Destined

Chapter Seven

My phone vibrated on my nightstand. I knew it was another reminder text from Ivelyn. She was picking me up in an hour -- we were visiting Mir and the twins. Every time we saw the twins, Ivelyn brought them a new wardrobe. She was quick to spoiling her Goddaughters. I ignored the first couple of text messages from Ivelyn, but she would call me if I ignored her anymore. Sighing, I picked up my cell phone and scrolled to Ivelyn's message. Like I thought, Ivelyn reminded me again that we were visiting the twins and not being late.I sent her a quick reply and returned to what I had been doing: making a protection spell for Mir and her daughters. It wasn't much, but I wanted to provide some comfort to her uneasiness. She was stressed about Elise attacking the twins. They were in constant danger. I mixed the final ingredient in lavender, sprinkling it over the top of the potion. My mini cauldron boiled sluggishly as the color changed from teal to magenta. It was ready. Gently, I poured it into a glass vial. It was the least I could. After all, it was my fault Elise even knew about the twins. I should have protected the twins, but things had happened so fast. I was going to do better; I vowed to keep the twins safe. They were my Goddaughters too, and I wanted to help. I slipped the vial into my pocket, then headed downstairs. Ivelyn's text had told me she was on her way -- she tried to get to Mir's earlier than we planned. I didn't mind. My only plans were to visit the twins with Ivelyn. Although, I was pretty sure Erik would come over for dinner. He had come across for dinner the past five days, then drove home and flew back to spend the night. I appreciated our routine. It felt grown-up our arrangement and being with Erik. Our relationship was much different than any other relationship I have been in. Even when I had been with Daniel, convinced he was my soulmate, it didn't add up to what I felt for Erik. I think my friendship with Erik had supplemented what I lacked in my relationship with Daniel. Now, Daniel was a completely different person. Erik was who I was meant to be with. Just thinking about him took my breath away as my heart skipped a beat, making me feel dizzy.The corners of my lips upturned as I descended the stairs. "What are you smiling about?" My mom caught me swooning over Erik. My cheeks felt hot as they deepened in color. I had been trying to hide how serious my relationship with Erik was from my mom. She adored Erik and approved of us dating, but I knew how she felt about Dara and me being in a serious relationship at our age. She thought we were too young. I understood where she was coming from. She married young and had Dara and me right away. Only to find out Chad wasn't the man of her dreams. Erik was different.Plus, I had an advantage my mom didn't - I saw the future. Not only that, but I saw my future, and Erik was in it. Not just because of my choices, but Erik's as well. We were on the same page. My head rushed with adrenaline as my thoughts dipped into those future visions I had seen. I tried not to think about it, but it was hard not to."Nothing," I shook my head to try and stop my thoughts. "Where are you off to?" She sized me up and down, trying to guess where I was going. I was reasonably dressed down, and this was on purpose. The twins were a month old and not in full control of their vomit and spit-up. I tried not to wear anything expensive or non-dry-cleaner-worthy. Today, I was wearing a faded band t-shirt and jean shorts. I barely wore any makeup, just enough to cover my dark circles under my eyes and some mascara."Ivelyn and I are going to see Mir," I tried to avoid talking about the babies with my mom. She hadn't entirely accepted or comprehended that Mir had children now. I don't think she liked the idea of teens having kids. I didn't blame her, so I tried to avoid using certain words. "Oh," the way she said this caused me to cringe. Thankfully, Ivelyn honked from the driveway, signaling a smooth exit from this awkward conversation with my mom. I had never been so grateful for Ivelyn's presence. I shrugged and headed towards the door, waving goodbye as I hurried out."Bye," I tried to escape as quickly as possible."What time are you coming back?" My feet skidded to a halt, catching my toe on the door frame. I winced from the pain, staring at my mom as I rubbed my wound."Um, I don't know. I don't think I'll be gone long." I didn't know what all Ivelyn had in mind. She was hard to read, especially over text. "Okay, love you. Be safe," there was a touch of worry in her tone. I pretended not to hear it and rushed out the door. I didn't want to make a promise I couldn't keep. My life was dangerous, and living in Salem was a constant threat. She didn't get that part of my life, but that was okay. I didn't want to stress or worry about her. She had a wedding to plan. I didn't want to get in the way of that.Ivelyn's red BMW looked different today. It took me too long before I realized it was an additional car. It was a newer red BMW. I blinked, amazed at her richness. She didn't even bring it up when I got into the car. The interior was all black - sleek like the outside of the vehicle. This was how I knew it was a new car, and her old car had a tan interior. I waited for Ivelyn to bring it up, but she didn't. Instead, she wanted to scold me for being late."Jeesh, what took you so long?" She pushed up her Gucci sunglasses, revealing sharp, jade green eyes. She wore a red tube top with white short-shorts. "My mom was interrogating me on my way out," I rolled