Authors: Taylor Lavati
I'm in the back of a small, white church. The steeple is high in the sky, looking like it's touching the clouds. The pews in the church are wooden and painted white. The kneelers are red with dark brown end caps.
I try to peek through the stained glass windows as I wait in the back room of the church, but it's hard to see through the blur. It doesn't look like more than ten people are here. I feel a bit disappointed that more haven't shown up for my special day.
"Are you ready, darling?" my alleged father asks as we join hands. I nod because I'm afraid to let my voice do the talking. A man in a white robe comes from behind us and swings open the double doors leading into the main portion of the church.
I look over at the man beside me, this foreign, strange man who's supposed to be my father, and walk down the aisle. It all feels wrong. I suddenly don't want to be here anymore. I don't want to get married, even if this is just a vision. It's not right. Something is off. This feels staged, like I'm acting and going through my motions.
But once I see Ollie standing at the end of the aisle, I know that I should keep going. He's grinning from ear to ear. He has a modest tuxedo on that bears worn sleeves and pant legs. It looks like it might be a hand-me-down.
His loving gaze is what gets me down the aisle and what makes me stay.
I have trouble really focusing on our wedding. But when the priest begins to give a homily, a weird feeling erupts in the pit of my stomach. It jolts me a little, making me drop my bouquet of red roses on the ground.
It's like a slow motion movie as I watch my flowers tumble through the air. I reach for them, but as I bend over, my stomach shoots pain to my throat. The pain is visceral. I clutch my stomach, hoping the sharp pain will go away.
"Are you all right?" Ollie asks, leaning over and rubbing my back. A few people from the church gasp as I crumble forward, holding myself like I might just fall apart and break into a million pieces on the ground.
"My stomach," I groan. Another wave of sharp pain vibrates through me from the bottom of my stomach to the tip of my tongue, and I can't contain the pain. It's almost like I'm having a seizure. I ache in places that I didn't even know existed.
"Eurydice, listen to me. You're going to live. It's okay. Just push through the pain. Be strong in this moment, and you might live."
"I'm dying?" I ask him.
"You will if you don't choose me. You love me, don't you? Say you love me, darling. It's always been us. You and me. Forever. Believe it." Ollie's eyes are turned down, as if he knows that I won't choose him. I don't know what I know in this future, but it's clear that he's trying to get me to choose.
I look into the crowd of people and spot Ari in the back of the church. He has a sad frown on his face. His dark hair is cropped shorter than I've ever seen it. His green eyes are shadowed by dark bags and heavy eyelids.
The pain becomes unbearable, and I can't make it another second without feeling like I might combust and melt into the ground. I want to be eaten by the ground, just so the pain will end. A single tear escapes from my eyes, but before I can understand what is wrong with me, everything fades to black.
CHAPTER TWELVE
pieces of you
I awaken in the arms of Ollie. His eyes stare down at me with worry. The blue in them enraptures me, and I get lost in the pool of aquamarine. He bends down when he sees that I'm awake and kisses my temple, his touch so soft it's like a butterfly kiss.
"Are you okay, Ryder?" Ollie asks, his voice soothing with its melodic tones. I lean closer to him, craving the warmth.
"How long was I gone?"
"About six hours. I've never seen you dream that long."
"I don't think I ever have."
"Do you think you're okay? Should I get Cece?" He runs his hands through my hair, an action I know he only does when he's nervous or doesn't know what else to do. I lean into his touch, craving the familiarity of my current life. His hand stops just at my jaw, and I lean forward and kiss his palm.
"I'm all right, Ollie. Promise." I smile so he knows that I mean it.
"Should I take you back to your dorm?" he asks next.
"Where are we?" I question, not wanting to get up from Ollie's lap yet. I'm still a little disoriented from my vision. It's getting dark outside, and when I passed out, it was morning.
"The training center. You passed out on our way here, and I laid you on the bench, since I didn't know how long you'd be."
"I've never just fainted like that when I go into a vision. Usually, I bring it forward, or it happens when I'm already asleep or meditating," I tell him.
