by R. J. Rogers
“Shoot! Yeah, okay. I’ll see you later Ella.”
*
In the blink of an eye it is time for lunch. As I make my way to get in line I’m totally focused on my cell not paying attention to my surroundings when I suddenly collide with the person in front of me. “Oh no,” I say as I look up to see who I have crashed into. It should be of no shock that standing right in front of me is Dominic. Embarrassment floods my face and then stumbling over my words, I try to apologize to him.
He laughs and puts his hand on my arm to stop me from my ramblings. Once again, an electric current of energy flows between us. I stare at him curiously, at a loss for words. You would think that after the kisses and the prior touching, we would be used to the literal sparks flying but the experience still seems to be able to render us silent. For a second, it seems like we are both unable to speak.
Hesitating he attempts to speak and then mustering some composure and with a little effort he finally manages to say; “Hey Ali, I wanted to apologize for standing you up last night. The Association had an emergency meeting that I had to attend. I was going to send you a message and let you know but then I realized I don’t have your phone number.” He lowers his already deep sexy voice to a husky whisper as he says this, which has my legs wanting to turn to liquid where I stand. He continues whispering as he gazes into my eyes. “So, I was hoping to make it up to you. I, um… I was told there is going to be some huge masquerade ball tomorrow night. I was wondering if you were planning on going to it?”
I can’t help but grin at him. He is so flipping cute. Oh my gosh, I think he is trying to ask me out. “Actually, my parents are the ones hosting the bash. It’s for my 18th birthday.”
For just a second, I thought I saw a flash of shock cross his eyes. He recovers quickly from whatever the look was; “Well then, I guess you will definitely be there.” He smiles before continuing in a normal voice; “so, will people really be in costume for this party?”
“Oh yes,” I say as the biggest smile spreads across my face. “Do you have a costume?”
His response is a Cheshire-cat grin. “I sure do.”
“Well, are you going to tell me what the costume is?” I urge, curiosity running wild in me.
“Nope,” he states. “You’ll have to see if you can find me,” he says with a wink. Ugh, why do guys have to wink? And why when he does so, do I feel liquid butter? A mischievous, rotten grin lingers upon his lips.
“That is so not cool!” I exclaim trying not to act like a silly school girl and giggle at him. He grins once more producing the most adorable set of dimples and I sigh, but before we can continue any further in our conversation, my cell rings interrupting us yet again. I silently groan but roll my eyes at the same time; which he sees and laughs.
“Crap, I’ve got to take this, it’s my mom,” I explain as I turn and walk away from him.
“Yes mother. I have made sure that everything is perfect on my dress. No mom, it was done this morning. The caterer will call you about the cake and you can ask her. Bye.” I sigh loudly to myself as I hit the end button on my cell phone. Sometimes I feel she is more worried about appearances and what others may think of us than the fact that it is my birthday.
Beth Hopkins, there is such a sharp-edged presence about her. From her fierce green eyes, chin length brown hair, sleek, shiny and not a hair out of place. To the business suites she is always wearing, color usually grey. The epitome of perfection and I hate it. Most days I’m so thankful that I didn’t truly grow up in the Hopkins mansion. I don’t think I would have been able to deal with her and her snobbery on a daily basis!
My father, James Hopkins is the exact opposite of his wife. Where mother seems to have a haughtiness to her, giving an air of emotionless and being cold hearted. Dad has a little less sharpness to his appearance; he has soft brown eyes, light brown hair with bits of grey peppering the edges of his hair line. Always sporting a button-down shirt, tie and black pants and dress shoes, but in general just a more casualness about him that in general tends to put people at ease. I will confess, I’ve always been a bit of a ‘daddy’s girl’.
Together though their point of view is on the straight and narrow, no grey areas, just black and white. I am upheld in that view as well; their perfect, flawless child and it drives me crazy.
~
Log Friday October 30th: I am nearly a 100% sure that Alina Hopkins is the one we have been searching for. I plan to tell her who she is on Sunday morning as long as she is willing to meet me. If all goes well, I plan for us to return to the Church of Covens and the Circle by Sunday night. Dominic Salvino.
