Tough Love

Chapter 13

Chapter 13-

                           I pulled my sunglasses back to stop my side bangs from blowing in my face again. We were in some town next to Boston called Wrentham. There, they had a giant outdoor shopping outlet. The ride was a nice, relaxing hour away from where we lived, so we had enough time to talk and catch each other up on everything.

“I like this car better than your old one.” I commented at Anna, my sister. We took an exit for the outlet.

“Yeah? I forced Hector (her mate) to buy me this one and throw the old car away. It was just embarrassing driving that piece of junk around.” She said as we made our way down a smooth, winding road. It was silent for a few seconds before Anne blurted out, “Have you ever thought about a mate?”

“A mate? Why?” I asked curiously. Anne and I never really talked about finding mates. I don’t know why she was bringing it up now, but I knew something was up because she was playing with her hands, the way she always does when she’s nervous.

“Oh nothing, nothing at all. Just an innocent thought, that’s all.” Anne said stiffly, laughing nervously.

I turned in my seat to face her. “Spill.” I said, because whenever she talked like that, I knew there was something she wasn’t telling me. I watched how my older sister squirmed under my intense gaze, and I had to resist from smirking. Both of us couldn’t keep secrets from each other for long. We’d always end up telling each other one way or the other.

We were at a stop light, and Anne turned to face me, eager to tell me whatever news she was keeping from me. “Do not tell Mom and Dad. They were telling me this after you were asleep; they didn’t want to tell you because it’ll raise too much stress blah, blah, blah. To be honest, instead of stress it’d raise excitement and I don’t know, longing?” Anne rambled.

“Anne…” I warned. “Where are you going with this?”

“Well, you know how you randomly got your sight back? Kelsey and her research team have been trying to find out why, and it certainly is a miracle since they didn’t find ANYTHING in you that could scientifically knock your eyesight back. And now they think its one simple thing that made you get your eyesight back.”  Anne sucked in a deep breath dramatically. “You’ve found your mate.”

I laughed. “Uh-huh. Keep lying to me, it’s totally working.” I said sarcastically, still laughing and turned back in my seat.

Anne stayed quiet as she stared at me. “I’m serious.”

I turned back to her. “Well, I don’t believe it.”  

“You should, I mean what else could’ve made you get your eyesight back? Hm?”

I thought about that pleasant, intoxicating I smelt just before I passed out. No. Not a mate. No, no, no.

When I didn’t say anything, Anne said, “Exactly. The bond between you two was so, so strong and it broke your blindness. Mates have strong bonds, remember? It makes perfect sense. Fates probably going to bring you together, oh, I could picture it perfectly!” Anne was going to say more before I stopped her.

“No!” I said loudly. “No.” I said again, my voice more quiet. “I don’t want a mate. Not yet anyway.”

~

We walked into yet another store. My arms and legs felt sore, my stomach grumbling. “A dress store?” I said, stopping in my tracks.

“Yup, let’s just go try dresses on for fun.” Anne said, her eyes dancing with excitement. I groaned and trailed behind her. I held my arms out as she instructed. Her eyes scanned the racks intently, and then she threw the dresses onto my outstretched arms. After that, we both headed to the dressing rooms to try the dresses on.