"Maybe this one just had to come. What was it about?" he asks, and I'm not quite sure whether I want to tell him or not. I decide not to.
"Nothing really, actually. Let's get training. I lost some precious time with that vision. Are you going to stay?" I ask as I slowly lift myself from Ollie's lap.
"I guess I could teach you a few things," Ollie teases. We walk together into the main part of the gym, and I have to lean against the wall when my legs wobble. He saunters over to the punching bags first and starts to take a few jabs, looking over his shoulder to make sure I'm still watching.
"That's nothing," I tease back, stepping right next to him.
"Want to spar?" he asks, jumping from foot to foot as if he's trying to evade me. I laugh at him, when he lunges forward and grabs me right around the waist, lifting me over his back.
"This isn't sparring!" I yell as I'm tossed over his shoulder. He runs around the room with me over him as I bang on his back and try to free myself.
"It's not my fault you let me get you," he says as he places me back on the ground.
"Exactly!" I say, throwing my hands up in the air. "I let you get me. You shouldn't be so proud of it."
"With you, I'll take whatever I can get," he says, the conversation suddenly turning serious. "Come on," he says, taking my hand. "Spar me, babe."
"Okay," I answer, following him into the side weight room that I've cleared out. It's a square room, only about fifteen feet by fifteen feet. The walls are covered in mirrors. No matter which way you look, you only ever see yourself. Except for the one blank spot in the room—the black door.
I stand on one side, Ollie on the other, and we begin to spar, circling each other. I've learned a few things, so I know that this won't be easy for him. But if I can execute well, I might even be able to take him down.
Before I know it, Ollie kicks it up a notch. He sprints towards me, his body a blur, and I try to counter and duck and sprint around him, but his arm catches my elbow and throws me off balance. I spin as Ollie passes by me, and have to right myself.
I ignore the awkward tilt of myself, and lunge towards the wall. I use the mirror to kick off and turn me around. I flip backwards in the air, and land right beside Ollie. He doesn't expect the flip, so I catch him off guard. I swipe out my leg, and jab him on the right side of his body, nailing him hard on the ribs. But, he doesn't let the hit deter him.
He grabs my neck and my side, and flips me over. I'm disoriented and try to figure out which way is up, but the mirrors are completely throwing me off. I land square on my back, the wind rushing out of my lungs and leaving me empty.
Ollie doesn't stop there. He straddles me, sitting on my stomach. His legs are on either side of my hips, his hands grabbing both of my wrists. I try to stop him and wiggle free and get loose, but I'm completely pinned.
That was faster than I thought.
"You still have much to learn, young grasshopper," Ollie whispers, his face just inches from mine as he leans down and goads me.
"Just get up," I growl at him. I push him off of me when I feel his grip loosen and turn to face the wall, so he can't see me pout. My arms cross over my chest as I try to control my anger.
"Let's go again." I catch his eyes in the mirror and realize I can't hide in this place. I turn towards him and stick out my tongue like a five-year-old.
"I don't want to."
"Channel that anger you're feeling, and do it again," he commands.
"Don't use that voice on me!" I yell when Ollie uses his singing voice. I know it doesn't work on me, but I hate it when I can tell he's commanding. It annoys the heck out of me.
"Then fight me," he says, pushing my shoulder a little. I look where he touched me and then up at him, my heart racing with anger.
I grab him around the neck before he can say another thing. But, he doesn't let me take him. He pushes me off of him, and I stumble backwards. He stands, waiting for me to make the next move.
I sprint and instead of jumping like I normally would, I crouch down to get level with his stomach. I use my back leg to channel my inner strength, and I drop my shoulder low, getting him right in the gut with my head.
My strength works, because I push him so he's pressed against the wall. I continue pushing so that he can't break free as I move my legs around to get the best position. The mirror behind him starts to splinter in a spiderweb of cracks.
