Inevitably Yours

QUINN

Summer was coming to an end. Band practice was in full swing, and yet again, no Founder’s Day. After work, I was always racing to band practice, usually coming in late. Jaxx kept offering to pick me up from work and take me to practice. I stopped mentioning it, so I didn’t have to keep telling him I was okay.

Being a section leader in band was a whole new set of responsibilities only made worse by my tardiness. I knew once school started, I would primarily work on the weekends, so I was trying to earn as much as possible before school started. When I told my band director I needed the job to help pay for the fees, he was only slightly sympathetic.

I couldn’t control getting out of work late or not having a car. I couldn’t control Jaxx showing up randomly or our friends always wanting to do things altogether. I couldn’t control the mounting pressure of Junior year and college applications.

The only thing that made me feel more in control was talking to Michael. He never made me feel dumb or wrong when I complained about stuff. He validated and comforted me, letting me escape the stress for short periods.

I laid in the hammock in the backyard, unable to sleep and missing Sapphire. It was happening more than usual, which usually led to me calling Michael and making him talk to me until he fell asleep. I looked up at the half-moon and spattering of stars in the late summer sky.

MMICHAEL

It was Quinn’s birthday, and she was turning 17. I wished more than anything I could be there for one of those ridiculous moments at lunch in front of everyone when the Juniors or Seniors realized someone was their mate. I would have known already, but I imagine watching her feel it for the first time would have been unforgettable. I could have gone and visited her for lunch as a surprise. The Goddess just had other plans for us.

I tried to keep my mind off of whatever she would be doing with Jaxx today, but the thought gnawed at me like it always did in the background. Luckily, they couldn’t do anything too special with a football game taking up her time tonight. I hoped she’d tell me it was over any day now. Maybe her birthday would be the day, not that I was holding out hope. I didn’t get the continued relationship, but I didn’t think pushing her was the way to go. We’d been heating up quite a bit through texts lately, and she was getting less inhibited about what she sent me and what we talked about. I knew with Quinn that wasn’t casual. I was also positive it was only happening for me.

I’d agonized over what to send her for her birthday. The series of pictures that I received for mine a few days ago had almost killed me. She’d discovered props; this time, it was a saxophone, only a saxophone. I didn’t even know that would be attractive, but oh my Goddess, was it. She’d even painted her nails my favorite color after telling her I preferred no socks to thigh highs. I wanted to send her a physical gift, a letter, something to hold in her hands from me, but I knew if I did, she’d be able to catch my scent. She’d know and ache for me. I wanted us to find out in person after the challenge. If I died, then she’d never know for sure, and maybe she wouldn’t be as heartbroken. She could chalk it up to a first love that wasn’t fated.

As a birthday gift, I’d settled on a song and a particularly revealing set of pictures. The only item of clothing I was wearing was the much-requested singlet draped over a different kind of hanger than usual. I made sure to look at my birthday gift for plenty of inspiration to keep myself ready. Then, I took a million pictures to get it right with a timer. It took forever the night before.

“A thousand miles seems pretty far, but they’ve got planes and trains and cars. I’d walk to you if I had no other way….”

We still weren’t quite at the song I wanted to be the song yet, but I was getting there. I had it in mind, but I was waiting until it was just us. I didn’t want it tainted when we looked back on it ten years from now.

MATE “You should tell her panties are better on the floor anyway,” Eros suggested.

“Maybe later.”

I received a picture message next, and she wasn’t lying. She definitely couldn’t wear those to school. Everyone would smell it. Goddess, this girl was going to be the end of me. There I was again, painfully erect and the only person I wanted was on the other side of the country in a place I couldn’t even go. I once again wondered if I’d pissed the Goddess off in a past life, and this was my penance.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.