Destiny

by Mitchel Grace

  “What’s wrong with you? How can you tell me this and sound so calm about it? We just found out that our parents are criminals who are going to be in prison for God knows how long, and you’re just telling me all of this as if it’s routine. I . . . I can’t see how . . .”

  “Eric, stop it! I’m as upset about this as you. I’m your big sister, though. It’s my job to make sure you know the truth about this and to prepare you for what’s about to happen.”

  “I’m sorry. What’s going to happen?”

  “Mom and Dad don’t have a chance of getting out of this. We’re about to be saying goodbye to our parents for a long time. I’ve already been accepted into the University of Miami, so in August, that’s where I’ll be. Until then, I’m going to be staying at Grandma and Grandpa’s with you. After that, you’ll be on your own. You need to make some hard decisions. Do you want to live with our grandparents for the next two years, or is there another option for you?”

  “So let me get this straight. You’re going off to college, and I have no other realistic option other than to leave my school and go live with two people in their late sixties. I have nowhere else to go, Catherine.”

  “I know how you must feel. Believe me. I don’t feel good about any of this. Our parents are about to be imprisoned, and my little brother’s life is going to be turned upside down. I haven’t even had time to consider how all of this is going to affect me. This is chaotic, and I don’t know what to tell you other than to say this. I promise that I’ll find a job as soon as I get back to Miami. After I build up some money, I’ll get an apartment for us. You can move back here with me then.”

  “How long will that take?”

  “I don’t know. A few months probably.”

  I sighed and looked down. Everything was changing for me. That wasn’t the worst part, though. I was sixteen years old, and I should have been able to deal with all of this better, but I couldn’t. Suddenly, I felt like a little boy again who only wanted his mom and dad.

  Finally, I nodded my head in approval of my sister’s plan and hugged her. She was doing her best. There was no need to put more stress on her. After she left, I lay back and thought about my options. I loved my grandparents, but there was no way I was spending the next two years with a couple of people I barely knew. We only saw them twice a year, and I felt like I would be living with little more than strangers. I had to think of another option. As I lay there, only one thought popped into my head. I wished that I could talk to Olivia right then. Her father had walked out on her. She knew what it was like to lose a parent. Even if my parents weren’t walking out on me, I was still losing them. Somehow, I just thought she could relate. Suddenly, I had an epiphany. Maybe there was another option other than living with my grandparents. I had only met my aunt and uncle once, but we had kept in touch. They seemed to love me. Would they take me in? I could be close to Olivia then, and I had really enjoyed my time there. I should have been focusing on my parents and sister in that moment and not trying to run away, but I had to find something positive to hang onto. The thought of being reunited with the girl of my dreams was an amazing one. It was a reason to keep living. I grabbed my cellphone and called my uncle.

  “Hey, what are you doing up this early?” he asked.

  “It’s about Mom and Dad. I don’t know how to explain this, but I think you should know what’s going on,” I said and told him everything.

  At first, he was in shock. Uncle Gary had always known that his brother loved money and the things that came with a lavish lifestyle, but he never had the slightest clue of just how far he would go to have the life he had always dreamed of. After talking about everything for a few minutes, I finally decided to ask him what I really wanted to know.

  “I know this might be a lot to ask, and you can say no. From what I’m hearing, things probably won’t go well for Mom and Dad, and they’re going to get some significant time. If that’s true, I’m going to be looking for somewhere to stay over the next two years. I have the option of staying with my grandparents a few hours from here, but they’re approaching seventy. I don’t think they really want any more kids around the house, and honestly, I barely know them. I thought that maybe if you didn’t mind I could . . . you see . . . I . . .”

  “Eric, you’re always welcome here. You’re my brother’s son, and that makes you important enough to take in. If things go badly, we’ll come get you. Just say the word,” Uncle Gary said.

  In truth, I think he probably had some reservations about taking me in. After all, we had only met once. It said something about the man he was that he did the right thing that morning. I had another option. It wasn’t an option I ever wanted, or at least not that way, but it was there nonetheless. Everything was changing, and I didn’t know what to do with that change, but I held on to a small glimmer of hope that morning. On the worst day of my life, I dreamed of being reunited with the one person who might make all of this better. If only it had been that easy. Even if I wanted her to be, Olivia wasn’t going to be the answer to all of my problems. If nothing else, she was my hope when I should have had none. Back then, that was enough.

  Chapter 6

  Reunited

  Two Months Later

  After two long months of living with my grandparents and receiving occasional phone calls from my parents, I finally decided to jump ship. It was obvious that the situation with my parents wasn’t going to get better, and Catherine was already settled into college, so she didn’t need me. I had effectively ended any relationship I had with Chastity simply by moving four hours away, too. There was no reason for me to stay. I told my parents and sister where they could reach me and called my uncle. He got me a flight going to Green Bay. For the first time in weeks, I was actually excited about something. When he and Aunt Kristin picked me up at the gate, I was grinning from ear to ear. I was in an entirely new situation where anything was possible. Most importantly, I was about to be across the road from Olivia again. Things were looking up.