Dominic signs his name and then sends the email off to the High Priestess. Pushing away from his desk, he stands and begins walking the length of his room. How can I be so drawn to someone I literally just met? Why does Alina have to be the chosen one? Why does she have to be my soul mate? He once again questions. With too many why’s and no obvious answers, Nic could feel the frustration trying to break the surface. Instead of allowing this, afraid that his magic could accidentally rise up, causing unnecessary issues that he just didn’t want to deal with; he changed into a pair of black sweats, hoodie and cross trainers and decided to go for a run to try and clear his head.
As he ran all the sidewalks around campus Dominic slowly feel his emotions dissipate. He came to a standstill to catch his breath and ease his heart rate back to normal. Instead of his pulse slowing however, Nic felt like it was speeding up instead. Looking around, he realized where he was standing. His mouth fell open in utter shock. “What the hell? How did I end up here?” He questioned out loud as he stared up at Alina’s dorm building.
His gaze travels to what he assumes is the third floor since from the outside he was looking at the 3rd row of windows up from the bottom. Dominic’s eyes look to the second window from the corner of the brick building, smiles and chuckles to himself.
Alina could be seen dancing and prancing around from within. Dominic watches as someone takes her hand and pulls her to them and then spins her out. For one brief moment, jealousy pricks his heart, tearing him apart. He couldn’t believe his emotions react in such a way. Taking a breath, trying to calm the turmoil inside him, he glances back to the window once again only to see Ella now being spun by Alina.
He laughs out loud and loudly. Wow, I’m a hot mess! Dominic thought as a smile replaces the anger from seconds before. So much for taking a run to clear my mind. Shaking his head, Nic turns from the girls’ window and leisurely walks back to his apartment.
Chapter9
Dominic freezes mid-movement as his emotions begin to ring alarm bells inside him. Standing in the combat room with Jay, an overwhelming sense of ‘something’s wrong’ floods him to the very depths of his soul. He looks around wondering why he is having this feeling of worry. Suddenly he is struck with a need to go to Alina, as though he is being called to her.
He shouts over his shoulder to Jay that he is leaving as he sprints out of the training room and makes his way quickly across the courtyard as the need of urgency tugs at his heart. Seeing Ella running like a mad-woman from the cafeteria heading straight for their dorm, he shouts out to her, “Ella what’s going on?”
She looks over her shoulder to see Nic running up the steps behind her and says; “I’m not sure. I just received the strangest call from Ali. I can tell something isn’t right because she wouldn’t ever let her cell drop a call without calling right back, so I’m going up to check on her.”
*
“Ugh,” I wake up vomiting. “Un-freaking-believable!” I groan. Hardly able to sit upright, I lean over the side of my bed aiming for my trash-can. Happy birthday to me! The thought of moving has me heaving again and I cry out in pain, what the hell is going on with me?
The room spins, and I very nearly collapse back on to the bed. My skin is on fire, making me feel like my flesh is burning from the inside and as I reach over to grab my cell, I swear my hands are emanating blue flames. Whatever thi
s sickness is; it must be causing hallucinations as well. Shakily, I dial Ella’s number.
The air around me almost seems electrified. The light on my bed stand flickers, then explodes and then consecutively the bulb from the ceiling light shatters, the floor length mirror splinters; I can feel an electrical current surge around the room. Full on panic mode grips me. “Help,” is all I can utter into the phone before darkness consumes me, causing me to pass out.
*
Hushed whispers float above me with voices that seem vaguely familiar. I try to open my eyes but for some reason they are super heavy. With a lot of effort, I’m finally able to crack them open enough to see blurred versions of Ella and Dominic? God I really must be going crazy. Why would Nic be in my dorm room?
As I slowly come to, I see that Dominic really is in my room and standing over me. He has my face gently cupped in his hands. His right thumb soothingly rubbing my cheek and I wonder how he is touching me without the magical chord flowing between us. Worry crashes like storm clouds in his gray eyes as he stares into mine. I swear I can actually see the clouds rolling like waves as his gaze sears into me.
