Weaving Destinies

I woke up the next morning to see the sun’s rays lighting up Alec’s face.

“Did you stay with me the entire night?” I asked sleepily. He smiled and nodded, the lines under his eyes indicating how long he had gone without sleep.

“You idiot! You creep! Why in the world did you do that?” I was suddenly wide awake, and I jumped out of bed. I forced him to lie down.

“Go to sleep! I’ll be fine,” I quickly said when it looked like he might argue that I couldn’t go anywhere. “Just get some rest for heaven’s sake!”

“You are really beginning to sound like my wife,” he smiled. I was about to object when I noticed that he had already fallen asleep. I saw a book lying on the small table beside the bed. Picking it up, I read the cover.

“How to Woo an Earthen Lady,” I read the title out loud, slightly amused. Ridiculous! Was he really reading that? I saw a small notebook also on the table. He was taking notes. That was just wrong. I looked at the author, wondering who would write such junk. Gregory Ingraham. I had never heard of him.

I flipped through the book, scanning the pages. It actually had some pretty good advice. Always listen attentively, surprise her with gifts, write love poems or notes, be chivalrous, smile frequently, keep eye contact when talking… They were all things that would normally make a girl weak at the knees! Of course, I was a special case.

I looked over the top at the book at the sleeping Alec. He looked very peaceful, like a saint. I leaned forward, trying to read the deep expression on his face. I sighed and gave up.

Whenever Madison and I had sleepovers, I hated to be the first one to wake up. It happened most of the time since Madison was a night owl and the last to fall asleep, but I never got used to it. I didn’t want to leave the room, but I didn’t want to sit there and watch her sleeping. Sometimes I’d “accidentally” drop something or close the door too loudly after coming back from the bathroom, and she’d wake up.

Once, Madison was the first awake.

“You look really serene when you sleep,” she commented.

“That’s a little creepy,” I winced, rubbing my eyes.

“I know,” she grinned. She hovered over me and curled her hands into claws.

“I’ve been watching you sleep all night, my pretty,” she said in her creepiest voice, making me laugh.

What would she say now if she knew about Alec? We’d probably laugh about it for hours. What would she think about him?

“Weird. A little weird,” I imagined her saying. “I don’t know, Livvy. He’s hot, but he’s probably just playing you. No guy is that sincere. You’re better off with Lucas.”

I sighed. I trusted Lucas, but Alec? I just couldn’t figure him out. He was just trying to charm me to get me to release his powers, I reminded myself. I wished I could just kiss him and get it over with. Why did it have to be a kiss of “true love?” Why was my life a stupid fairytale? I had never asked for Prince Charming and sunshine and butterflies! I had just wanted life to go back to normal.

Maybe one day this would all be a distant dream. I could go back to Earth, and people would realize how much they missed me. They’d forgive me, and I could go to college, and Lucas…

I shook my head. This wasn’t reality. If I ever went home, it wouldn’t be like that. I’d be in so much trouble. Even Julia wouldn’t be able to help me. Life would go straight back to its nightmarish state. It could even be worse than before.

Alec had ruined my life. If this ever ended and if I was still alive at that time, there was still a possibility that I would never go back to Earth. I could stay here. People here treated me like a princess, the complete opposite of Earth. As much as I missed my life there, I knew that it could be in my best interest to stay on Torm. But was it what I deserved?

Alec sighed in his sleep and turned his face towards me. I rested my chin in my hand, watching him carefully. It would all depend on him, I decided. If he admitted that he was just using me, staying here would be unbearable. I’d return to Earth. But if he actually happened to be truly, madly in love with me…

I didn’t want to think about that. There really was no possible way that Alec was for real. It was better if I just accepted this. I would be badly hurt if I started believing him.

More time passed, and I leaned back in the chair, already bored. I started trying to entertain myself.

“A b c d e f g, h i j k l m n o p,” I sang quietly. After going through “Old McDonald Had a Farm” and “This Old Man,” I sighed and chose a different song.

“Fifty nifty United States from thirteen original colonies. Shout ’em, scout ’em, tell all about ’em, one by one ’til we’ve given a date to every state in the U.S.A. Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Conneticut.” I had made it all the way to New Jersey when Alec opened his eyes.

“What are you doing?” he asked in confusion, the corners of his lips curling slightly upwards.

“I'm singing ‘Fifty Nifty United States,’” I said proudly. My smile quickly faded. “Oh, wait a minute! I’m sorry! Did I wake you up?”

“No, not at all. I feel much better. Besides, you have the voice of a mermaid,” Alec sighed dreamily. I rolled my eyes.

“Cheesy,” I said in a singsong voice. “Honestly, at least try to come up with some original compliments!”

“Let us go for breakfast then,” Alec climbed out of bed. He offered his arm to me. “Shall we, my love?”

“I think it’s a little late for that,” I remarked, glancing at the analog clock on the wall. “It’s almost one o’clock.”

“We are royalty,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. “We can eat whatever we want whenever we want.”

“Well, in that case…” I grinned mischievously and regally wrapped my arm around his. “Let us depart!”

Arm in arm, we majestically marched to the dining room. I laughed at our mock grandeur, knowing deep down that one day it would have to end.