The Reaper's Touch

22. Find A Way To Dumb It Down .

"Hey M.J., you coming to hang with us tonight?"

"No, I uh, have some things to take care of. I'll hit you guys up tomorrow or something."

"Come on, it's the weekend, girl. Let's go make some guys wish they never met us." The group of young ladies giggled.

But she kept walking away, even though her friends waited a few seconds longer to see if she'd join them after all. But when she didn't, they continued on their separate ways.

"Oh, I intend to." She said, zipping open her bag to check and make sure her red and green wig lay in wake.

"Ember?"

"M.J." I opened my eyes, "Her name is M.J."

"Mm." He nodded, a small tug at the right corner of his mouth caught my attention.

"This was your plan?"

"I'm asking all the questions." He reminded me.

And so skillfully reminded me of what was just a few inches away from me.

"Please," I smiled, "Ask away."

"I'm being drawn." I told Ezra, slipping on my shirt as the last item to complete my attire.

"This will be your first lone reaping."

"Maybe next time. I'm still not one hundred percent sure I can handle all of it at once alone."

"That wasn't a question, Ember."

"What? No. I-I can't do it alone. Not now, hell, probably not ever. I'm not sure I'd even want to."

The damn Reaper threw me off with his change in expression, it'd noticeably lightened.

"What?" I asked suspiciously.

"The faster you get through your training, the faster you can be doing it on your own."

I was going to comment back with something smart, but realized he was only quoting Michael's words to me before I even began working with Ezra.

Let alone sleeping with him.

"Things aren't.. like that anymore." I turned to him, stroking the sharp cut of his jawline with my fingertips. "Everything's different now."

"You see me differently now."

I looked back and forth between those electric blue eyes of his and smiled, "No. I'm seeing you for who you really are now."

"Death."

I slowly shook my head from side to side, then pressed my head to his chest area. I closed my eyes when I felt his arms wrap around me.

"A good man."

"Thank you for deciding to come with me, even though you think I could do it alone."

"I'll only push you when you're sure of yourself."

"I'm never sure of myself. And when I am, I won't need a push."

He rose his brows at me as if to say ya think?

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Lets go, Reaper."

With my new, well.. newly found mist, I wrapped Ezra and me, engulfing us in the purest of white haze, with the intentions of taking us to where I was being drawn. To the person whom was dying that I was being called to.

But we ended up in Ezra's study.

In front of the couch where Cupcake lay.

Except.. a small frame was sitting upright on the couch with deep blue eyes staring up at us.