He cautiously releases his hold of me. In doing so making me shiver for the lack of heat, my skin seems to scream for him to put his hands back where they were, instantly missing the warmth from them. I nearly say for him to do so. Instead I clamp my mouth shut and opt to sit up from my current position, which is flat on my back on my bed. Ella rushes over to me and attempts to push me back down. I can’t help but laugh at her. “Get off, chill Ella, I’m okay.”
Ella looks at me like I’ve completely lost my mind. “Ali!” She shouts, “how can I possibly chill when I found you passed out in your bed; vomit on your floor and broken bulbs and shattered glass everywhere. What in the world happened?”
Glancing around the room, taking everything in, my mouth falls open and my eyes go wide in shock. What did happen? I am at a loss for words. “I-I don’t know,” I stammer, running a hand through my tangled hair. “I remember seeing an electrical current surge through the lamp making the bulb burst, but then I blacked out. I can’t recall anything after that.”
As Dominic goes to speak there sounds a knock at the door. Ella answers it and begins gushing to whomever is on the other side. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re here! I was so worried about her and didn’t know who I should call; Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins.”
I look to Dominic, silently pleading with him to figure out a way to get my parents to leave. He turns to them and addresses them as one; “Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins, I am sorry that Ella worried you so. She isn’t used to seeing Miss Hopkins sick and in a moment of panic, she called you guys.”
“And your reason for being here Mr. Salvino?” My mom questions. Her finely shaped eyebrows lift, and her fierce green eyes penetrate into his very soul. From the expression upon her face, I can tell my mother is not a fan of Nic’s, nor very happy that he is in my room.
Dominic hesitates for a moment before responding; “I saw Ella dashing across the courtyard and I was worried something might be wrong, so I followed her here.” He shifts his eyes to Ella who is still hovering near the door wanting for her to back his story, not that it was a lie but to ease Beth’s stare from him.
“Oh yeah, Mrs. Hopkins. I was in the cafeteria getting breakfast when I received Ali’s phone call. I ran into Dominic crossing the lawn. He saw the panic in my eyes and followed me up.”
My parents both eye Ella, suspicion more apparent on my mother’s face than on my fathers before their gaze once again lands back on me. “Well dear, since you don’t appear to be dying” my mother remarks in her cold-hearted voice that only she can make sound affectionate at the same time; “your father and I really must be off. We have a very important bruncheon to attend to finalize your celebration tonight.”
I nod at them both, forcing a small smile. “Oh, one final thing Alina, you must be at the Grand Hall and completely ready to descend the stairwell no later than 7p.m. so everything can go smoothly,” my mother adds just before she walks out the door.
A sigh of relief escapes my lips as my bedroom door is once again shut. I laugh hesitantly to break the awkward silence that has descended upon the room. “Well that was fun,” I state as I look back and forth between Dominic and Ella.
Dominic looks as though he wants to talk to me but then remembers Ella is still in the room and thinks better of it. Instead he asks; “are you sure you’re all right Ali?”
I say that I am, and he stands to leave. I want to tell him not to go but I don’t want Ella to question me about it later. So, I opt with “we’ll see you tonight, right?”
He gives a big toothy grin and says “of course. Don’t think I haven’t forgotten that you have to see if you can find me in the sea of costumes.” He grins that adorable dimpled grin I love, waves farewell and walks out.
As the door shuts behind him Ella looks over at me, silently questioning me about the apparent ‘moment’ she just witnessed between Dominic and myself. “So, do you care to explain?” She decides to ask out loud since I wasn’t offering any answers.
I shrug before innocently asking; “what?” Ella shakes her head and then claims, “I have to go check on Joe. Make sure he knows what time to be at the Grand Hall. I’ll meet you at 5:30 in the dressing quarters so we can get ready.”
