Destiny's Three Stars

2

Nona held a crop top up to my chest and turned her head to the side. "Try this one on."

I rolled my eyes. "I am not putting that thing on."

"You need to look your best when you meet this guy."

"That won't include showing my mid drift to a stranger."

She pushed the shirt into my hands before walking back to my closet. "Shorts or jeans?"

"I don't want to look like I've planned the entire thing."

"Of course not. We all know God orchestrated the whole thing."

"We do but he won't. Not everyone knows the Fates are actual people."

She laughed and put her glasses up on her head. "I'm not a person, Des. I'm a celestial being."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever."

She tossed a pair of shorts at me. "Wear these and the top. It'll make you look hot and subtle."

"I never thought you would say that about clothes." Nona always dressed to impress, like her life depended on it. She wore fake glasses that matched her outfits. She was wild and free and everything I hoped I could be.

"I need to go before I'm late and miss him." I said, wanting to get away from them before they convinced me to wear make up. I put the shorts on then a pair of running shoes and ran down the steps.

Decuma was cooking something in the kitchen and turned when I walked past her. She nodded at me. "Good luck, Des."

"Pray for me." The mailman was two houses down when I stepped outside. He was an older man with wrinkles around his eyes and mouth. He had a girl's name tattooed on his wrist that only showed in the summer months. I knew he wasn't the man I was going to meet.

He waved at me as he walked to the neighbor's house to deliver the mail. I went to the car the four of us shared and tossed my stuff into the passenger seat. I started the car and headed downtown. I checked the streets for any guys I thought would be a perfect match for me but there were none. Several people, including jealous girlfriends, stared back at me, obviously uncomfortable with how I was looking at them. Which I would have done also.

I went into the store and, again, saw no one. I got the ice cream and the several other items I needed and headed for the check out lane. There was a man in front of me with dark hair and eyes and a thin beard that was well trimmed. He had a leather jacket on, even in the summer, and skinny jeans that looked too young for him. He was buying a bag of ice. He had a large wad of bills in his hand and was fishing through the stack for a large enough bill to hand the cashier. He pulled out a twenty dollar bill and handed it over before glancing at me.

The exchange wasn't a long one but I got a sense of familiarity off of him. I didn't remember seeing this man before but there was something different to him. Was he the man from the vision?

He took the change, smiled at the cashier, and disappeared out of the store before I could say anything to him.

If only I could find out his name.

I paid for my items quickly then ran out after the man. But he was nowhere on the street. The same cars were parked along the street and new people were milling around. None paid any mind to me so I sighed and went to the car. Maybe I missed my match.

Before I could get to the car, I walked straight into someone in dark clothing. This was it! I knew it was the man from the store. Tall, dark, and handsome.

I looked up at the man, blush in my cheeks, and was surprised. He wasn't the same as the man in the store but he was similar. He had no facial hair but a pair of dark sunglasses over his eyes. He wore a dark t-shirt with shorts and tennis shoes. He was dressed more for summer than the man in the store but it was still a warm look for the eighty degree weather we were experiencing.

"Sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going."

The boy waved it off then pushed his sunglasses to the top of his head. He had dark eyes that bore into me. I felt like I could see through him, into the deep depths of his soul. It was creepy and I struggled to not run away from him.

"No, no, it was all me."

I stood staring at him like an idiot, not even bothering to move around him and set my items in the car.

He held out a hand. "I'm Michael."

I held out the bags, letting him know I couldn't shake his hand. "Destiny."

He paused before slipping his hand into mine and grabbing a bag from me. "Here, let me help."

"You don't have to do that."

"It's no trouble. I'm waiting for my dad, actually."

I unlocked the car and opened the trunk. "Thanks for your help."

"I'm glad I could help."

My phone buzzed in my pocket but I ignored it. If one of the girls wanted to talk to me, they'd just have to wait. It was their idea I met my match and I wasn't about to jeopardize any chance I had just to answer my phone.

"I'm going to go inside and look for him. It was nice meeting you."

"You, too." As I got in my car, I stared in my mirrors at him. He seemed to know the area well though I'd never seen him before. He walked into the store and I sighed. The way Decuma talked about finding my match made it feel more monumental than my meeting with Michael went.

But didn't she mention something about him being trouble? What could that have meant? Maybe it wasn't important if she never brought it up after the vision but it left a bad taste in my mouth.

I pulled my phone out and looked at the text. It was from Nona. Did you get his number?

Crap.