Callyn
It’s been a week, and the only word we have gotten so far is that the person Elder Harris has sent to Riverwalk has arrived. I’m hoping that in the next couple of days we’ll have more information. But instead of thinking about that, I’m waiting on Cat to get here so she can help me get ready for my first date.
To say that I’m excited is an understatement. I’ve had the biggest, goofiest smile on my face all day. School seemed to drag on and on. I used to be grateful for days like that, but today, I just wanted the day to be over. I get to go on four dates over the next three days. I get to spend quality time with all my mates. There is a knock on my bedroom door before it opens.
“Cat,” I say excitedly.
“Callie. Are you ready for this?”
“Yes. This is my first real date, well I mean individually.”
“Who are you going out with?”
“Max.”
“Did he say where he is taking you?”
“No.”
“Since it’s Max, I’m going to suggest that you wear pants because you never know what he’s got up his sleeve. You can count on it being fun.”
“Do you have any idea what it could be?”
“I honestly couldn’t tell you what he has planned. Knowing Max, it could be anything.”
I nod my head in agreement. “Okay, so pants it is.”
“Do you mind if I go through your closet?”
“Like you have to ask.”
I watch as Cat opens the door to my closet and slowly starts shifting through the items. I notice Cat has been more pensive lately. Maybe asking her to do this with me was a mistake. I don’t want to feel like I’m rubbing my mates in her face. What kind of friend does that make me? Then again, she’s the new prophetess, and I haven’t asked her how she’s been dealing with this.
“Hey Cat, are you okay?”
Cat turns to look at me. “Yeah, why do you ask?”
“I don’t know. You don’t seem like yourself, more reserved than usual.” She shrugs her shoulders. Now I know something is up. Cat is always the first to tell you how it is, never one to hold back her thoughts. It’s one of the things that I value the most about her. I can trust her not to sugar coat things with me. I guess I need to do that with her. “Cat tell me what’s wrong. You can’t tell me there isn’t something wrong. If you don’t start talking, I’ll force it out of you. I’m trying to be the friend that you are to me. So, spill.” She sighs and relents. Cat walks over and sits next to me on my bed.
“Being a prophetess is a lot of responsibility. Don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful it’s me now and not Kelsey. But seeing your death and not knowing what to do to stop it is getting to me. I want to make sure that vision doesn't come true.”
“I’m stressing about it too, but I’m trying to take Lucian’s advice and focus on the here and now. That’s all we can do. I honestly thought that the reason you were so gloomy was because of the date thing. You know I don’t want to rub my mates in your face, and if this is too much, please let me know. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I’m fine about this. Trust me, I’d tell ya. I know one day I’ll meet someone.” She bumps her shoulder into mine. “Come on, let’s get you ready for your date.”
“You sure you’re okay?”
“I will be. I’m going to take Lucian’s advice. We’ll figure out a way to stop that vision from coming true.”
Cat gets up and walks back to my closet and starts to rifle through my things. She’s trying to put on an act, trying to placate me, but I can tell she’s still thinking about it. She turns with a hanger in her hands.
“Do you have black jeans?” I nod my head. “Good, wear those and this.” She hands me a nude pink, half-sleeved shirt with purplish, pink roses on it. There are ties at the elbow and the shirt can be wore off the shoulder. She bends down and starts to go through my shoes. “These will be prefect.” She adds my flat, nude sandals with flowers that go from between the toe up to the ankle. There is a single strap around the heel. “Now all that is left is your hair. Go change, and I’ll do your hair and makeup next.”
I gather the items and move to my bedroom door. Before I leave, I glance back. Cat isn’t fooling anyone. I need to make sure I fix this. I can’t have my best friend feeling like it all rests on her. I’m going to make sure we change that vision. I need my Cat back.
Maximus
I run my hands through my hair. I’ve taken other girls out on a date, but this is different, this is my mate. I take a deep breath before I get out of my car. I look at myself in the side mirror, fixing my hair. I square my shoulders and walk up to the front door. I ring the doorbell, Callie’s aunt answers.
