We Bent Fate

Chapter 38

MARTHA

"You sacrificed your power and created hope. You gave us all hope, giving us the ability to expect the unexpected, and made yourself and your sisters the strongest Goddesses out there who could decide whether or not to get our wishes fulfilled."

"Hoping may be pleasurable, but hope defeated can be quite painful."

"There are many situations in which a realistic acceptance of a possibly negative outcome is more beneficial than clinging to a hope counter to what is quite probably not going to happen."

"Hope is good. But it can be as good as a prayer. Just wishing for something rather than more forcefully working towards it."

"You can try creating another power to counter attack 'hope'."

I waited for Austin outside the college campus while I busied myself from playing brainstorm. I was tired and felt like an idiot to think that it will be easier now that I know what I have to do. But the problem is that I still do not know what to create to balance hope's negativity.

"Ugh!" I face palmed myself when I felt a slight migraine cornering up inside my head.

"Hello sweetheart!" Austin smiled at me and leaned in to kiss my cheek. "How was your day today?"

"It was weird. I wouldn't say bad but I wouldn't say lovely either. Yours?"

"Fine." He opened the car door for me. "What happened? You look tired."

"Yeah, I was just thinking. Paige, my school friend gave me a suggestion about the situation. She told me to create something to counter attack the power of Hope. But I don't know what to create? Where is all my imagination when I need it?" I ranted for a couple of minutes while he humoured himself and me by suggesting nonsense ideas.

"What about belief?"

"Don't be stupid, Austin. Belief serves the same as Hope. All the more it would just make them believe their wishes even more which will end up into more sadness and anger towards me when something doesn't go according to them." I reasoned and Austin hummed, thoughtfully.

"I need a coffee." Austin groaned.

"Ditto! I am kind of having a migraine." I admitted and Austin sighed.

"Martha, don't think too much. You will fall ill if you keep exerting yourself like that."

"What else is new!" I rolled my eyes.

"It will take time." Austin leaned in and kissed my cheek. I froze.

"Oh my God." I gasped.

Austin stared blankly at me and then blinked. "What?"

"Time!" I gasped.

Austin slumps with a scrunched up face and turns slowly to completely look at me. He blinks at me, lost while I feel like jumping off the seats. "Austin, this is it!"

"What?"

"Anticipating favourable results is not without its hazards and these risks are best reflected upon in advance. But haven't you heard of the saying, 'time fixes everything' ? I can give them time!"

He blinked at me and I sighed out of frustration.

"Oh come on, Austin! If Hope gives you lemons, you take some time out and make some lemonade!"

I watched him bite the inside of his cheek to stop outright laughter but failing miserably, he burst out laughing and furiously rubbed his belly.

"That was a good one!" He giggled. "I knew what you meant. I was just messing up with you."

"I hate you." I say.

"You love me." He blows a kiss.