  After I thanked them for taking me in, they led me out to the car, and we drove back to their house. When I got out, I looked across the street to see something that made everything feel like a waste of time. Olivia was still living across the street, but the boy attached to her lips looked like he could serve as a problem for my romantic reunion. She was giving some guy a goodbye kiss. What was I supposed to do, though? It wasn’t like she was doing anything wrong. I had dated while I was away. Shouldn’t she?

  “Hey, let’s get your bags inside,” Uncle Gary said, effectively breaking me from my trance-like state.

  He had noticed the disappointment in my eyes as I watched another guy kissing the only girl I had ever loved. In a way, he wanted to say something reassuring to me. I had been through so much, after all. It would have been the proper thing to say that Olivia was going to choose me over whoever that buffoon was. That would probably be a lie, though, and I think he wanted to prepare me for what was going to be a very complicated situation. As we grabbed the bags, he quietly explained.

  “I know you and Olivia had something together when you were here before, but I might pursue someone else for the time being,” he said.

  “Why do you say that?”

  “That guy she was kissing . . . his name is Richard Burning. Do you have any idea who that is?”

  “Nope. Should I?”

  “Probably. He’s the number six recruit in the country in football. He can go to any college he wants, and with his size and athletic ability, he’s a lock to be a superstar defensive end at the pro level one day. Look, I always want you to know your value, and you’re worth a lot, but guys like us don’t stand a chance against someone like him. He’s got the kind of future that we can only dream of. I’m talking about millions. Even if Olivia did want to choose you over him, I don’t think her friends and family would allow it. He equals a future for her, so if I were you, I would wait around for a while.”

  “Why would I wait? If he’s her future, then shou
ldn’t I try to mess that up now?”

  “No, that’s only going to complicate things. Give him some time to screw things up all on his own. Then swoop in.”

  “Won’t I just be her second choice then? I’m not anyone’s second pick. I want her to be with me, not settle for me.”

  “You would be her second choice, but I’m going to teach you something today. Being second isn’t always so bad. It just means that the woman you ended up with picked the wrong person first and found someone so much better later on. Trust me. I’m so glad that I ended up with your Aunt Kristen. There were girls who seemed more promising, but I was a fool. I had to learn that before I could really appreciate her. Let things run their course with Olivia and Richard. She’ll figure out that he’s just a jock who doesn’t have much in his head other than football. Then she’ll find a guy who really has something to offer. Just make sure you’re ready to be that man when the time comes.”

  I nodded as if I completely agreed with what he was saying, but honestly, I had no intention of sitting around and watching as she locked lips with some dumb jock. I was going to get the girl, even if I had to step on some toes to do it. For then, I simply carried my things inside and got unpacked, however. I visited with my aunt and uncle for a while, but as it started to get dark, I decided to glance outside. Olivia was sitting on the front porch. I had decided. I was going to go talk to her just like old times. Even if my uncle thought that Olivia and I weren’t going to pick up where things left off, I was about to prove him wrong. I grabbed her necklace and walked out the door. She looked surprised to see me. As I walked across the street, she stood and met me in the yard with the biggest hug I had ever received.

  “I can’t believe you actually kept your promise,” she said happily.

  “Of course I did. I had to give you this back,” I said and handed her the necklace.

  “Thank you. Honestly, I didn’t think this day would ever come. How long are you in town for?”

  “I’m here permanently. It’s a long story, but I would love to tell you about it sometime.”

  “I’ve got time now. I mean, I’ve got school tomorrow, but we can hang out for a couple of hours. What do you say we get into the car and head out to our old spot?”

  “That sounds great. At least we won’t have to walk anymore.”

  “Hey, walking and talking with you was the best part. Let me get my keys. I can’t believe you’re actually back,” she said and stepped inside.

  This was going amazing so far. She was happy to see me, and there was no indication that things weren’t going to be the same as they used to be. When she returned, we got into her car and drove outside of town. As night fell, we got out and lay on the hood of the car. We stared up at the stars, and I told her all about my mother and father’s arrest.

  “Wow. I acted like you needed to stop whining about your rich kid problems before, but I don’t think I would want your problems now,” Olivia joked.

  “Hey, I’m not rich anymore. I’m just like anybody else. So tell me what’s been going on with you since I’ve been gone.”

  “Oh, not much. You know, just the same old things.”

  “Oh, really? What about that football player I saw you locking lips with? What was his name? Burning Dick?”

  “Richard Burning, but that’s very funny. Wait a minute. You weren’t jealous, were you? I mean, surely you haven’t been waiting on me in Miami. You’ve had girlfriends.”

  “Yeah, I dated this one girl the whole time I was there. Her name was Chastity.”

  “So tell me about her, and I’ll tell you about Richard, or Burning Dick as you call him.”

  “Let’s see . . . do you want the basic version or the tell-all story?”

  “Well, of course I want the tell-all version.”

  I told her everything. I started with how perfect Chastity was and then told her how incredibly boring all that perfection grew to be. I even told her about Chastity’s pledge to God that had left me celibate. I normally wouldn’t have talked about something like that with anyone, but I just felt like I could with Olivia. Plus, we always found a way to make things like that into a big joke.