“Come on in.” Aunt Dahlia moves to the base of the steps. “Callie, Max is here,” she yells. “Give her a minute, and she’ll be down.” She gives my shoulder a squeeze before she walks away and into the living room.
I stay where I’m at. I don’t want to miss that first sight of her. I run my hands through my hair and start to pace. I don’t know why I’m so nervous. Someone clearing their throat catches my attention. I look to the top of the stairs and she’s beautiful. I’m one of the luckiest guys in the world. I can’t help the whistle that escapes my lips.
“Damn, girl.”
Callie giggles and shakes her head. What? Like she should have expected something else. She looks beautiful all the time, but dressed up, with a little bit of makeup, and that smile...she’s breathtaking. She walks down the stairs and stands in front of me.
“You look good Max.”
“You look hot; I mean you look gorgeous.” She rolls her eyes.
“So, where are we going?”
“Nope, I’m not saying. It’s a surprise.” Callie walks to the living room, picking up a jacket from the back of the couch.
“We’re heading out, what’s my curfew?”
“Be back by midnight. But before you go, I want a picture.”
“Aunt Dahlia, really,” Callie whines.
“Yes. Come on Max.” I step next to Callie placing an arm around her waist. We wait for her aunt to grab her phone. “Smile.” We do. “One more.” I wait until the last second and place a kiss on Callie cheek. “Perfect.”
“Come on, angel; let’s go.” I take her hand and lead her outside. I open the door and help her get in my car. I jog around to the driver side. “Ready to have some fun?”
“Of course.” I smile.
I drive us to the next town over. I’m taking Callie on another first, well at least I hope so. I pull into the parking lot, glancing at her every so often so I can see her expression.
“Skating? You’re taking me skating?”
“Yup.” Callie lets out a squeal before leaning over the console, placing a kiss on my cheek.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you. I haven’t been skating before. I’m so excited.”
She’s literally bouncing in her seat. I smile. This is a moment that I’ll remember. The look on her face, the smile, the light in her eyes. I get out of the car, jogging to her side, so I can open the door for her. I hold out my hand; she places hers in mine.
“Let’s go skating.”
“Max!” Callie practically screams as she wobbles like a newborn deer. I take hold of her hands, making sure she stays upright.
“I’ve got you. Now, slow...glide, don’t try and walk normally. Gently push yourself forward.”
“That’s easy for you say, you’re freaking skating backwards,” she hisses.
“You’ll learn. The more you do it, the easier it will become.”
“I think I need a break. We’ve been at it for an hour, and I’m not any better from when we started.”
“I’ll let you take a break on one condition.” She raises her eyebrow. “I get a kiss first.” I smile as she rolls her eyes, but I see the smirk on her lips.
“Ugh. You know you’re asking for a lot. I mean that quite literally. I can’t even stand on my own two feet at the moment.”
“I’ll take my chances.”
Holding her hands, I use the fact that she’s on skates to my advantage. I pull her forward; her feet gliding over the slick roller rink floor. Since Callie doesn’t know how to stop, she rolls right into my body. I grab her around her waist, keeping her steady.
“You planned this didn’t you?”
“Nooooo, but I’ll take every chance I get to get my hands on you,” I say right before pressing my lips to hers.
The one thing I never get tired of is feeling her in my arms, her scent, her touch, her taste. She sighs and relaxes against me. I use my tongue to run along the seam of her lips, getting her to open them, her tongue meeting mine. I’m so wrapped up in Callie that I don’t hear the lady at first. It takes for her to tap me on my shoulder before I listen.
“You might want to take that somewhere else. There are children here,” she says with a huff.
Callie is so startled that she tries to back away from me, forgetting that she is on skates. She starts to lose her balance. Callie’s feet start to slide out from underneath her. She reaches for me and in the process her skates get tangled up with mine, and the next thing I know, we’re both falling. I know I can’t stop us, but I grab onto her arms at the last second pulling her toward me. We land in a tangle of limbs with Callie on top of me. She pushes back slightly and looks down at me.