“Ok,” I respond. The door is then shut for the third time in less than fifteen minutes. Flopping my head against my pillow, I glance at my cell, checking the time. This has been the most exhausting day and it is only noon. I decide that a nap is much needed and lie back against my pillows, closing my eyes.
~
The Grand Hall was built within the same year that my great-great to the whatever power, grandfather established our town. It is fashioned like most people’s city halls, a two-story red brick building with a church like appearance. Our history lines the walls via paintings, photos and the progression in weapons technology. The current President of the Association resides in the East wing of the building while all business matters are conducted in the West wing.
The center area is where the ballroom is located and for the most part, this room is utilized more often than any other sections of the building. It is available for gatherings, community dinners and parties for any Association member.
Of course, it is the only place I’ve ever held any of my birthday celebrations. The phrase ‘go big or go home’ reigns top rank in philosophies in my family and my 18th birthday party is no different from the others.
As I stand at the base of the steps that lead up into the building however, I hesitate. Suddenly I don’t want to go inside. Waves of nervousness floods my body. I don’t want to go through with having the party. I want to turn away from the entrance and make a bee line back to my dorm room, throw my blankets over my head and hide from the world.
I feel like I’m hyperventilating. Is this what a panic attack feels like? I can’t move my legs. I am completely frozen to the spot I am stood in. Closing my eyes, I try to visualize the event. Everyone dressed in costume, the food, the cake but nothing seems to ease my mind. Only when I begin to think of Dominic, do I begin to feel myself relax. How can someone I barely know be able to have such an effect on me?
My breathing returns to normal and I look from side to side to make sure no one had just seen me spaz out. Footsteps can be heard pounding the sidewalk as I hear someone running up behind me.
“Ali! Ali,” I look and see Ella shouting my name. She is smiling from ear to ear and I realize she isn’t going to slow down. Before I know it, she has slammed into me, wrapping me in a bear hug. “What are doing still standing out here? I thought you’d be inside getting dressed.”
I shrug, “waiting on you slow poke.”
“Yeah right.” Ella shakes her head, hooks her arm with mine and basically drags me through the double doored entrance.
~
‘It’s you!’ Nic wanted to shout out excitedly to Alina as he stood in her dorm room, but inst
ead he chose to walk away. One, Ella was in the room, so Nic didn’t want to take a chance of exposing Ali’s new-found powers and two, she wouldn’t have known what he was talking about any way, but Dominic also didn’t need her thinking he was some crazed lunatic. Dominic opted to leave and return to his apartment, so he could relay his news to the Circle.
I can conclusively say that Alina Hopkins is The One. After seeing the destruction that could have only been caused by an uncontrolled magical power surge within her dorm room, I can safely say that there is no further need to search for we have found her. Sincerely, Dominic Salvino
Dominic turns away from his computer and heads into his bathroom to shower and get ready for Alina’s birthday bash.
Chapter10
“Good Lord Ella, I know the dress is Corseted but do you really have to pull it so tight?” I try to take a deep breath to calm my nerves, the anxiety that was festering is beginning to bubble up inside me and the tightness of the corset is making it difficult to breathe.
“Sorry Ali, I just want you to look absolutely perfect when you descend the stairwell into the Grand Hall tonight.”
I roll my eyes, I honestly can’t help it. “Seriously El, it isn’t like I’m meeting the Queen of England; it’s just a party.”
Now it’s Ella’s turn to roll her eyes at me. I must say she does it quite well, I can nearly hear them as they roll around. “Okay Ali, close your eyes, I’m done.” She spins me so that I’m positioned in front of the floor length mirror.
“WOW! You are so wasting your talent holed up in the Academy Ella.” I stare at my image admiringly, surprised by the girl staring back at me. This can’t possibly be my reflection. I turn from one side to the other, watching the way the full ballgown swishes and sways across the crushed red velvet carpeted floor, the light catching the skirt, making it look as though it is shimmering, doused in glitter. “You’ve truly made me look like a dark-haired Cinderella,” I gush as I push at my hair, making sure it will stay in place and smile as the jewels in my hair sparkle when I move my head just right.
