Halo

sat still.

“So, Xavier,” said Ivy, laying down her fork although her plate was still full. “What sort of things are you interested in?”

Xavier swallowed uneasily. “Er… just the usual…” He cleared his throat. “Sports, school, music.”

“What sports do you play?” Ivy asked, with a little too much enthusiam.

“Water polo, rugby, baseball, and lacrosse,” Xavier rattled off.

“He’s really good,” I added helpfully. “You should see him play. He’s actually captain of the water-polo team.” I couldn’t seem to stop babbling. “He’s also captain of the school… but you already know that.”

Ivy decided on a safer topic. “How long have you lived here at Venus Cove?”

“My whole life — I’ve never lived anywhere else.”

“Do you have brothers and sisters?”

“I come from a family of six kids.”

“I imagine that must be fun, being part of a big family.”

“Sometimes,” Xavier agreed. “Sometimes it’s just noisy. There’s never much privacy.”

Gabriel chose this moment to tactlessly cut in. “Speaking of privacy, I believe you recently made an interesting discovery?”

“Interesting isn’t quite the word I’d use,” Xavier replied, not at all caught off guard by the sudden attack.

“What word would you use?”

“Something more along the lines of mind-blowing.”

“However you want to describe it, we need to get some things clear.”

“I’m not going to tell anyone, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Xavier responded immediately. “I want to protect Beth as much as you do.”

“Bethany thinks very highly of you,” Gabriel said. “I hope her affection is not undeserved.”

“All I can say is that Beth’s very important to me, and I intend to look after her.”

“Where we come from, people are not judged by their words,” Gabriel said.

Xavier was unfazed. “Then you’ll have to wait and judge me by my actions.”

Although he made no attempt to relax the mood, I could see from the expression in Gabriel’s eyes that he was surprised by how well Xavier was handling the situation. He hadn’t allowed himself to be intimidated, and his greatest armor was his honesty. Anyone could see that Xavier was driven by his ethics. Even Gabriel had to admire that.

“You see, you and I have one vital thing in common,” Xavier continued. “We both love Beth.”

An impenetrable silence settled over the room. Gabriel and Ivy had not expected such a declaration and were taken aback. Perhaps in their own minds they had underestimated the strength of Xavier’s feelings for me. Even I couldn’t quite believe he had spoken those words out loud. I tried hard to keep my composure and continue eating quietly, but I couldn’t keep the smile from spreading across my face, and I reached for Xavier’s hand across the table. Gabriel looked pointedly in the opposite direction, but I only tightened my grip. The word love echoed in my brain, reverberating as though someone had screamed it through a loudspeaker. He loved me. Xavier Woods didn’t care that I was ghostly white, seriously lacking in understanding of his world, and had a tendency to molt white feathers. He still wanted me. He loved me. I was so happy that if Xavier’s grasp hadn’t been anchoring me, I might have floated away.

“In that case, we can fast-forward to the second point on tonight’s agenda,” said Gabriel, unexpectedly ill at ease now. “Bethany tends to walk straight into situations, and at the moment she has only us to look out for her.”

I was annoyed by how he spoke about me in the third person, as though I wasn’t present, but I decided that now wasn’t a good time to interrupt.

“If you’re going to be spending time with her, then we need to know that you can protect her,” Gabriel went on.

“Hasn’t Xavier proved himself already?” I demanded impatiently. I was eager to bring the dinner ordeal to an end. “He rescued me from Molly’s party, and nothing’s ever gone wrong when he’s been around.”

“Bethany lacks understanding about the ways of the world,” Gabriel said as though I hadn’t spoken. “She still has much to learn and that makes her vulnerable.”

“Do you have to make me sound like a full-time babysitting project?” I snapped.

“I happen to be an experienced babysitter,” Xavier joked. “I can show you my resume if you’d like.”

Ivy was forced to smile behind her napkin at that, but when I searched Gabriel’s face for a change of expression, I didn’t find one.

“Are you sure you know what you’re getting yourself into?” Ivy asked, looking straight at Xavier.

“No,” he admitted. “But I’m prepared to find out.”

“You can’t turn back once you’ve placed your allegiance with us.”

“We’re not going to war,” I muttered under my breath. Everyone ignored me.

“I understand,” Xavier said, returning Ivy’s gaze.

“I don’t think you do,” Gabriel said softly. “But you will.”

“Is there anything else you think I should know?” asked Xavier.

“All in good time,” said Gabriel.

Finally, I found myself alone with Xavier. He sat on the edge of the bathtub while I brushed my teeth. I brushed them after every meal; it was a habit I’d gotten into.

“That wasn’t so bad.” Xavier leaned against the wall. “I was expecting worse.”

“You mean they haven’t scared you off?”

“Nah,” Xavier said causally. “Your brother’s a bit intense, but your sister’s cooking makes up for it.”

I laughed. “Don’t worry about Gabe — he’s always like that.”

“I’m not worried — he kind of reminds me of my mom.”

“Don’t tell him that,” I giggled.

“I thought you didn’t use makeup,” Xavier said, picking up a stick of eyeliner from the counter.

“I bought it to make Molly happy,” I said, rummaging around for the mouthwash. “She’s turned me into her project.”

“Is that so?” Xavier said. “Well, I happen to like you the way you are.”

“Thanks,” I said. “But I think you could do with a touch-up.”

I grinned and waved the eyeliner at him.

“No, you don’t,” said Xavier ducking out of my reach. “No way.”

“Why not?” I sulked.

“Because I’m a man,” Xavier said. “And men don’t wear makeup unless they’re emo or play in a boy band.”

“Please?” I wheedled.

His brilliant blue almond-shaped eyes seemed to sparkle. “Okay…”

“Really?” I brightened.

“No! I’m not that much of a pushover.”

“Fine,” I pouted. “I’ll just have to make you smell like a girl. ..”

Before he could stop me, I grabbed a bottle of perfume and squirted him in the chest. He sniffed his shirt curiously.

“Fruity,” he concluded, “with a hint of musk.”

I collapsed into laughter. “You’re ridiculous.”

“I think you mean irresistible,” Xavier said.

“Yes,” I agreed, “ridiculously irresistible.”

I leaned forward to kiss him, just as there came a knock at the door. Ivy poked her head into the room and Xavier and I sprang apart.

“Your brother sent me to check on you,” she said with a raised eyebrow. “To make sure you aren’t up to no good.”