet curtains covered the windows, ensuring no light hit her face on the few mornings she slept in. Her furniture was white, a plain canvas for the cluttering of items all over every surface. Details from places she had traveled, mementos from childhood, and an array of cups of water crowded her dresser and nightstand. The wall behind the small television had a flag with her family crest printed on it. The wall next to the bed was covered with pictures of her family, her and Crystal, her life, and us. Many, many pictures of us.

We quietly brushed our teeth in her en suite bathroom. I peeked at her, standing in front of me, through the mirror. Would this be what it would feel like to get ready for bed with her every night? We moved around the bathroom as if we brushed our teeth together every night. It was incredibly mundane. Normal. Usual. It was everything I wanted.

She bounced around the room, setting out her outfit for tomorrow—a burnt orange long-sleeved dress and her trusty black boots—and ensuring her purse was ready. I sat up against the upholstered headboard and watched her tidy her room. Faint bags were starting to form under her eyes as she moved slowly but restlessly. I think the incident with the human bothered her more than she was willing to admit.

Finally, she hesitantly crawled into bed.

“Goodnight, Ezzy,” Nova whispered as she turned away. There was only a foot of distance between our bodies, and her cinnamon scent lulled me. “Thank you for always looking out for me.”

“Of course, Nova,” I whispered back, staring at the ceiling covered in glow-in-the-dark-stars. Nova had encountered these at the store one day but didn’t let herself buy them. The silly stickers had brought such a smile to her face that I went back and bought them for her as a surprise. “I’ll never let anything happen to you.”