Forgotten Fates

Chapter Twelve

Elijah

As soon as we are alone in the car, or alone-ish depending on Tyler's current location, I question Alice about Finn and her little outburst at the table. I thought I recognized his face when I saw him in the parking lot, but as soon as he came into the restaurant, I knew with certainty that he was the same guy from the dreams. The one that showed up and tried to beckon Alice away from me. The one I suspected was responsible for her disappearance for those two miserable nights I waited on the bridge alone. However, I never imagined that guy would also turn out to be the famous Finn who caused our fight back in Seattle from blowing up her phone.

"Yes, Finn is an ex, but the outburst was more because his girlfriend was a bitch to Zoey and I got angry," she explains.

"I know you two have history," I say while making sure to keep my voice calm, "But how long ago did you break up? You never told me."

"Can we talk about something else?" she groans.

"Like what? Because I am pretty interested in the answer to this."

"Well, I am more interested in something you said earlier."

"What did I say?" I search my memory for what I could have mentioned that she thinks would be important enough to warrant a subject change.

"So, you are my boyfriend now?" she asks nervously and I can't help but smile at how adorable she looks when she is being shy.

"Well honestly I didn't want to say that, but thought it was the best option with so many people listening."

"I see," she says in a small, sad voice. Obviously crushed even though she tries to smile like it's fine.

"Because," I continue, leaning over the seat, "You are obviously so much more than just my girlfriend," I finish, leaning in to kiss her. She kisses me back, but then playfully smacks me in the arm for scaring her.

"Of course finding the right word to describe someone you have married a million times over, and have almost literally spent eternity loving isn't easy," I add.

"Hmm, maybe we should invent our own word then," she suggests.

"I like that idea."

"I think it should be something epic sounding. Like the word betrothed."

"I like it." I say. "But maybe something even more poetic.... Like the word snarfoogle."

"What?! What does that even mean?" she laughs.

"I have no idea I just made it up," I smile.

"Oh my gosh, I love it! From now on you are my snarfoogle!" she declares proudly.

When Paige, and Cole pull up, they find us still in the car and in stitches over our new epic word to express our love. I think they start to question our sanity, but we don't care.

A few minutes ago I was feeling jealous, having met the infamous Finn. Now all those feelings were fading away as I share this moment with the girl I know I will be spending the rest of my many lives with. 

Finn

As soon as Alice and her new boyfriend leave I head for the bathroom. The need to punch something has become overwhelming and I couldn't hold my anger in any longer. I check that the stalls are empty and begin to hit the tile wall beside the sink until my knuckles start to bleed. Only stopping when the door opens and Tristan walks in.

"What?" I say with more anger and bite then I intend to.

"Nothing dude, just checking that everything is cool," he says, casually looking at my bleeding fist like it's a completely normal sight.

"It's nothing," I tell him and he holds up his hands in surrender.

"You do what you got to man. I'm just making sure you don't get arrested for property damage," he says.

He's right of course. Me getting busted for something so stupid is the last thing my family needs right now.

I start to wash my hand in the faucet and Tristan silently hands me some paper towels. Letting me know in his own way that I could spill my guts if I wanted to.

"She has a boyfriend," I say without looking at him.

"I saw," he says. "And you have a girlfriend." My head snaps up and I have to work very hard to suppress the urge to punch him in the face. "Are you pissed that I pointed it out, or that you know who have no right to be mad at her when you started screwing Callie again the day after she left?"

I take swing at him and he doesn't even try to duck. He just lets my fist connect with jaw before turning back to face me. Like it never even happened.

"I'm pissed at myself," I tell him. "I hate that I have been with Callie while Alice was gone."

"Don't be too hard on yourself for it. She can be rather hard to resist," he says and I give a questioning look "Oh geez, not even," he clarifies. "I can't stand that girl."

"I can't either, but apparently it doesn't stop me."

I try to flex my hand a few times and wince at the pain and praying I didn't break anything. I am hoping to avoid the hospital this week.

"Let me see," Tristan sighs. He grabs my hand and starts prodding my knuckles. I try to pull away but he holds firm and keeps doing it to all of them in turn before finally releasing me. "Nothing is broken," he says with confidence.

"How can you tell?"

"Trust me. Just wrap it up tight and ice it. You will be fine in a couple of days.

"Why are you even helping me right now? I just punched you in the face,"

He smirks and rubs at his jaw, "And you have one hell of a left hook."

"You hardly seem affected."

"I don't feel pain easily, but trust me it was a pretty impressive punch and I did feel it."

He cranks out a few more paper towels and wets them before going to the spot on the wall that made fist made contact with. Then he starts wiping away the blood for me. When I first met Tristan a few months ago he seemed like the kind of guy who didn't care much about anything or anybody. I always figured the only reason he even chose our group of misfits was because we threw the most parties. Now I was beginning to think there was more to him than his nonchalant exterior would suggest. Like, he was an actual good person. Unlike myself.

"I should be glad Alice found somebody else. She deserves so much better than me," I confess.

"What makes you think this guy is better than you?"

"Educated guess."

"Maybe the fact that a girl like Alice saw something in you in the first place, should be your first clue that you are in fact worthy of her," he says, then turns to throw the bloody towels in the trash before adding,  "And I am helping you because we are buds."

He starts to leave, but pauses before he is all the way through the door. "Don't be too much longer in here, your sister is worried," he says.