The Broken Destiny (30 page)

I stood before the window, staring at the plunging neckline in its reflection and pulled it up, to no avail. It just slid back down and settled between my small breasts. Sam tightened the bow around my waist.

“You’re suffocating me!” I shouted irritably. I had never worn a dress.

“Troy needs to notice that small waist of yours and your beautiful hips as you sway them from side to side,” Sam said, her reflection on the window smiling at me.

I blushed, admitting to myself that I did do that sometimes.

Sam started applying Kohl eyeliner over my lash line.

“Okay, now you’re going overboard” I pushed her hand away. “It’s not like I’m getting married here.”

“Not yet,” Sam joked as she retrieved her lip balm from the pocket of her jeans.

I snickered. The Brokens’ first ever bride was not a horrid thought
.

“Why do you get to wear jeans?” I questioned them both.

“Because, it’s not our birthday!” Sam exclaimed.

The dress looked almost transparent as I walked past the dozens of lanterns that were scattered all over the lawn like fireflies. They lighted the way to a huge tent under the trees. My boots had been polished and were so shiny; I could see the reflection of the lanterns in them. I pulled the dress as far down over my knees as it would go, and uncurled the top of the boots so that my knees were hidden. Most people had clearly been there for a while. Some were already drunk on beer. I felt relieved as this meant they wouldn’t notice my entrance. Kronan blew a horn and fireworks exploded into the sky announcing the start of the festivities. Nervously, I looked around for Sam and Maya. They were right behind me, nudging me toward the tent which was lighted up with what looked like burning roses – more magic. The longer I stayed, the more I noticed it.

“Happy birthday to you!” Robert’s voice boomed through the crowd.

I looked away shyly and my eyes caught Troy’s. My heart melted and his smoldering smile left me quivering. I tore my eyes from his and caught Enoch stomping off into the distance, but I disregarded him. It still hurt, more than I would have liked to admit. As I made my way through the crowd, I couldn’t help but feel someone’s eyes on me. I turned to find Troy standing a short distance behind me. Robert, Greg, Shane and Dave were clumped together behind him. I noticed that there were a few boys in the group I didn’t recognize. I exchanged a little smile with each and they nodded silently. I felt honored that Troy would bring his friends along to support me. Dave walked over and gave me a hug, and when he moved away – there was Troy – standing not a hair’s breath away from me. Now, this was the best birthday present ever! I was sure he could see my heart pounding through the thin layer of the dress. We stood still, just looking at each other. I stared, studying his gaze, feeling his warmth so close to me. His eyes unmoving and fixed on me – expectant. I tried to look away, but my eyes trailed over his voluptuous lips, over his strong face, once again resting on his green eyes. His long eyelashes were the same golden blond as his hair. Startled by his change in eye color (the last time I had seen him, his eyes were hazel), I almost moved back.
Was he like me?
He leaned in, placing his hands on my hips, and in that moment I found myself alone with him.

“You look ravishing,” he whispered in my ear.

Goosebumps exploded all over my quivering body, his breath warm and pleasant on my neck. My stomach churned as I indulged in a moment of bliss. I blushed as his hot lips brushed tenderly against my cheek, but then something pulled me away. A fight between Tatos and Enoch broke out near the steps of the porch. My stomach somer saulted as Enoch’s icy glare penetrated right through me.

“What’s a party without some action!” Robert chuckled in the distance.

I felt myself flinch, but at the same time I wanted to move toward the fight, and somehow felt compelled to stop them even. I met Troy’s gaze. His eyes darkened as he moved away, his hands leaving my body. I’d never felt as much despair as when he turned into a stranger right before my very eyes.

“Go say goodbye to your boyfriend,” he sneered.

His words stung right to my core.

“No,” I said firmly, moving closer.

He just stared, dark and angry, into my regretful eyes – I had ruined our moment.

“Alrighty then.”

Sam pushed through the crowd toward us.

Troy turned and with one last look, walked away, Dave not far behind him.

I followed them, calling out Troy’s name. He turned, staring past me at Enoch.

“What’s your problem?” I asked him bluntly. I knew I had to confront him or lose him forever.

“What does it matter?” he said, cuttingly. “I thought you would have grown up by now, but clearly you haven’t.”

As his eyes took in my dress, he seemed to soften a bit.

“Not all of you, anyway. You are still the naïve little girl I tried to stay away from all those…” He stopped dead in his tracks, realizing what he had just about confessed.

“What do you mean?” I said, hurt and surprised at the same time.

“Nothing,” he said and turned to walk away.

“Open your eyes, Ava,” Dave said to me. “You only see what you want to see.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Well, go get a clue. He wants you, but you’re too…”

“I’m too what?”

“Have a good birthday. I should go.” He said, shrugging and offering me an ‘I’m sorry’ look.

“Yes, of course,” I mumbled.

I watched them walk away. Troy was wearing the same red and white leather jacket he’d worn the first day we’d met. I was furious at myself for letting him leave. He was no easy catch.

“Dave, I’m sorry for whatever I did!” I called out after them.

Dave came trudging back.

“I know. Don’t worry. He’ll be back. He will always be there for you.”

What?
I thought to myself.

“Oh, this is just great. More secrets,” I said out loud to myself as he ran to catch up with Troy.

