The Awakening

Chapter 25

Angeni finally wakes up and nudges my thoughts. Stop it will you she says. I'm sorry I reply. I just can't stop thinking about him. Well evidently you were doing that last night too, she says. What do you mean? I ask. Well, I slept in because of all the moaning and sexual thoughts you were having last night. What? No, I was no.... I didn't even get out the last words when she says I can prove it here you go. Angeni fed the images and thoughts to me along with the sounds of my moans and cries for Ethan. Remembering the images sent warm tingles all the way down to my core igniting something within me that burned for him. Angeni smiles at my thoughts and says wait till we transform with the full moon tonight I get Bane. I smirk at her and say well I didn't hardly sleep last night either with all of the snoring you were doing. I don't snore, she replies. Oh, yes you do, and I fed the sounds back to her. She hangs her tongue out of her mouth and wags her tail happily. A knock at the door pulls me back to the present and Camille says ok we are ready. I pull myself out of the tub and dry my skin that smells of Jasmine flowers. I dry my hair and take a detangling comb to it. I then slide on the robe my mother left me and head out into my room.

I freeze as I enter my room and gasp. Everyone is at an individual station with a number on it. Camille comes over to me and takes me to station one where Jessica is waiting for me. Do you have any ideas on how you would like your hair done she asks. No, I have no idea, I reply. She gets to work though and puts some styling crème in my hair then starts rolling my hair up in brush rollers then applies a shower cap after saturating it with flexible hold hairspray. Ok, I'm done for now proceed to station two. I look for station two and Melanie is there waiting with a big smile. Melanie looks at my skin tone and at my eyes. You have a beautiful complexion Alyiah let's do a light-colored smoky eye on you with a hint of blush, liner to bring out your eyes and a pale peach colored lip gloss. That sounds wonderful, I reply. Melanie gets to work adding a moisturizer and then foundation before blending it all in. She then adds a light neutral blush, black eyeliner, and saves the lip gloss for after I eat breakfast. I switch to station three and Sarah and Katie go to work filing and shaping my nails and toenails. They apply a base coat to each nail before following with a pale peach nail polish to my nails and toenails. They finish with a couple coats of topcoat and spray my nails with instant dry. Ok, downstairs everyone for breakfast, Camille says. One by one we file out of my room and down to the dining room where Miss Davis and the kitchen staff are bringing out carts with eggs, bacon, pancakes, and toast on them not to mention the warm maple syrup that I could smell from my room. Angela a female pack member I had not met yet was pushing out the last cart that was full of breakfast coffee, orange juice and cranberry juice. Ok eat up everyone its almost 10am already. What? But the ceremony starts soon, I exclaim. Don't worry Alyiah, everyone else is finishing up the preparations outside for the ceremony. Yes, that's why you should eat quickly. We all scramble to get food and drinks and are done eating before we know it. We head back upstairs and continue with getting me ready. Jessica puts me under a portable hairdryer and the others leave for now to get ready. Melanie hands me a tube of lip gloss before she walks out as I say thank you all so much. The timer goes off a few minutes later and Jessica starts removing the rollers and dropping them back into the tote she got them from. She grabs a box of clips and a tease brush which she uses to tease my hair tightly. She pulls the front back and pins it firmly creating a waterfall of curls down my back. She sprays them heavenly with Freeze-it hairspray and says Ok, now for your undergarments Alyiah. Camille and Jessica help me into my bra, and hosiery making sure to fasten all of the clips on my garter belt. I step into my dress and then into my slip so that nothing goes over my head to destroy my hair. Jessica and Camille work diligently to lace up my dress and place my veil and tiara. I hold off on my shoes until its closer to the ceremony time. Camille uncovers the full-length mirror and turns me so I can see myself full view. I'm totally speechless because I don't even recognize myself. I looked like I was every bit of 25 and maybe even a runway model. Alyiah my mom called up the stairs, your father is ready for you. Jessica meets me in the hallway, and she is dressed in a light mauve colored gown with a small bouquet in her hand. Is it ok if I'm your maid of honor? I forgot to ask earlier, she says. I nod my head yes and we hustle to the stairs. I pause at the corner and take a deep breath. Jessica and I round the corner and my parents both glance up and they start tearing up. I descend the stairs holding the railing and trying not to step on my dress. I reach the bottom step finally and my father kisses my cheek gently and pulls me in for a hug. My mom does the same in between sniffles as she hands me my bouquet. Stephen comes around the corner and says everything is ready. I look to my father, and he is already looking at me. Are you ready he asks? That depends, I guess on if Ethan is at the altar, I reply. Tell me Alyiah, do you think he passed our expectations? I fall silent, but say, yes, I think he kicked ass. He holds a flat effect to his face and says well, let's go see then. Dad I'm not going to marry anyone but him. Alyiah didn't your mother say anything to you, he asks. The only thing she said was that you were going to test him, I reply. Well, test him we all did, and he beat everyone, and I do mean everyone. I started to tear up with thoughts of Ethan waiting for me and the happiness from knowing he succeeded. Pack members come in that include Jessica, Katie, Sarah, and Melanie then Caleb, Keith, Mitch, and Brian. The music starts and Stephen leads my mother down the aisle followed by the pairs one by one. Once they are seated the music changes to the traditional Canon in D which is my cue, and my father starts descending down the aisle with me. When we are about halfway down the aisle Ethan turns toward me and he starts to cry then mouths you are so beautiful. Angeni starts dancing around in my head shouting I TOLD YOU SO!!! My heart is beating so fast in anticipation as we crest the small hill where Ethan is waiting for me.