The Pull of Destiny

by Hotcheri

  Dad growled, “Why don’t you shut up with the smartass comments and pay attention?”

  So I did, letting his infuriated roar wash over me as I zoned out, trying to pretend that I was somewhere else.

  That is, until a loud, piercing, “No, daddy!” cut into dad’s lecture.

  He stopped short in the middle of a sentence, a baffled expression on his face as he stared down at his feet, where a defiant Faith stood. Her chubby arms were crossed and a mad look was on her sleepy, cute face. Evidently dad’s loudness was what had woken her up, as she was still in her PJ’s.

  “Sweetie, not now,” dad said, a touch of exasperation in his voice. Obviously pissed off because Faith interrupted his stupid sermon. “I’m talking to Luke.”

  “No!” Faith shook her head, her curly dark brown hair flying out behind her. She wrapped her arms around my legs as I tried to keep my balance and turned her face towards dad. “You’re gonna yell at him again!”

  I fought hard to keep a smile off of my face at the outraged tone in Faith’s voice.

  “Well-,” dad started, throwing me a look that screamed ‘help me!’

  I shrugged, a vindictive feeling surging through my body. Maybe if he’d spent more time with her, like he called me out on not doing, he’d know how to defuse the Faith bomb. Crouching till he was on her level, dad put his reasonable voice on while I snickered quietly behind my hand. Just the image of a grown man in a suit kneeling to bargain with a 4 year old was ridiculous to me. Oh, if only his business partners and whisky drinking buddies could see him now.

  “Sweetie, Luke and I are having a man to man talk,” dad said, trying to sound sensible.

  “No! You’re gonna yell at him! I don’t want you to yell at Luke, he’s sick!” Faith hugged my knees tighter. “His head hurts and I hear him being sick in the bathroom every night! Please daddy, please don’t yell at him.”

  She gave him a beseeching look, as I stared shrewdly at her. How the hell did she know that I threw up almost every night because of my headaches? Wasn’t running water supposed to stifle the sound?

  It was almost funny to watch dad subsiding, throwing me a look I must have misread as concern. I had to have misread it, coz dad hasn’t cared about me for years. Nobody, not CiCi, not Hope, not even Doctor Khan, knew about the almost nightly vomiting episodes, and with good reason- I didn’t want anyone finding out. It couldn’t be a good sign, but now Faith had, for better or worse, exposed my secret. And judging from the look on dad’s face, this wasn’t the last I would be hearing of this.

  “Take some Tylenol. I’ll book an appointment with Doctor Khan tomorrow,” he growled at me and stalked out, leaving Faith and I alone in the kitchen.

  Blinking sleepily up at me, Faith asked, “Luke, will medicine really make your head better?”

  “I sure hope so, princess,” I sighed, picking Faith up and cradling her in my arms. She rested her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around my neck as I carried her to her room.

  “Me too, Luke,” she murmured.

  Faith singlehandedly saved my morning, but my next argument of the day wasn’t so easily settled. The sad thing is, it shouldn’t have gone down that way at all.

  I was at my locker about an hour before school was out, picking up my hoodie, when all of a sudden an elbow hit me in the back. My shoulder hit the locker and I whirled around to see who the blind ass was. I mean, the hallway was empty, for God’s sakes! Of all the room in the world...

  Ahmed stood right in front of me, the sneer on his face reminding me eerily of my dad. There was definitely gonna be trouble and I groaned silently. What else could happen?

  “What the hell’s with you sticking to Shazia?” he asked heatedly, puffing out his chest. “I believe I already warned you not to hit on her.”

  I rubbed my forehead with the heel of my palm. Three Tylenol later and no change. And now Ahmed was obviously trying to start something. Why couldn’t people just leave me alone till I had my operation, then start with the drama?

  Feeling slow, I gave Ahmed an even look and said, “What are you talking about? When’d I hit on Shazia?”

  “I saw you drop her off last night,” Ahmed spat. Oh, right. Understanding dawned as I remembered giving Shazia a ride after visiting CiCi. It was such a small deal that I had pushed it to the back of my mind, but apparently it was a huge issue to Ahmed. He looked really pissed. “You hugged her!”

