CHAPTER 9: ZOE

Alone with Chiara she sat opposite me like we were having a therapy session, her confidence forced me to attention.

"Apart from what you have seen of Christian. I am certain you have made a judgment about him."

Not exactly certain if that was of question or not I decided to not say anything but nodded to assure her that I have. Even thinking about the man made her on edge, I needed to know everything about him or at least why his being confused me. I think I might have a crush on him? No it can't be there's no way my mother sent me to an incredibly, handsome, devilish man. I have to have a dammed crush to describe him in such a manner. Mentally scolding myself I forced my attention on a Chiara assuring me his not a monster.

"Christian was not dealt the best hand, I am going to start from the beginning to make sure that you understand him as a person first. Then you will understand what is meant by being fate bond."

Silently nodding a donned of realization kicked me… Christians beginning was more shitter than mine and still maintained more humanity than most humans. At some point a drink appeared which I made sure to gulp down the orange juice still entrance by his story. She spoke about Christian's mother and I personally not knowing is worse that accepting and dealing with loss. As she went on I felt sorry for the boy but I felt proud of the man he has become despite of the adversity.

Although I have no way to helping him deal with the war due to an understandable ignorance of the balance politics. An eye for an eye? Seriously? What happened to the righteous and not turning the other cheek? Or is the war about something way worse than what Chiara is telling me? Perhaps I was reading way too deep to what I am told and what I am informed is basically fate had a way of arranging our stars.

"So what I hear is that I have a shot with the most ironic man ever?"

Laughing at how I phased my question, her brown eyes as warm as her personality shifted upstairs. Donavan appeared stealing Chiara away from me, but before they disappeared she winked and it made her cheeks warm. She gazed the direction that was not quite subtly hinted she wondered if she could have that love she hated to envy.

***

Like every little girl my dad and mom told me to not just date a lot of random guys but look for the one I can be with in the long term. At fifteen I thought I had that, I dated a guy eight years my senior. Although everyone was against our relationship I had hope and enough love to blindside his many characteristic flaws. I was devastated when I received news of his promiscuous nature and him blaming me for finding out angered me but we tried looking pass it. I was an innocent, naïve girl blind sighted by the overwhelming pressures of being a teenager.

Months later when I lost my parents I was devastated, trapped in a dark place. He did not make it easier, with every chance we were alone he would try to sleep with me and at first I found out our make out session could be used as an escape. He became more aggressive and the more he pushed the more I pulled away until Taylor punched him for the attempted rape. Beside I would never even thought of sleeping with him when he was drunk especially would have never without a condom. I was naive not stupid, I believed the woman who came up to me telling me about them, 'fucking'. I couldn't dedicate myself to spending hours mourning a relationship of a man who cheated like it was a sport.

I moved one and began dating humans my mom would approve of. When Jordan and I had our girls night she mentioned something that had my mind reeling. Something that in a billion possibilities I never wanted to be true, but due to her constant study of Taylor and my friendship. She came to the conclusion Taylor is into me, after denying, movie night and her observations on other people at school. I thought about it but Taylor is way too special to me to doom our relationship on an experiment. He is a great guy and best friend. No matter how much I thought about the possibilities we have a good thing going as, friends.

***

Ignoring the double cases when Taylor kissed me, like every negative thought I filed it and buried it and focused my attention on the new problem at hand, Christian. Nature called and I decided to hunt the bathroom down… After drying her hands, some unnatural powerful energy beckoned me to move the room down the hallway. Tempted to ease her curiosity, the further left had the object of her current need. Hands dried and deep breaths in, she gave into her need to find the energy.

Stalking into the forbidden and glancing into an intense gaze, darkening by second into the strangest energy. There are two sources, two similar pouts of energy. Waking around the room in search of the mystery, I stopped in front of a closed book and there and behold a glorious cloud shaded grey feather.

"It is-"

I stopped talking when I turn to be face to face with the tall Christian still sitting on his office chair. Surprised he managed to move so quickly and silently made the words chock. His short yet kempt beard that made him look more handsome, with full lips, swarming eyes, dark haired perfect enough to be a model. His aura drew me in and I felt it, the connection, us, the electricity Taylor was talking about.

"I have waited a life time for you."

Stunned and really short on words I did the dumbest thing ever, I giggled. Stopping almost immediately the silence bordered on comfortable, like we did not need to fill the silence with pointless conversation and that revelation alone made me look at him in a new light. Hulking over me his well-built frame not big enough to be a brick wall but closest comparison, basketball player. A hot basketball player.