  “So let me get this straight. You’re a virgin,” Olivia said with amusement.

  “Hey, I didn’t say that. I just said that she wouldn’t have sex with me. That doesn’t mean anything.”

  “Unless you’ve completely changed since I knew you, you did not cheat on that girl.”

  “Okay, you’re right. I’m a virgin. Is that such a bad thing, though?”

  “No, I just didn’t expect it. Who holds out after being in a relationship for that long anyway?”

  “That’s what I said to her! It’s weird, right?”

  “Definitely.”

  “Thank you!”

  “I do kind of envy her, though.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Do you promise not to judge me if I tell you about me and Richard?”

  “I would never judge you. What is it?”

  “Let’s just say that Richard is a very physical being. I don’t have the problem that you had with Chastity. Sometimes I wouldn’t mind having it, though.”

  “Okay, first of all, eww! I really don’t want to think about you with anyone, much less that guy. Secondly, what do you mean? I can’t believe I’m asking this, but why would being closer to him be such a bad thing?”

  “Let’s just say that a girl wants to know she’s loved for more than that. Guys like him don’t say I love you, and they don’t seem to believe in grand romantic gestures. Sometimes I think he’s just using me. Then again, I’m only with him because girls like me are supposed to be with guys like him.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means that my friends love him because he plays football, and my mom wants me to be with him because he’s probably going to be rich one day. In a way, I’m just using him to make them happy. Just between you and me, he’s okay, but I don’t think I actually love him. I want to, and I really want to enjoy our closeness as you put it, but I just don’t love him. Plus, our closeness only last for about two minutes, so I barely have time to get used to the idea of what we’re doing before it’s over.”

  At that moment, I burst into laughter. Sure, I was creeped out by the thought of her with another guy, but it wasn’t like I actually expected her to be the perfect innocent girl after a year and a half. At least she didn’t love the guy, and she was the same girl I had known before. She was beautiful and kind, but at the same time, sarcastic and funny.

  “If you tell anyone I said that, there will be hell to pay,” she said while pointing at me and smiling.

  “Your secret is safe with me. Why stay with him, though? It doesn’t sound like you want to.”

  “A lot of other people want me to. They think he’s my ticket out of here, and honestly, I wouldn’t mind a ticket out. I still haven’t decided if I could ever love the guy, so I guess I’m just holding on to whatever it is that we have until I can make up my mind. That probably makes me sound like a terrible person.”

  “Not at all. I think you would be better off with someone who’s a little shorter and more into stargazing than football, though.”

  “Oh, really? Do you have anyone in mind for me?” she asked with a grin.

  “I do. He’s really handsome, and he’s new in town. He’s had a hard few months, but when he looks at you, he’s completely at peace with everything about his reality because it led him back to this town.”

  “Tell me more about this mystery man.”

  “He believes that you deserve the greatest romantic gestures, and he wants to take you on dates that you’ll never forget. I hear he’s a great lover, too. You don’t ever have to worry about things being over after two minutes.”

  “So he can make it to three minutes then?”

  “It’s four, thank you.”

  “Oh, excuse me. I heard differently about him.”

  “What did you hear?”
>
  “I heard he was attractive but that he thought he was better looking than he was. I also heard a rumor that he’s not nearly as smooth as he thinks. As a matter of fact, I heard that he goes around bragging about his four minute time, but he’s actually a virgin.”

  “He could totally prove it to you tonight if you didn’t believe him,” I joked.

  “All right, that’s enough of that. I think it’s time for us to go home. My dream guy is turning out to be just like every other man around here,” Olivia said and smiled.

  “No, what he really wants is just to look up at the stars with the first girl he ever loved . . . the only girl he ever loved.”

  “Eric, I can’t be with you right now, but I think you deserve to know something. What you had with Chastity . . . that’s what every girl wants. Don’t ever change. See women for who they are and not what they can give you. If you do that, you’re not going to have a problem getting any girl you want.”

  “Just not the only girl I actually care about, huh?”

  “Why couldn’t you have shown up six months ago when I was unattached? Things would have been so much simpler.”

  “I wish I had. I can do complicated, though,” I said and grabbed her hand.

  She didn’t pull away, so I decided to take it further. I rolled over and wrapped one arm around her. Then I moved in for a kiss. Olivia didn’t fight it. When our lips met, I felt a familiar spark that had been missing since the last time I was with her. I couldn’t explain it, but just one kiss from her sent shockwaves through my body. She immediately transitioned our soft kiss into the most passionate one I had ever been a part of. As we were finishing, she pulled back and bit my lip ever so slightly. Then she simply lay back and stared at me with a look of complete wanting. She had been waiting a year and a half for this moment just like me. Why couldn’t things have been simpler? She wanted nothing more than to embrace me once again and let the night take us wherever it wanted, but it felt wrong. We weren’t supposed to be reunited this way. She wasn’t supposed to be cheating on her boyfriend with me. I was supposed to come back and take her away from her boring life. I would be the person she was meant for. That was her fantasy.