my eyes, still a little annoyed with her. "Oh," a noise of understanding. Even Ivelyn knew how my mom felt about her and mine's friendship. It was taking her longer than expected. She had known the longest that Ivelyn and I were half-sisters but hadn't accepted it yet. It didn't make any sense. I was glad Ivelyn was so stoic about my mom not liking her. Then again, Ivelyn was used to people not liking her -- that didn't bother her. "You got a new car?" I decided to ask her outright. "Oh, yeah. I almost forgot," she shrugged as if it were no big deal. We kept the conversation short the rest of the car ride. It was a quick drive. I lived about ten or so minutes away from Mir's apartment in downtown Salem. Ivelyn parked in a reserved spot, but she didn't care. It wasn't like anyone would really tow a Matthers car. I helped her bring in several shopping bags. I knew without asking that they were for the twins. Ivelyn's excuse was that babies grow so fast they need a new wardrobe every week. It was in her nature to go overboard. I couldn't think of one instance where she didn't overdo something or someone. It might've been annoying if she wasn't one of my best friends. We walked up to Mir's door. Ivelyn's heels clicked as she stepped. Her arms were full, but she walked as if on a cat-walk. I tripped and stumbled in my Converse. It was just one of our many differences. Mir answered the door before we knocked, either by sensing our emotions or hearing Ivelyn's high heels in the hallway. Mir's round blue eyes spied us with excitement. "Hey, guys," Mir waved at us. She seemed beyond thrilled to see us. "Hey, Mir," I nodded as I said hello. Ivelyn didn't wait to say hi, just pushed forward. She was looking for JJ.Mir giggled at Ivelyn's behavior. It didn't surprise her one bit. This was typical Ivelyn. Mir's hair was bouncing with volume, her curls entirely in place around her heart-shaped face. She wasn't wearing any makeup. Mir held open the door for us to come inside. She was wearing a pair of overalls with a pink and white t-shirt underneath. The twins were in the living room in their crib. JJ, the more rambunctious of the two, squealed when she us. Ivelyn dropped the bags in the entryway, launching herself towards JJ. The two of them already bonded. I think that amazed and scared Mir. She knew JJ was going to be wild like Ivelyn. Carefully, I set the shopping bags I had been holding down. Mac was awake now, her blue eyes scanning the room. I like to think she was looking for me. I bent over, reaching into the crib for her, careful not to drop her. "I know I say this every time, but I swear they grow so fast," I was amazed at the speed of their growth. Was it a Hybrid thing, or was this normal? None of us really knew. I didn't want to bring it up to Mir. It was just another thing for her to worry about. "I know," Mir almost sounded sad. "I wish they could stay small forever. Then, I could protect them," she wet her lips, lost in thought. I wanted to alleviate her worries, but none of us knew how to do that either. I exhaled, exasperated already. That's when I remembered the protection spell I had brought. I fished it out of my pocket, handing it over to Mir. She turned it over in her hands, trying to figure out what it was. "It's a protection spell. I'm not sure how much it will work, but-- "Thank you," she exclaimed, clutching the vial to her chest. "You just put a little bit on your forehead and anyone else you want to protect. Then, keep the rest by your front door. It will act as a protection circle around the apartment." I gulped, hoping it really worked. I had made the spell on my own and hadn't tested it. The spell had been one of my own. "I'll do that tonight. Thank you so much, Corn." She leaned forward to hug me. "No worries. I told you, we're going to make sure the twins are protected." I told her sincerely. We both looked down at Mac, resting peacefully in my arms. Next to us, Ivelyn was making JJ a hysterical laugh. I didn't even know babies could laugh so hard until JJ did it. It was adorable. The twins were so perfect it was hard to realize they were real. I remembered what Wuidrow had said, "It's impossible to give a mother comfort that her children will be safe," he was right. I didn't like to admit that, but he was about this. I could promise and vow to keep JJ and Mac safe, but I would never be able to convince Mir that. She was a mother now, and this came with the territory. "Don't worry, Mir, Elise isn't getting her paws on these babies, even if she tried." Ivelyn said brightly as she played with JJ. Mir exhaled, still worried about her daughters. "Where's Jack?" I asked, trying to change the subject. Mir thanked me with her eyes. "He's at work. He'll be off in a couple of hours." Jack worked at the Mechanic shop. The one and only in Salem, so most people knew who Jack was. In a small town, everyone knew everyone, so everyone knew Jack had gotten Mir pregnant. Most people were polite, but I saw the way people stared at the two of them and their family of four. We continued to keep the conversation light. I wanted to keep the mood easy-going and away from our Supernatural drama. That was the last thing Mir needed. After an hour or so, we put some TV on. Then, Mir put the twins to bed for a nap. We sat around the table, drinking lemonade and eating lemon bars Mir had made. They were delicious, so I had three. I had skipped breakfast, thinking we might go out for lunch. Now, I realized that wasn't a smart choice. Eventually, the conversation turned to Kate's birthday. The real reason we