  Why am I not surprised that Ahmed was watching as I was in the foyer with Shazia? He was always hounding her.

  “What’s your problem, dude? Your sister can’t have guy friends hugging her?” I asked, laughing. “What, are you gonna marry her or something?”

  Shifting from one foot to another, Ahmed looked vaguely uncomfortable with the implications I was making, but that didn’t stop him from going off on me in a major way.

  “She can have guy friends but you’re not one of them,” he said, shaking his finger in my face. I stood my ground. I wasn’t scared of Ahmed, not matter how many weights he lifted. “I don’t want her having anything to do with you, but you just won’t listen! Stay away from Shazia, or else!”

  And now he was threatening me.

  I spread my hands. “Look, Ahmed, yesterday I was looking out for your sister,” I explained evenly. “That’s why I gave her a ride home.”

  “She’s none of your concern! I look out for her. Not you, not anyone.”

  Raising my eyebrows in disbelief, I said, “Would you really have preferred it if I’d left Shazia out in East Harlem?”

  Ahmed’s eyes narrowed suspiciously and I sighed. Why was I even bothering myself with arguing with this jerk during my study period when I could be sleeping in the library?

  “What were you doing in East Harlem?”

  I shook my head, slamming my locker shut. “Drop it. I won’t bug Shazia anymore, okay? I won’t even talk to her, if that’s what you want. Now-.”

  “You went to visit your Barrio bitch, didn’t you?” Ahmed asked sharply, his lips twisting in an evil smile.

  I stared at him, my pulse speeding up from listening to Ahmed talk about CiCi like that.

  “Don’t call her that,” I said quietly.

  Ahmed sneered. “I can call her whatever I want,” he said in a sing-song voice that made me want to throw him. “You can go visit your little friend whenever you want, but leave my sister out of it.”

  I stared incredulously at him. “Ahmed, Shazia and CiCi have been friends for years! What the hell do you have against her?”

  Blustering, Ahmed said, “What the hell are you talking about? I don’t even give a damn about that girl.”

  “Dude. All this time you talk smack about CiCi it’s because you like her, isn’t it?” I asked as realization hit. Playground tactics. Of course.

  “Shut up.” Ahmed clenched his fists but I ignored that.

  “But you’re scared to admit it coz you’ve been a dick to her for years and you think she’ll diss you.” Now it was my turn to smirk in Ahmed’s face and I did, reveling in the uncomfortable look on his face. “I got news for you, man. She probably will diss you.”

  Glowering at me, Ahmed said, “Why the hell would I want that project trash?”

  I glowered back. “Don’t call her that,” I snapped. “You’re trashier than she’ll ever be, and you know it.”

  Ahmed was trying and succeeding in getting me riled up. I knew what was happening, he was trying to get me to snap, but I couldn’t stop myself from getting angrier.

  “You think your precious ‘CiCi’ is so perfect, don’t you?” he said tauntingly.

  I shrugged, sticking my hands in my pockets. “I never said she was perfect,” I replied. “I just don’t see why you hate on her so much. You make a move on her and she dissed you or something? Is that why you’re so bitter towards her?”

  “I could have her in a millisecond and you know it,” Ahmed said smoothly and confidently. “She’s been feeling me for years, even
before you started talking to her.”

  Biting my lip, I recalled the conversation I had overheard between her, Robyn and Shazia, talking about the cliché’s they liked. CiCi’s had been best friend’s brother. Was Ahmed right? Did CiCi really have a crush on this asshole? Despite myself, a stab of jealousy went through me and I swallowed hard as Ahmed grinned smugly at me.

  “She’s too good for you,” I said stubbornly.

  Ahmed threw back his head and laughed loudly. “All Celsi can ever be is ghetto trash, not fit to do anything but perform at skid row strip clubs or become a nickel and dime hooker as soon as she’s out of high school. If she even graduates, that is. I’m the son of an oil baron, heir to millions. How the hell is that gutter skank too good for me?”

  “Ahmed, I’m warning you.”

  My hands were clenched into fists and I’m sorry to say, I was itching to punch Ahmed right in the nose. But I tried to keep my cool, because the last thing I needed was to lose my temper and screw up by fighting on school grounds again. Yet every negative word Ahmed said about CiCi made my blood boil. He knew nothing about her. What gave him the right to judge her like that?

