I've had enough...
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| An Awkward Encounter | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Corinne stood before Alex with her arms across her chest. "Now, Alex, I know how much you hate to leave me alone at night, but I'm very capable of taking care of myself. Your pals are waiting for you at the pub. Do you want them to get pissed without you?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "...No," Alex said reluctantly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Then go. I'll be here when you get back. And don't worry about coming back late, I won't mind at all." She shoved him out the door, realizing that she'd been doing an awful lot of pushing with him since Aidan had shown up. "Goodbye, honey! Have fun!" She watched him uncertainly drive away and felt a wave of relief as she shut the door behind her. She sighed heavily and leaned her back up against the door thinking about what she was doing. She'd been with Alex for so long and she was comfortable with him... wasn't she? And if she was comfortable, then why was she seeing Aidan in five minutes? And if she wasn't comfortable, why didn't she just break it off with Alex? Her head began to spin with guilt and worry. Was this really what she wanted to do? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Before she could think of her answer, she heard a knock on the door that she felt in her chest. Her heart leapt into her throat, a charge of excitement rushed through her veins making her fingertips tingle. She wondered why she felt like that if he wasn't even the kind of guy she usually fell for. What was so different about him? Was it that he wasn't intimidated or even a little put off by her? Or was it something else? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| She turned quickly and pulled open the door. "Uh... hi," said Aidan. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Hi," she replied. She let him in and couldn't think of anything else to do. What were his interests? Should they even talk? Maybe they should watch a movie, or something. Or perhaps just some dinner, some tea, or she could play some of her songs. She stared at him as he entered through the door in slow motion and couldn't believe her thoughts. Should she ask what he wanted to do? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nope. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Before she could think, she shut the door and pushed him against the wall. She could hear him laugh. She pulled back and asked, "Why are you laughing?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I was just wondering if you always do that to Alex when he comes home. Is this the only way you let your feelings show?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Excuse me? Is there something you don't like about the way I kiss?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No, no. I quite enjoy it, as I assume most men would. It's just that you barely talk to me and when you do it's something derisive. Couldn't we just talk about... well, anything? Something that we could perhaps discuss without throwing insults back and forth?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Her jaw dropped. She didn't know what to do. How does she deal with something like this? Thinking back, she realized that she and Alex barely ever spoke to each other. Her defense mechanism kicked in. "Are you a virgin or something?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Huh? What does that mean?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Just... no one ever really wants to talk anymore, right? Anyone I've ever run into that just 'wants to talk' has never screwed before and they're afraid that they wont be able to satisfy." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh, so that's what you think every guy is like? For your information, I'm not a virgin. I just like to know the person I'm trying to get intimate with." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why do you speak so intelligently?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Uh... I was on the honor roll in my old high school." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Ah. Well, now I know a little more about you." She leaned in and he pushed her back. "What's wrong now??" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You know me, I don't know you. I'd like to know you. I'm going to go into your living room and sit down. You can join me and talk if you want, but if sex is all you're thinking about, I suggest you go someplace private, satisfy that urge and then come back to talk." He turned and sat on the couch. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You're unbelievable." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why? Because I want to talk? You people are so much different from what I thought." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Fine, you want to talk, let's talk." She sat on Alex's chair across from him. "So what do you want to talk about?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You," he said smiling. "Herbert told me a little about you, but I want it in a little more detail. He said you were adopted by his aunt and uncle." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Corinne began to shift uncomfortably. "I don't like to talk about it." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I just don't. It doesn't have any importance to me." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Fine, then tell me something about you that no one knows. Or at least no one except Alex." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Alright." She thought for a while, wondering what would be private enough. "I have a tattoo that I never paid for." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Eh?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "For as long as I can remember, I've had this weird tattoo on my left shoulder and no one knows where it came from. Herbert's family said that I had it when the adopted me, and the orphanage says I had it when they found me." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Found you?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yeah. Some anonymous woman called the orphanage and told them where to find me. I was placed in a blanket -- a really expensive and ornate blanket -- in a wicker basket by an old abandoned castle in England. Odd place to throw a baby, eh?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "But what about this tattoo on your shoulder? Does it kind of look like a C and a W connected to each other?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "...Yeah... How did you know?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "My parents told me that it was a birthmark." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What? What are you talking about?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aidan pulled down his left sleeve and turned to show her his tattoo -- exactly what he'd described. "Show me yours." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dazed, she did. They were exactly the same. "But how is that possible? You're not adopted, right?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't think so... I've never really discussed it with my parents. We couldn't be..." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| They both let out a reflexive "Ick!" at the shock that they could be related. Aidan stood, feeling very nervous. "I think I'm gonna go now." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Sounds good." Corinne didn't bother to show him out, she just felt too disturbed to do anything. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aidan climbed into his truck and sped off, going straight home. Bursting in the front door, he called out to his parents. "Mom! Dad! Where are you?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "We're in here, dear," called his mother. He followed the voice and sat in front of his parents in the kitchen. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I want to know exactly what you know about my so-called unique birthmark." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What are you talking about, son?" said his father, laying down the paper. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "My birthmark! It's not really a birthmark, is it? It's too much like a tattoo to be. And if it's unique, then how come I found a girl with the same mark on her?" Aidan asked quickly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Aidan, what's this all about?" asked his mother. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Am I adopted??" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Lord, no!" laughed his father. "You're as much our son as the Pope is catholic. Why?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Did I ever have a sister, then?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "...No, dear." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Then why is it that I found a girl with the same mark?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Maybe she got a tattoo one night and can't remember when she got it. She just drew it out or something." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No, she says she's had it for as long as she can remember and that the orphanage says that she had it when they found her." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Well, then it's just a coincidence. A very strange one, but interesting as well." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aidan was confused. How could they both have the same mark by chance? "And you're sure that it's a birthmark?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It was on you the day you were born." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Maybe this girl likes you and she got your birthmark tattooed in a display of her affection," remarked his father. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Or maybe you two are destined to be together like soul mates," said his mother sweetly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aidan suddenly had the urge to read more of Herb's book. "I'm going to bed. Night." He ran upstairs and reached under his bed... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The book was gone. "Huh?" He looked under and it was nowhere to be seen. Then he remembered that Herbert had taken it back to his house when he'd dropped him off. He was too tired to go back for it now. He decided to get it the next day after school and to tell Corinne what his parents had told him. Thank God they weren't related. He would have been scarred for life if that had been true. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| "Beleger," said the young woman with black hair, entering into the old room. "They have both found the marks. I do not think they know what they mean yet, though. The closer they seem to get, the further they are drawn back for their lack of instinct." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Do not worry, Dorisae. They will know soon enough -- I can sense it." The old woman seemed so sure that nothing would spoil their plans as she sat in the wooden rocking chair. "You must not rush the natural order of things. What is meant to happen will most certainly happen." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "But Beleger," said Dorisae, her dark gray eyes flashing with anxiousness, "how can we just wait? What is meant to be will only happen if we intervene and we cannot refuse it! And we must intervene soon or they will know too much for us to act! Their minds will be poisoned by the others--" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Do not mention them in my presence!" boomed the older woman, standing tall before Dorisae. "I have seen our destinies -- they cannot stop us. We will succeed." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yes, Beleger," said Dorisae, bowing her head. "I will not do it again." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| On to the next chapter! I've had enough... |
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