Destined Part I

Winter Ball

I had enough time to shower and blow my hair dry before I was bombarded by Grace and Angelina. They were as bad as doctors, poking and prodding and fidgeting all around me.

I had rollers in my hair and both of them were digging through their makeup, trying to find the perfect color for me to wear.

“I thought vampires were ‘otherworldly’ beautiful. Why would you need makeup then?” I asked sarcastically. I was trying hard to keep a light mood after today’s encounter with Haiden.

Grace rolled her eyes at me.

“They can turn me into a bloodsucker, but they can’t ever take my vanity,” she joked, sending Angelina and I into a fit of laughter.

“What are you three giggling about in here?” a voice said from outside the doorway.

Kristopher walked in and my breath caught in my throat.

He looked amazing. He was always so handsome, but to see him dressed up in his black Armani tuxedo made my heart swell.

In her animated way, Angelina threw her arms around him and nearly knocked him over.

“You look so great!” she said pulling back to get a better look.

“Look at you!”

Kristopher blushed, but pinched her chin lovingly.

“You’re a doll. Giada would like to know when you girls will be ready. Guests will be arriving soon and you know how she gets…”

“Yes,” Angelina and Grace chimed in unison. That sent them off on a second laughing spree.

“We’ll be ready by the time they get here,” Grace assured, a little breathless from all the amusement.

She stood on her toes to kiss Kristopher on his cheek and added, “Tell Mama Giada not to worry.”

He chuckled, shaking his head, and walked off to deliver the message.

They got to work on my makeup, refusing to let me look in the mirror the entire time. I kept pleading, but all I got were looks that told me I wasn’t going to win this one.

“Oh, come on!” I complained. “What if I hate it, then what? Are you going to redo the whole thing?”

Angelina just smiled and kept applying my blush.

“Shh…Let the master work,” Grace teased as she unclasped my rollers, sending blonde waves rolling down my back.

When makeup was complete, they walked me out of the bathroom with their hands covering my eyes.

As they led me through to the bedroom, butterflies began to tickle my stomach. It was really happening. The night we had been talking about since that day in October was here. Not that I was at all fooling myself into thinking that something would change, but the thought of Grace’s scheme working out sent a shiver up my spine.

When we got into the room, they came to a stop, their hands bracing my arms. I moved my feet around anxiously underneath me, ready to see what all of this fuss was over.

“Alright, the time has come. You can look at your dress now…” Angelina declared, dramatically.

When they pulled their hands away, I opened my eyes to peek at the gown hanging on the post of the bed.

At the sight of it, my eyes went wide, my hands flying up to muffle the squeal that escaped my lips. Instantly teary eyed, I turned to them and wrapped my arms around them, squeezing them with all my might.