  Ahmed snorted. “Oh, I’m sorry, all this not tying in with your image of virginal Celsi Sawyer?” His voice hardened as he continued and I willed myself to remain calm. Think of the aneurysm. Don’t say or do anything you’ll regret. But I could feel it was already too late. I was in way too deep. “Listen. You’re wasting your time thinking you can fix her life. Just bang her then ditch her, that’s it. She has to get used to it sometime.”

  I couldn’t believe my ears. Who did Ahmed think he was, talking about CiCi like she was some crack whore off the street? And he thought that I was just gonna use her and it would be perfectly normal? Was that what everyone thought of my friendship with CiCi? That I just wanted to get into her pants?

  “Dude. That’s your little sister’s best friend you’re talking shit about. And you’re going around talking behind her back like a bitch. Grow up.”

  “You’re just mad coz she’s a bitch herself,” Ahmed replied snidely. “I know you want a piece of that Barrio booty; I see how you look at her. Just toss her a couple bucks so her broke ass family can have a full meal and she’ll do whatever you want.”

  “Ahmed, just shut the hell up, alright?”

  I took a step forward, shoving him away from me. Blood rushed to my ears and my heart beat quickened. Ahmed chuckled tauntingly, making me even madder.

  “You think I’m kidding? Remember when she helped me with my Socials project?” He wiggled his eyebrows, smirking. “You should have seen her, touching on me, rubbing on my pants- the dirty ho wanted me so bad I could smell it and-.”

  I saw red. Before he could finish his sentence I punched, my knuckles connecting with his face. Ahmed staggered back, a stunned expression on his face as he stared at me.

  “What the hell, Astor?”

  Throwing down my hoodie, I advanced upon him, pushing him. “What do you think, dumbass? I warned you not to talk about CiCi!”

  I threw another punch, ignoring the voice in my head yelling ‘stop!’ as Ahmed swayed on his feet. He swung blindly at me and I ducked, almost dancing around him. It pains me to admit that the violence felt good. Taking out all my pent up anger, aggression and pain on Ahmed was definitely a plus. I mean, come on- he totally deserved it!

  “You wanna go, buddy? Huh? Or are you all talk?” I asked him, pushing him back again. Without warning, he swung again, his closed fist hitting my cheek. A bolt of pain surged through my jaw and it took all the willpower I had not to reach up and touch my cheek.

  Ahmed managed to croak out, “You’re whipped by that bitch, dude-,” just before I slammed my fist into his nose. He blinked dazedly, touching his nose immediately and wincing as he felt the blood drip down his face. “Screw you, Luke.”

  I stared after him as he took off down the hall. So he was running from a fight that he pretty much encouraged? Didn’t his dad ever tell him to go down swinging? Mine sure didn’t, but I knew that anyway!

  “Later, coward,” I yelled at his retreating back, grinning to myself as I picked my hoodie up from the floor and headed to the library after making a quick stop at the bathroom. Ah, nothing like a good fight to get rid of parental frustrations...

  Unless, of course, the guy you were fighting decides to tell on you and you find yourself in the principal’s office with an expulsion letter in your hand. That’s when you know shit just hit the fan.

  Celsi’s Point of View

  I really wasn’t in the best state of mind to set out and meet Luke at the Empire State Building. My lip was still slightly swollen and the bruises were still painfully vicious looking. I didn’t want to cover up with makeup because I was scared it would slow the healing process, so I just went au naturel and hoped to goodness that nobody would notice.

  Aunt Kelly wasn’t home so I wrote a note.

  ‘Hey auntie, gone to Robyn’s to pick up homework. Be back soon. Celsi.’

  I used a magnet to stick it onto our old fridge, my stomach twisting with guilt at the lie I told her. But it was for the best, in more ways than one. Aunt Kelly still wasn’t sold on Luke, even though I’d forgiven him for everything that had happened. All she would tell me was, “Be careful around that boy,” and I knew what that meant. She didn’t trust him. And I definitely didn’t want Nate to know where I was really going.

  When I got to the Empire State Building it was 3.45pm.

  You’re too excited and you’re too early.