hadn't invited Kate over was so we could plan her party. The hard part was that Kate had clearly stated she didn't want a huge party, which was Ivelyn's forte. However, it would be nice to have a small group. Then, we could all be ourselves, something we rarely got to do. "So for Kate's birthday, what about going to the Off-Ramp?" Ivelyn suggested after we threw out a dozen suggestions. The Off Ramp wasn't the place I would pick for Kate's birthday party, but Ivelyn knew her better than any of us. Mir and I shared a look, then both shrugged. "I don't know if I'll go-- Ivelyn cut off Mir before she could explain. "What? You have to go, it's Kate's birthday! As in, once a year celebration." Ivelyn pouted, making Mir instantly regret her words. Ivelyn's blow-up caused one of the twins to start crying. Just as Mir stood up to check on them, the twin stopped crying. "I can't bring the twins to a bar, so-- "They do have a father, ya know? Can't Jack babysit for one night? You deserve one night off." Ivelyn was really laying it on thick. I wanted to stick up for Mir, but it was best to stay out of it. "He is of that Sunday," Mir pondered out loud. "It would be nice to get out by myself." Ivelyn had convinced Mir to go with us to The Off Ramp. "See? It's a great idea! We'll carpool -- I'll drive." Ivelyn smiled, content with herself. "I'm not going to drink so that I can drive." Ivelyn smiled wider, liking the plan even more now. We stayed there and talked for another hour. Then, it was time for Jack to come home, so we left. Mir was in a great mood when we left her. It made me feel better. She had the protection spell I made, and Jack was going to be home any minute. I told myself they were going to be safe as Ivelyn and I left. "Wanna grab dinner, or do you have plans?" Ivelyn asked as she unlocked her car. I slid into the passenger seat. "I told my mom I'd be back for dinner," that and Erik would be at my house in fifteen minutes. He had to text me before we left Mir's. I could already feel the butterflies stirring in my stomach. I couldn't wait to see him. I hadn't realized how much I had missed him until now. "Bummer, maybe next time." She shrugged casually, probably already mentally making plans with someone else. There was always someone Ivelyn could hang out with. That's why I didn't feel that bad for saying no to her dinner invitation. I was hoping I timed it right -- Ivelyn would drop me off before Erik arrived. There was nothing wrong with that. I just didn't want Ivelyn to get the wrong idea. She would recognize Erik's truck immediately or his motorcycle. They were both extremely identifiable. Not many people in Salem had motorcycles. I held my breath for the whole block before my house, waiting to see if the driveway was empty. Ivelyn was singing to the radio, a new Miley Cyrus song. I wasn't paying any attention, too concerned about getting caught. As Ivelyn pulled up to my house, I sighed in relief. Erik wasn't here yet. "Thanks," I reached for the door handle. Ivelyn raised an eyebrow, curious as to my rush. "Wanna go shopping tomorrow? I still need to pick up a present for Kate," I was already half-way out of the car when she asked me this. Honestly, I would have agreed to pretty much anything get her to leave. I nodded. "Yeah, sounds good." I stuttered, standing outside the car. She rolled the window down, calling after me. "How about twelve o'clock?" I gave her a thumb up, then ran to the front door. Ivelyn wasn't so good about taking hints. I threw open the front door, then ran to the stairs. My mom was sitting on the couch, caught off guard by my sudden movements. I didn't have a good excuse for running, so I tried to act normal. It wasn't easy, I could tell my mom wanted to say something, but she decided to ignore it. She returned to what she was watching on the TV. When I opened my bedroom door, I was mid-strip, wanting to change clothes before Erik got here. There was only one problem with that -- Erik was already here. He was sitting on my bed, looking innocent yet seductive. How did he do that? At first, I had been shocked to see someone in my room, but when I realized it was Erik, I instantly calmed. I shut the door and threw my arms around him. My chest was pounding erratically, excited to see Erik. He returned my hug, kissing the top of my head. "I didn't think you were here. You surprised me," my tone was almost accusatory. His grey eyes looked down at my innocent-enough for me to dismiss any upset. He was forgiven. It was that easy for me to forgive him. Sometimes, it scared me to think of all the things I could forgive him for. I loved him that much. "I'm sorry, I thought it might be easier if I flew here," he wet his lips. His gaze made it hard to breathe. Of course, I wanted him to spend the night, and he was right -- this was easier. He didn't have to drive him if my mom didn't know he was here. It made me smirk, delighted by his delinquency. I went on tiptoes to kiss him on the lips. He tasted like mint. "You're not mad at me, right?" Erik asked as he pulled away from my kiss. "I don't think it's possible for me to be mad at you, Erik," I meant every word. We stared at each other for a moderate period of time. Then, he leaned forward and kissed me passionately. We landed on my bed as we spent the new hour or so in each other's arms. I didn't want to spend my time any other way. I felt safe, and for the first time in a long time, I let my guard down. I let the weight fall off my shoulders, and the calmness enters my body. I trusted Erik, and that was the best feeling in the world.