“Well, this isn’t exactly what I had in mind for the first time I got you on top of me.” I give her a wink. She just stares at me, her mouth forming an o. Something clicks, and she scrambles to get up but failing. “Geez, I’m not going to take how fast you’re trying to get away from me personally.”
I get up, holding out my hands to help Callie. She takes them.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…” I hold up a hand stopping her.
“It’s not your fault. I just forget where I’m at when I’m with you. Besides, the lady had a point. If we continued any further, it probably would have gotten indecent, and then I would have had to try to explain why we got in trouble to Graydon, your aunt, and my parents and none of us want that.”
She sighs, “I know but that still doesn’t make me feel any better. I fell on you.”
“Oh no, that is the highlight of my night so far. Come on, I think we’ve both had enough of this.” She nods her head. I help her off the floor and to a nearby table. “I’ll go get our shoes.”
I’m just about to go when the cha cha slide starts playing. I look at Callie and smirk. I make my way back out on the floor. I go through the motions for doing the moves for the dance, making a production of it for Callie. It seems to be working because every time I look at her, she’s smiling or laughing. Every time the song says criss-cross, I turn and skate backwards and cross my legs. Leaving the floor before the song is over, I skate back to Callie, stopping in front of her.
“Show off.” I smile and give her a quick kiss before going to get our shoes from where we left them.
Callyn
I’ve never been skating, and honestly, I don’t think I want to again. It’s harder than it looks, and I’m so embarrassed. I can’t believe we were making out in a room full of people, not just any people. Oh no. It’s a room full of kids. I groan and bury my face in my hands. I can’t say I’m sorry that the kiss happened, because I’m not. It was hot, and I want a repeat, just when it’s more private. Then when you think it couldn’t get worse, it does. I fell on him. Again, I can’t say that I’m mad about it, it just could have been better timing.
I loved being pressed up against his body. He thinks embarrassment had me moving off of him, but it wasn’t. No, I could feel his excitement. His body giving him away on just how happy he was to have me on him. I was just as happy, but I moved because I didn't trust myself not to touch him more intimately. Like I said, could have been better timing. These boys are going to be the death of me.
I don’t notice Max coming back; it takes him moving my hands from my face.
“You okay, angel?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you sure? There is nothing for you to be ashamed of. Also, you should know by now that you don’t have to throw yourself at me like that. I’m a willing participant in anything you want to do.”
I look into his cerulean blue eyes. There’s a twinkle in them, making them shine. I love the mischief that seems to always be in them. I don’t stop myself from grabbing him around his neck and pulling him towards me, placing my lips on his. I make sure not to get too carried away this time. I pull back after a few seconds.
Max clears this throat. “Do you want to go and get ice cream?”
“Sure.”
It doesn’t take us long to change out our shoes, grab our jacket, and be on our way to the ice cream shop.
We’re waiting in line, browsing the menu, when it happens.
“Do you know what you want?”
“Smores.” I answer when something catches my attention out of the eye. “Holy shit.”
“What, what’s wrong?” I can’t say anything, so I point to the door. “Holy shit.” Exactly.
We’re both stunned into silence. We haven’t seen or heard a peep from her since everything went down. I can’t take my eyes off of the door. I’m just waiting to see what she’s going to do when she sees us standing here. It doesn’t take long since Max and I are standing in line a few feet from the door. You can’t miss us. Her expression is everything I thought it would be.
Shock is the first thing that registers across her face, then comes the anger. I’m waiting for her to make a scene, to say or do something, but she does nothing. Instead, she turns around and walks right back out the door. I turn and look at Max the same time he turns to look at me. I can read his thoughts clear on his face because they are the same as mine. This can’t be good. In no universe is having her come back a good thing, but Kelsey-fucking-Taylor just walked back into our lives.