  I guess I was a little excited at meeting Luke- hell, try giddy. Yesterday I had been way too emotional for my liking, but today was another day and I intended to enjoy Luke’s company while I could. And shoot yeah, I was giddy. That near kiss still sent shivers down my spine when I thought of it. No, I wasn’t obsessing. Yes you are Celsi. Maybe a teensy bit.

  Luke texted me earlier in the day to tell me that he had already bought tickets to the 86th floor (what a sweetheart) and all I had to do was show my ID at the front desk and I could collect mine. So I marched up to the desk like I belonged there, flashed my ID, feeling like a cop, and got on the elevator after collecting my ticket. My heart was thumping irrationally, even though I tried to keep calm. What was going to happen? Would we stay up there and look at the gorgeous view, or would Luke decide that we should go someplace else? Either way, I was pumped to spend an hour or two forgetting about my problems. I didn’t want to think of Nate, even though he’d been unusually- good ever since our little incident. Yesterday when he came home he bought me a crème donut. Half eaten, but it’s the thought that counts, right?

  It was windy when I stepped out of the cozy elevator onto the observatory and I pulled my thin hoodie tighter around me. The outdoor viewing area was almost totally deserted, apart from one lone figure leaning against the railings. I grinned to myself. I’d know that toned bod anywhere. Fancy Luke being early!

  I moved towards him just as he spotted me and started walking up to me. His green eyes lit up in a grin as he pulled me into a long hug.

  “How you feeling?” he whispered in my ear, rubbing my shoulders. My whole body tingled. How was I supposed to react when he touched me like that?

  “I’m good. Better,” I amended, resting my head on his shoulder as he held me loosely. His soft hair brushed against my cheek and I shivered. “Luke, I can’t stay long. I told my aunt I was going to Robyn’s place to get my homework.”

  Luke snickered, smoothing back my hair. “You’re such a liar but I love it,” he chuckled, pulling his toque down over his hair. Regretfully, I raised my head and took a step back, letting Luke’s arm fall. Why do I never want Luke to stop hugging me? Grinning to myself, I heard the little voice in my head answer right away. Because he feels and smells amazing. True.

  “It was the only thing I could think of. She didn’t want me out till my bruises...” My voice trailed off as I got my first good look at Luke. I stared, almost feeling my eyes widening
involuntarily at the reddened splotch on his cheek. That had definitely not been there yesterday. What the-? “Luke, what happened to your face?”

  Grinning guiltily, Luke shrugged. “I got bad news and I got worse news. What do you wanna hear first?”

  Great. I hate when people give me those choices. I never know what to pick first.

  “The worse news, I guess,” I said, my hand automatically reaching out to stroke his cheek. I felt his body stiffen and he licked his lips, staring right into my eyes for a long second. Blinking, I let my hand drop. Do I make him nervous too?

  “Uh,” Luke started, and then cleared his throat, shaking his head slightly. I hid my hands behind my back to keep myself from touching him again. He’s not tense because of you, don’t be silly! Was he? “Worse news- here goes.” Another sheepish smile. “I got expelled today.”

  If it had been anyone else, I would have bent over double laughing, spluttering out ‘you fooled me!’ But just one glance at Luke’s handsomely serious face and I knew he wasn’t joking. He couldn’t be joking because he actually looked embarrassed. And when Luke got embarrassed, it was for a big deal, which meant-

  “You got expelled?”

  No, I wasn’t intentionally echoing him; I just didn’t know what else to say. What do you say when someone tells you something like that? Gee, I sure am sorry? Nuh uh.

  “Yeah.” He grinned wryly, tugging off his toque abruptly and letting his hair fall into his eyes. “God, you shoulda seen Principal Herman. He was practically dancing when he told me. I swear, he hates me as much as my dad.”

  He was serious. And, oh God, what would his dad do and say when he found out? I couldn’t imagine Mr. Astor being happy about this turn of events.

  “Oh, my God Luke, really?”

  “Well, he’s been on my ass for ages,” Luke started, massaging his temples with his spare hand. “Claims he didn’t want to expel me because he owes my dad, but you should have seen his face! Dude was happy to be rid of me. He was always saying how the PA thing was the last straw and I guess this just –pushed him over the edge.”