Fated - The Scorpion & The Butterfly

o n e

hello! thank you for checking out my story! i've written before but never end up following through, i'm by no means a pro. one thing i want to say : for the characters, i'm going to be adding ai generated images based on my descriptions of them hopefully to help readers visualize better. this is something new for me, it also helps me as a writer. most everything i've written before are based on celebs or well-known people but i want to this to be as original as i can get it. 

thanks for reading <3 
much love x

The Butterfly

I exhaled a breath I had been holding since class was dismissed. The breeze from opening the door blew through my hair. I was glad the day was finally over.

It had only been a week since I moved to California from my quaint little home town in Texas. Just my second day of classes and I already felt like I was in the wrong place.

This isn't what I wanted - college. I nearly gagged at the thought. I'd taken a gap year after high school, but it had turned into two when mom passed. My dad insisted it was time I "do something with my life".

"If you don't go to this school, you don't get the Ranch." He firmly reminded me almost every day back home it seemed.

I rolled my eyes thinking of his threat.

This was the College he picked. The courses he wanted me to take. He changed after mom was gone and I hated that I fell for his manipulation. I know it was hard for him, even if they'd been divorced for a few years already, but it was hard for me to. He just seemed to only care about himself after that. I was just glad to be away from him for a while.

College isn't for everyone, and I'm pretty sure I'm one of those people. I just want to live my life and make my way on my own. I don't have to go to college for that. My mother was proof of that. She'd always handled all the business aspects of the ranch until she and dad separated.

I huffed to myself as I walked back to my dorm, trying to push the negative thoughts from my mind. My brain was already throbbing from that lecture, I didn't need to make it worse.

One thing about being here that I was thankful for was my roommate, Stacy. I was so worried I would get stuck with a prude or something but she's quite the opposite and we just clicked as soon as we met.

I was happy to have some kind of relief while being here. I had to figure something out. There is no way I'll survive college long enough to graduate with anything.

It's just not for me.

"Elle!" A voice called from a distance just as I reached the dorms. I looked up to see Stacy sprinting my way.

I laughed at the way her bag bounced around as she ran. "Stace, hey! I thought you had one more class today?" I asked as she caught up to me.

"Fuck..that class.." She said out of breath, making me giggle again. "Do you have plans tonight? If not, you do now. Guess who just invited us to a Frat party?" She questioned me as we made our way into our dorm.

"Hm," I let my bag slide off my shoulder before dropping it to the floor by my bed, already deciding I would indeed be going to this party no matter what. I regretted the decision the second a name left her lips.

"Who?" I asked as I plopped down on the bed, letting out a sigh of happiness. My bed was my favorite place.

"Zachary James." I could hear a smirk in her voice and my eyes widened.

"You're joking? Stacy, I hate his guts!" I protested.

I never knew I could hate someone so quickly but Zachary James, he won that trophy. I shivered just thinking about him. He was that guy on campus. Every girl wanted him and every girl that had him was still mending a broken heart.

Stacy scoffed and kicked my leg that hung from the bed. "You do not. You just don't like the feeling he gives you." Her tone was teasing and I felt a pang between my legs as an image on him popped into my mind.

"Oh, shut up!"

I sat up and threw one of the too-many throw pillows from my bed at her. Bullseye! I hit her right in the face triggering more laughter from the two of us.

Though we still had plenty to learn about each other, already we got along like sisters. It was the kind of connection I never had, given I was an only child and didn't have many friends back home.

Another thing I blame dad for. There was in fact a list.

"Forget about him, okay? He won't be the only eye candy there." She shifted to my closet and I raised a brow at her. "A southern belle like yourself needs to loosen up once in a while, now ain't that right?" She looked over her shoulder at me with a cheeky smile.

I cringed at the fake southern accent she put on, though it was pretty spot on.

"You sound like my mother." We both laughed again as I stood and moved to her side.

She shuffled through all the dresses that hung in my closet, clearly unimpressed by them all.

She turned to me with her hands on her hips. "Hm. I think you may just have to borrow something from my closet." She moved to her side of the room and pulled open the door.

It was like she just opened the door to a party store. There were so many dresses I didn't know how she fit them all in there. A lot looked like they were missing a rather large amount of fabric in certain areas.

"Red is definitely your color," She glanced at me then back to the dresses, studying the section of red ones. She'd organized them by color which was oddly satisfying.

"Hmm.. oh! This one. For sure."  She held up a red mini dress. It was backless with a sharp plunge that made my eyes widen a bit.

"Me?" I pointed to myself. "In that?" I pointed at the dress. "Where's the rest of it?" I asked, reaching for the fabric as I gave it a questionable look.

The fabric was slick on the outside but soft on the inside. It looked like something that would be uncomfortable to wear all night but felt the opposite.

"Oh don't worry. After a few drinks, and Zack seeing you in this, I have a feeling you won't be wearing it for long." She gave me a wink and a nudge to the arm to which I rolled my eyes.

"Fine, but I am so not going anywhere near him." I snatched the dress from her, laying it out on my bed. I turned back to her when I heard a giggle.

"If you can avoid him."