"Control it," he whispers ever so slightly. He grabs onto my wrists, but when he does, I use my leg to drop him to the ground. My fury fuels me as I pin him. I don't grab his arms. Instead, I push down on his shoulders and use my legs to hold his knees down.
He's pinned.
"Yes!" I yell as I jump up and celebrate releasing him.
"Great job!" Ollie says as he lifts me into his arms. I wrap my legs around him and my arms around his neck and hold on. He jogs around the room, pushing off things while I hang on for dear life.
I giggle into his neck as I clutch him close.
"I love you," he says, pulling me back and covering my lips with his. I shut my eyes and give in. I give myself into the kiss. I give myself to Ollie, like I know he deserves.
He elongates the kiss as he slides his tongue into my mouth. My stomach swirls with lust as I hang onto his neck for dear life. His hands rest on my butt as he holds me against him, his hands getting tighter and more blenched by the second. I can feel him press against me.
He begins to walk, but his kiss is too powerful for me to notice anything else. I continue making out with him until I realize my back is pressed against the mirror.
Ollie's mouth finds my neck and starts sucking on me. His tongue puts pressure right where my pulse is, and I'm sure that he can feel when the beats get faster. He moans at my reaction.
"I missed you," he mutters, but I ignore his words. Right now, all I want is his kisses. My hand dives into his hair and pulls on the ends a bit. I pull his head backwards so I have better access to his mouth, and when he's staring right at me, I kiss him again.
While one of his hands holds me under the butt, the other starts exploring. At first he just rubs up my side as our kisses continue to deepen. My lips feel numb.
Suddenly his hand dives under my shirt and starts massaging my breast over my sports bra. At first, I moan at the sensation. Ollie knows exactly what I like. But then reality kicks in.
I'm not sure if it's because I opened my eyes, but suddenly guilt washes over me.
"I can't do this," I say, using both my hands to push Ollie back. I stand on my own now and try to catch my breath. My mind is racing with lust, and I can't push through the fog to my rational thoughts.
"What?" he questions, his eyes showing the daze that he's still wrapped in.
"I'm so sorry." I shake my head as I sprint out of the room. I can't do this anymore. It's eating me alive. I rush to the bench and start gathering my things when Ollie catches up to me.
"We don't have to go further. I'm sorry that I pushed it."
"No," I tell him. "You have nothing to be sorry for. That was my fault. I just—"
Ollie kisses me again, silencing me. At first, I stiffen. But then I wait for him to finish. The kiss is nothing like before. The passion has dissipated. The urgency gone. Now it's just a kiss. A simple kiss.
"I have to go," I tell him when our lips part. "I'm sorry."
"Ryder," Ollie says when I'm almost out the door. "Whatever you saw in that vision, I hope that one day you'll be comfortable enough to tell me about it."
"You've been gone a lot lately." I pause and turn to face him.
"I'm trying to do what you asked. I'm respecting you and giving you space. Don't mistake that."
"Mistake it for what?"
"Me not loving you."
"I don't doubt that."
"Good. Because I'll never stop. Even if I'm not your soul mate, my love for you will never end." I smile at him and hug him, wrapping my arms around his thick torso. He lets me go and then walks away. "I'm here."
"I know."
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
chosen
When I'm walking past the student center, I remember the fight with the demons from earlier. We were supposed to walk in pairs, but I guess Ollie forgot. It seems strangely out of character for him. I run straight to Professor Onassis' house.
The walk is short, but it's dark now. When I get to her doorstep the darkness really hits me. I can just make out a faint white light in the top room. I knock on the door, but nobody answers. I knock again.
Nothing.
Panic wells deep in my gut, and I jiggle the handle. Luckily, the door is unlocked, and I push my way inside, tiptoeing in case there is danger. I resist the urge to call for Professor Onassis and creep through her house.
The kitchen is clear. While I'm in there, I grab a long steak knife, just in case I have to fight someone off. I saunter into the living room, thinking she may have taken a nap, but the room is oddly empty. There's a coffee mug on the wood table, and when I peek inside, it's still half full. She has to have been here recently.