Destiny

Advances

Finally, as the sun began to set, we returned to the beach, and upon reaching the dock, we had to run to the car as it started to rain. The timing was perfect; it was sunny at sea, but reality brought the rain.

As Matthew drove under an increasingly darkening sky, with the windshield wipers moving back and forth against the rain, the questions and doubts about what Ariana had told me about Matthew's family came to mind. Everything seemed to be true, but if so, what were they? I had never met or known anyone who could remain physically intact in the way they did. It couldn't be something natural.

I glanced at Matthew out of the corner of my eye, feeling a pang of disappointment when I recalled what Ariana suspected about him.

"Get whatever's tormenting your mind out, Bianca," he said with a sideways smile, catching me off guard.

Why did he have to look so handsome even in profile?

"I was just thinking about your younger sister, Colette. She's a very pretty girl. How old is she?"

"15 years old. She's very curious."

"She really likes art; it seems we have that in common," I commented, not wanting to return to what Ariana thought about Matthew, at least not at that moment. "Especially Uriel's paintings. I completely understand her; they're also my favorites."

He continued driving in silence but was attentive to what I said.

"My father used to take me to art exhibitions very often in Los Angeles. But he never missed those of Uriel. He spoke of that artist as if he knew him. I would laugh at him; it seemed like, beyond admiring him or liking his works, he loved the artist, like a friend or a brother."

I stayed silent for a moment, reminiscing about my father.

"I don't know," I murmured melancholically. "It was strange but also sweet. My father was very sentimental and cheerful."

"Your father sounds like a character from the cartoons Colette still watches."

I laughed.

"He was kind of like that. He was an ordinary man, but sometimes he seemed so mysterious, and he believed in so many fanciful things."

"Was he a good father?"

"Completely."

He nodded.

"That's what matters."

The sky had completely darkened, the rain had eased a bit, and we emerged from the tree tunnel when I thought I wanted to know more about Matthew, that I didn't want our time together to end, even though we were almost at his house.

"You're very good at listening."

"When you spend so much time alone, you get used to listening. You become subtle."

I smiled softly to myself.

"As far as I'm concerned, I haven't seen your subtlety."

He smiled too.

"I become someone different with you. Sometimes I don't understand myself."

"So, am I the cause of your mental imbalance?"

"If making me feel something is considered mental imbalance, then yes, you're the cause."

There he went again, saying things that left me unsure of how to respond or react. Matthew could be teasing me, and I wouldn't even notice. Why am I different from the other girls at school who probably drool over him even if he scares them?

During the minute of silence I maintained, Matthew arrived at the house. Then I said the first thing that came to mind.

"Thank you for today," I said as I unbuckled my seatbelt. "It was never part of my life plans to learn how to drive a boat, but it was fun."

Matthew turned toward me and stared into my eyes as the rain suddenly intensified. I would have to wait a bit longer in the car, alone with a guy who melted my senses.

"I wasn't in your plans," he said. "But from now on, Bianca, I'm going to be."

Suddenly, Matthew leaned in and kissed me. When his lips met mine, I felt the hundreds of nerve endings in my lips ignite. His hands held my face as I pulled back, trying to distance myself reflexively from the sensations that inflamed my entire body. And I couldn't help but think that I liked this, that I liked it a lot, as I eagerly returned the kiss. Even though it made no sense, even though it was dangerous, even though at one moment I felt intoxicated by happiness beside him and at another felt on the brink of death. Despite how brief those moments of happiness were, I felt I would give everything for them.

.

.

.

Although I couldn't stop thinking about Matthew and my Saturday afternoon, especially the ending, for the last two nights, what Ariana had told me was confirmed by my own eyes. I felt like I was caught between a rock and a hard place with Matthew and Ariana as the objects of my conflict, feeling as if I were betraying both. I understood Ariana's pain and the reasons for her suspicions, but something told me that Matthew, despite being dangerously addictive, would never hurt me, and that he couldn't have hurt Katherine. So, I made a decision: I would continue investigating with Ariana about the truth of the Webers, uncover what they were hiding, the very thing Matthew didn't want to tell me, for whatever reasons, and solve the mystery of Katherine's death.

I didn't see Matthew in math class, and I didn't see Dana either, which honestly relieved me. But every second I spent in that classroom, I couldn't stop remembering that Matthew had kissed me, and I didn't know how to act when I saw him again. Fortunately, that Saturday night my mom didn't mention anything about my disappearance with Matthew, but they knew. What would his strange parents think of me?

"As strange as it may seem, the cafeteria feels empty without Alek and his group of misfits, including his sister," Ariana said, looking at the table where Gabriela and her eccentric group of friends sat. "I'm thankful she's found a new boyfriend."

"She found a distraction?"

She laughed.

"I think that's a good way to describe having a boyfriend at this age," she shrugged.

I thought about Matthew and me. What were we now? What did all those things he said and the kiss mean to him? I had no experience with this.

"His name is Dave Collin," Ariana explained. "He's like you."

"Is he new?"

"He arrived last Friday. He has this habit of showing up in class whenever he feels like it, so it makes sense that he came on the last day of the week."

"Is he here?"

"No, he plays on the soccer team. He must be out on the field with the others. I hope there are no problems today; Alek hates him."

"Why?"

"Since he appeared, he's been showing everyone that he's the best at soccer and attracting girls, something that Alek seems to find meaning in his life through," Ariana rolled her eyes. "They fought on Friday. Luckily, it was only verbal; something tells me that guy would have sent Alek to the hospital."

"Is he strong?"

"He's like any guy with a sculpted body," Ariana smiled. "It's about his aura, you know? He has something dangerous, like Matthew. By the way, when are you going to meet his parents?"

I adjusted in my seat, doing my best not to think about the kiss or let it show on my face.

"I already met them, on Saturday."

Ariana's eyes widened.

"When were you planning to tell me?"

"Right now."

"Did you see them? Do you understand me now?"

"Yes," I wanted to seem as calm as possible, but remembering it again was surprising. "It's incredible."

"They are not normal people, Bianca."

"And what do you think they are?"

I had already thought about that. If they weren't ordinary humans, what could they be?

"I've been thinking they are vampires. Kat had bites like that."