The Perfect Storm

Kevin pecks my lips at lunch, just like any other day. Just like everyday, Josh makes a comment, they get in a quick-lived argument, and Alison breaks it up. Alison was feeding her tiny baby boy. Oh, I should’ve told you! Just when I got back, little Andrew Marcus Johnson was born; Drew for short. He had Martin’s dark blue eyes, too, and Alison’s dark brown hair that looks auburn in just the right light. It seems like none of her kids got her eyes. Such a pity, too. Alison used to have such pretty dark brown eyes.

“Hello everyone,” Tristan says, walking over to all of us with Raine. I’d like to know why he’s even here. He most likely knows that this school is owned by a Warlock.

Alison and Sophie got visibly tense, scarcely breathing. Alison was the first to look up at him, growling with obvious hatred, “Bennett.”

“Witch.”

Kevin and I were clutching at each other’s hands to keep from punching Tristan. It was surprising that he hadn’t broken my hand, or that I hadn’t drawn blood from him. Yes, we were seriously holding hands that tightly.

Alison merely glared at him another moment, before they both went back to minding their own business. That doesn’t seem like Alison.

“He’s here,” Zoey says suddenly. Gooseflesh immediately broke out on my arm for some reason, and the markings that covered my body completely vanished.

Alison cussed in Italian — I recently learned that she preferred to speak in Italian, if not English — looking around the cafeteria. Her eyes locked on something, and the school bell sounded. Everyone quickly headed to class, not seeming to notice the little exchange; I looked over at where Alison’s eyes were locked, seeing her uncle Joseph with his back turned away.

♠ ♣ ♠

At the end of the day, I went to the Starbucks that Kevin told me to go to earlier. I waited a minute, staring at my oddly tattoo-free arm. I noticed Tyler, the Werewolf, walking by.

“Hey, Tyler.”

He looked up, obviously startled that someone had recognized him. “Melody?”

“Long time no see.”

“I’ll say. Last time I saw any of you was ten years ago.”

“How have you been?”

“Good, I guess. Yah know, for being a wolf.”

“Aren’t you at college?”

“How can I?”

“You should talk to Alison. She might just know somebody.”

Tyler rolls his eyes, saying like it was obvious, “I wouldn’t know how.”

“Here, give me your hand.” Tyler held out his hand confusedly. I pulled out my pen, writing down Alison’s cell number on it. “That’s Alison’s cell. If she doesn’t answer, then call her mom. Alison always answers her mom.”

“Oh. Thanks.” He grins sheepishly at me. “Nice seeing you.” He walked along on his way, and that’s when I saw Kevin.

“Hey.”

“You ready?”

“I guess. What’s the surprise, Kev?”

“You’ll see.” I hated those two little words normally. But, since he said them, I didn’t really mind. He grabbed my hand, and we started running. Once we crossed the boarder to Missouri, Kevin stopped. I gave him an odd look, which he rolled his eyes at. “Close your eyes.”

“Why?”

“Just do it, Melody, and stop asking so many questions!” I roll my eyes at him, closing my eyes. “Are you peeking?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Kevin, if I were peeking, I’d slap you right now.”

“Why?”

“Kevin.”

“Okay, okay!” He grabs my hand, pulling me along beside him and keeping me from falling.

“Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise.”

♠ ♣ ♠

It was quite some time before we finally stopped. Kevin eventually just tied a blindfold around me, because I kept trying to peek. It’s actually a lot harder to peek through a blindfold.

“Are we there yet, Kevin?” I whine for the umpteenth time. It was a lot easier to be irritated with him when I can’t see him.

“Almost.”

“Where are we going? China?”

“No.”

“Japan?”

“No.”

“England?”

“No.”

“Russia?”

“No.”

“Greece?”

“No.”

“Turkey?”

“No.”

“France, Spain, Rome, Italy?”

“No, no, no, and no.”

“South Africa? Australia?”

“Nope and no.”

I groan with irritation, racking my brain for other countries. “Canada? Mexico? Chile?”

“No, close, and no.”

“Mexico was close? TEXAS!”

“No. You’re getting colder.”

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Yep.”

“New Mexico?”

“Warmer.”

“Arizona?”

“Warmer.”

“Hawaii?”

“Colder.”

“Utah?”

“Colder.”

“Nevada?”

“Warmer.”

“CALIFORNIA!”

“Yep. Now, where in California?”

“Hollywood!”

“What? Are you peeking?”

“No, I can see the lights through the blindfold.”

“Oh.” He takes off the blindfold, and I gasped. There was a table right in front of the Hollywood sign, which Kevin led me toward like a true gentleman. The sun began setting, giving everything a romantic feel. Please let him say something stupid so that I can wake up, I think, smiling at him. This was just too unreal. I mean, how often do you meet a guy that does all this? About one in a million. If that much.

“How did you do this?”

“Pretty simple. I asked Alison to help me, too.” He blushes that adorable shade of a strawberry, making me giggle. “She said, ‘Anything since you started acting like a man.’”

“That sounds like Alison.”

“Yeah, then Alec said, ‘You stopped trying to be a girl?’”

“They got Alison’s mouth.” I roll my eyes, laughing at how it seems that everyone in Alison’s family had joked about Kevin. Even though, just about everyone in Alison’s family was related to him. Almost.

I looked around, sighing at the breathtaking scenery. The last specks of twilight faded, and the Hollywood sign lit up.

Once again, how did I get so lucky this time? Please let me wake up and laugh at myself! I can’t take this again …

But, he’s nothing like Josh.

♠ ♣ ♠

When I woke up beside Kevin on his couch once again, I couldn’t help but smile. He really was nothing like his brother.

When he kissed me, the sparks that came nearly burnt my mouth, but I didn’t want it to stop. When he held me close it wasn’t possessive, to show that I was his and nobody else’s. It was like he was afraid that I wasn’t real, that I’d vanish in a puff of smoke. Every time he spoke, his cheeks would burn that adorable strawberry color, and he’d look at me to make sure that I wasn’t offended or upset. Every movement he made was hesitant and unsure, always making him think about whether it was right. The way he’d look at me … it was always so full of love. It just wrapped around me and warmed me up like a blanket.

Nobody had ever treated me like that. No one has ever acted that way around me. No one had ever looked at me like that. Like I was the only thing that he could see, like no one else but me mattered.

And I loved every second of it.

If I could feel that way every second of the rest of my eternity I would. You know how they say your soulmate will make you feel like the most special person in the world? Kevin made me feel beyond special.

If only everyone could feel that way, for just once in their life, then maybe there would be no wars. Or, just less of them.

I love him. I love him more than I thought I could love. If the world stopped right now, with me in his arms, I’d be okay.