Visions of Fate

CHAPTER THIRTY - THE GATHERING

"What are they doing here?" Ethan's voice was laced with shock and confusion, but his face had anger written all over it.

"I decided to bring them along," I said, after reaching him. He was standing beside his dad's Toyota car, the same one from the night of the incident. I tried not to waver and held my strong, unrelenting gaze in tact.

Ethan looked admittedly hot in a white button up, which was rolled up on both arms, to his elbow. His dark blue jeans were ripped at the knees, and brought out his blue eyes through the heavy daylight. His black and white converse pieced his entire outfit together, and I had to focus on the discussion at hand and try not to rush to him and beg for a kiss.

"But they weren't invited," Ethan brushed his hand through his already disheveled hair, and I could easily tell he was trying to keep his cool in front of my friends.

"I know, but I wanted them with me," I crossed my arms across my chest to establish my dominance. "Since you're going to be too busy with Ava to understand that I'm going to need someone by my side at the party."

Ethan looked like he was about to say something, but he immediately bit back the urge and rounded the car, climbing into the driver's seat. I opened the door to the passenger seat and beckoned for my friends to do the same.

The car ride was partly unsettling, partly nauseating, and entirely awkward, the only sound being a subtle Taylor Swift song playing from the radio. I could practically feel Ben's giddiness, and when I eyed him from the rearview mirror, I saw that he was literally squirming in his seat.

The look of over excitement opposed his charming looks, and I bit back a forehead slap, giving him discouraging eyes, instead. From the rearview mirror, I could fully make out Ben's features scowling at me, though he maintained himself after that.

The rest of the awkward ride went without any other interruption, and I found myself thanking God when Ethan finally parked the car. Though when I looked up I found my jaw dropping to the ground beneath the floor of the car.

The house in front of me wasn't at all what I'd imagined. It literally looked like a fairytale castle. The mansion was huge and made of white stone, with tall columns and big windows that sparkled like diamonds in the sunlight. The roof was a soft grey color, and had lots of points and turrets, like a crown. The whole house looked like it belonged to a king or queen.

The gate was made of black iron, with intricate designs and patterns that twisted and turned like vines. It was tall and imposing, with giant spears that reached towards the sky. The gate was flanked by two massive stone pillars, each topped with a regal lion's head, their eyes seeming to watch over all who approached.

The gate automatically opened, parting in two opposite directions, and Ethan drove down the gravel driveway and into a sea of other approaching cars, scraping my jaw that had been let loosed on the rough gravel.

Ethan stepped out of the car, and by the way my friends hesitantly did too, I could tell they were also in shock. Ethan dumped his keys into the waiting hands of who I assumed was a valet, dressed in a uniform that was almost the same shade of red as my school uniform.

Still in shock, my friends and I followed Ethan up the ivory steps to the front door, which was slowly swallowing a sea of elegantly dressed middle aged people.

The men, I noticed, were mostly dressed in suits and jeans without tie, and the women mostly in simple, yet elegant evening gowns with shoes and handbags that could probably pay my school fees for a whole year.

I straightened my tennis skirt, as we shuffled behind an elegant couple until it was our turn and I soon realized the cause of our holdup. An aging man in a dark tuxedo with an ipad warmly smiled at Ethan as we approached.