I watched them walk out the gate. Troy didn’t look back once. I turned, but both Sam and Maya were gone. Enoch, however, stood just inches away. I swore under my breath.

“You gave me a fright.” I said.

“Where’s your boyfriend going?’ he asked with a smirk on his face.

I threw my hands into the air. “I wish everyone would stop calling everyone else that!”

“Touchy, I see,” he said, still smirking.

I frowned up at him. There was something sinister brewing behind his eyes.

“What do you want?” I spat. I wasn’t in the mood for his games.

“Hey! Easy there. I just came to wish you a happy birthday.” He said raising his palms in defense.

It had taken him long enough.

“Oh.” I said, my mind still whirling. H
ow could Troy just leave like that?

I searched for Sam through the crowd once again and spotted her in Robert’s arms. I tried to find Maya, but I couldn’t see her in the dense mob that was huddled around the food.

“I want to show you something,” he said.

I looked past him, searching for someone to save me from his presence.

“I want to apologize for yesterday.”

“Not now, Enoch,” I said and pushed past him to walk away, but I wasn’t quick enough. He grabbed my arm.

I caught Troy’s eye as he watched me leave with Enoch. My heart wrenched inside my chest.
What did he want from me?
Troy looked away, handed his father a bunch of keys and they bowed to each other – something was going down. Enoch pulled me through the crowd and past the tent, his once gentle stare now replaced by bitterness.

“Where are we going?” I asked, as he dragged me down toward the water’s edge, my feet almost sliding out from under me as we hit mud.

“Enoch, please! I want to get back to my friends.” I tugged my arm from his hand.

Unexpectedly, his hands were on my hips and he lifted me onto his shoulder.

“Put me down!” I screamed.

“This will only take a second.”

“I said no!” I shouted louder, hoping that someone would hear me.

As his iron grip tightened around my hips, I punched him between the shoulder blades as hard as I could, but he didn’t seem to feel it at all. The sound of both the drums and fireworks exploding simultaneously over the night sky, made it near impossible for anyone to hear my cries. I knew it was up to me to save myself. Enoch put me down on the ground near the river’s edge, my boots sinking into the swamp-like ground. I tried to find my balance, but my boots stubbornly stuck to the banks. I slowly squelched toward him, suddenly faked a right and tried to sprint past him to his left, but not only was his reach much longer than I had anticipated as he caught me right away, I was still semi-glued to the ground. My body smacked back into his.

“I like it when they fight back,” he said.

That confession just cleared it all for me; he was responsible for Sage’s disappearance. Fireworks streaked across the sky and lighted up his face. I could see the gaze in his eyes freeze over.

“Enoch,” I said painfully.

I looked around wildly and noticed dark figures emerging from the water.

“What’s going on?” I choked.

I tried my luck again, but he pushed me to the ground violently. My breath left me as I connected.

Standing over me, he said with hatred in his voice. “You should have said yes, Ava.”

When I smelled the all too familiar smell, I knew that he was handing me over to the Zulus. I screamed for help one last time. And from behind, a Zulu struck me across the face with the back of his spear. I felt the bones in my nose crack as I fell forward, face first into the mud.

“You’re going to regret this!” A voice said.

Troy was standing behind Enoch, and before Enoch could turn, Troy punched into Enoch’s kidneys. I wiped my face of blood and mud, watching with pleasure as Enoch fell to the ground. A spear whistled past me. I jumped up to warn Troy and was struck again. I fell back once more, into the cold, hard mud. Troy pulled a sword out of his belt in record time and deflected the screaming spear. Enoch managed to get one in by kicking Troy in the ribs while he was distracted by the spear. I screamed for them to stop as they rolled over each other. Troy flung himself on top of Enoch and started punching him with all his might. I could hear loud thumps, followed by the sound of bones cracking under Troy’s knuckles. I should have told him to stop, but I wanted him to pound his fists into Enoch’s skull until he stopped breathing. Troy’s head flung up and he shot me a startled look.

“Get down!” he yelled.

I flattened myself to the ground, throwing my hands into the freezing mud. A staff struck the ground next to me causing mud to splash across my face. My wounds stung as the mud seeped into the cuts. My nose began to throb as I struggled to breathe. I composed myself for a second, and on noticing that the Zulu was distracted by the fight, I hurled myself toward the sword Troy had dropped during his scuffle with Enoch. I launched it at Troy, calling his name. He caught it in one hand and turned, accurately striking another Zulu warrior coming at him from behind the tree. If it hadn’t been for all the lanterns hanging high up amongst the tree branches, we would have been totally submerged in blackness. The staff came at me once again. I rolled over onto my back, the spear missing me by nothing more than an inch. I screamed for Troy once again. We were surrounded from every angle. I tried to crawl over to him, but a splitting blow to the head left me unconscious.

I came round to the gentle rocking of a canoe and the slow rush of water passing by my ears. The cold, hard and wet surface I was lying on dug into my hips. My wrists were stinging. The dress’s enchantment had worn off and I was frozen right down to the bone. Gradually, I opened my eyes, dawn had already broken – the sky dark and in motion above me. We were moving downstream. We had traveled throughout the night. I looked around with difficulty; Troy’s face swam into focus across from me. His hands were tied and his face was bashed in, yet he still managed to smile at me.

“Hey,” I heard him say.

I tried to turn over to see where the hell we were.