I hurried around the corner, following Mike as quickly as possible. We passed by the streets frequented by vampires, then through the drab ones for humans, until finally reaching safety—an alley with barely any lighting. We were nearly invisible in the night, except for the light glow of the moon.

“Score.” Mike leaned against the wall, his breathing heavy, and he opened his bag. Inside was a large piece of cheese.

I brightened. Cheese had always been one of my favorite foods, but it was something I rarely got to eat anymore. The piece he’d stolen was a true prize.

It was amazing how much more value the most normal things started to have when they were suddenly scarce or forbidden.

“What’d you get?” he asked me.

“Just a few apples,” I replied.

A year ago, apples would have hardly gotten me excited. Now, I imagined the happy faces the others who worked at the Tavern would have when they saw them, and I held my bag closer, as if it contained treasure.

“Want a taste?” Mike broke off a small bit of the cheese and handed it to me.

I took it from him and nibbled at it, wanting to enjoy it as much as possible. It was delicious. Especially compared to the bland food we normally ate.

“Now that we’re here—alone—I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” Mike cleared his throat and looked down at me, suddenly serious. With his height, blonde hair, and chiseled jaw, he reminded me of the quarterback of my high school’s football team. I imagined he would have played high school football—if he hadn’t been born and raised in the Vale.

“Okay.” I swallowed the final bite of cheese and wrapped my hand around the strap of my bag. “What’s up?”

“Christmas is this month,” he said.

“It is.” I nodded, and my eyes filled with tears. “The first Christmas without my family.”

I remembered the last Christmas we’d spent together—how Dad had to run to the store last minute to get the turkey—like he did every year—and how the entire family had come over to celebrate. We’d opened presents under the tree and built gingerbread houses. My brother had refused to follow the instructions, and his came out like a complete mess. We’d joked about how it was a good thing he wanted to be a lawyer and not an engineer. Then he’d knocked my house over—which I’d built perfectly according to the directions—and we'd all eaten until our stomachs were about to burst.

After my time in the Vale, I’d forgotten what being that full felt like.

A tear slipped out, and I wiped it away, standing straighter. I needed to be strong—and I tried to be strong. But it was hard.

No one knew about all the nights when I hid under my covers after lights out and allowed the tears stream quietly from my eyes, as if letting them out could mend my shattered soul.

“I know.” Mike reached for my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

I smiled at him and sniffed away the tears, grateful to have him for a friend. More than a friend—as family. He could never replace my brother, of course, but I think I would have broken completely if it hadn’t been for him.

“Every year on Christmas Eve, there’s a celebration at the village square,” he told me. “I was hoping…” He looked down at his feet, his cheeks reddening, and then turned his gaze back up to meet mine. “I was hoping you would go with me. As my date.”

I froze, the words sinking in.

A date?

Mike wanted to date me?

I had no idea what to think—or to say. Because Mike was awesome. He’d saved my life from that wolf when I first arrived to the Vale, he’d taught me how to get revenge on the vampires by stealing prohibited food, and he’d given me my job at the Tavern.

But I had no romantic feelings for him. And the way he was looking at me right now—with so much hope in his eyes—was breaking my heart.

I didn’t want to hurt him. But I needed to be honest with him. Not being honest now, in this moment when he was giving me the chance, would only hurt him more in the long run.

“Well?” he asked, sounding less confident than before. “I know you’ve been unhappy in the Vale—I understand that. I know you want to leave. When I was younger, I heard tales about the world outside the boundaries, and I used to want to leave too. But no one leaves the Vale alive. All we can do is make the best from what we’re given. And maybe everything here doesn’t have to be horrible. Maybe we can be happy—together.”

“Mike,” I said his name slowly, wanting to do this as kindly as possible. “I’m flattered. Truly, I am. But we’re friends. You’ve been like family to me since I got here.”

He took a deep breath, looking down at me in determination. “I want to see if there can be more between us.” He entwined his fingers in mine, as if he didn’t want to let me go. “I was hoping you felt the same.”

I untangled my hands from his and pulled away. “I don’t want to hurt you.” I shook my head sadly. “You’re my closest friend here. But I don’t feel the same way, and I don’t want to lead you on. I’m so sorry.”

His forehead creased—he looked crushed. I could see the pain shining in his eyes. I wanted so badly to say something—anything—that would make him feel better, but I had no idea what that could possibly be.

Then someone screamed from the street—a bloodcurdling shriek that made every hair on my body stand on end.

Mike bolted out of the alley to help, and I was right at his heels.