Destined Chapter 1
By Katie Simpson
Amorette took a deep breath before raising a shaking fist up to the door of her best friend’s house and knocking three times.
Last week had been chaotic for the 14-year-old girl. She had spent it packing and unpacking, deciding what to bring with her and what to leave behind. She had packed junk before throwing stuff out of her trunk, packing and unpacking what felt like thousands of times. Her aunt had come the day before, as well, and had done nothing to help except laugh at her a couple of times when she would come downstairs, looking tired and exhausted. Aunt Adalicia had lightened the mood a bit, but she hadn’t missed the rude looks Amorette’s mother had been sending her way. They had never liked each other.
Now, she was at her best friend Claire’s house. Claire was from America and had moved to France when she was a little girl. She and Amorette had been best friends from the moment they met each other when Amorette was maybe, six or seven. They were both wild and random, but Claire was slightly more grounded, and made sure Amorette never did anything too…dangerous.
Amorette waited outside, fidgeting and wringing her hands as a result of her nervousness. Finally the door opened to reveal Claire’s mother, Violet, who smiled at Amorette.
“Hello, Amorette. How are you? Claire has been worried. You haven’t been at school for the past week. Is something wrong?” She asked with her slightly American accent.
Amorette smiled shakily before shaking her head, “No, nothing is wrong, but thank you. I was wondering if I could see Claire? I need to talk to her about…something.” She knew that she had to tell Violet about the trip at some point, but she was stalling.
Violet searched the girl’s face worriedly. She wasn’t stupid, she knew something was special about that girl and her family, but she didn’t know what it could possibly be. The woman sighed before smiling warmly and gesturing into her house, inviting Amorette inside. “She’s upstairs, doing some homework. She needs to catch up on some work and I finally forced her to do it.” She paused for a moment before calling up the stairs, “Claire, dear, your friend is here! She needs to talk to you about something!”
The girl came barreling down the stairs and ran right up to Amorette, trapping her in a hug. When she finally let her go she glared at Amorette with piercing eyes, “Where have you been? No word for a week, you weren’t at school, not answering calls or texts! I wasn’t certain you were still alive!” She finished with an even more piercing stare before she crossed her arms. “I’m waiting.”
Amorette winced at her gaze before muttering an apology as she dragged her friend to her bedroom upstairs. Once they were there she plopped down on Claire’s big bean bag, much to her friend’s displeasure (they always fought over who sat on it.) and quickly started, “We need to talk.”
Claire muttered something irritably that Amorette couldn’t make out, but she sighed and ran her hand through her hair, “You need to promise not to freak out, okay? And I’m serious, this is freaky.” Claire frowned at her but smiled nonetheless. “Shoot.”
Amorette took a shaky breath before diving into the complicated explanation, “Well, I don’t know how to dumb this down, so I’m just going to put this bluntly: I live in a family that has had people born into their family who have soulmates from all around the world. My brother-” “Super-Idiot?” Claire confirmed, and Amorette cracked a smile before continuing, “Yes, Super-Idiot, was born into the luck of not having a soulmate so he he doesn’t have to go running on adventures and other stupid stuff to find a stranger he is supposedly going to love for all eternity.”
Claire looked stunned. She cleared her throat before asking, voice small, “Oliver is one too, isn’t he?”
Amorette looked at her in surprise before nodding slowly. “I always thought that was strange, him and Chloe being together since they were twelve with no signs of stopping their relationship. Middle School sweethearts don’t last that long normally, you know?”
She nodded again before launching into another explanation, “Yes, well, that’s not all. I have a soulmate myself who lives in some kind of English speaking country, and naturally we’re starting with the States. Now, I have until I’m 16 to find this mysterious bachelor and whoever it is will have the same mark I have on their wrist.” At this she displayed the silver moon and stars on her left forearm to her friend before continuing, “Where it is will not be specified, but most likely it will be on the opposite wrist. My parents have gotten tired of me skipping classes-” Claire snorted, muttering, “It’s about time.”
“-and insisted I need to go on my trip now. My Aunt Adalicia will be coming with me. She was Loveless, meaning she didn’t have a Lover. If I don’t find my lover in the next two years I will be sent to a place called Lovelorn.” She finished, having said all that in one breath.
Claire stared at her, long enough for Amorette to get fidgety, before she burst out laughing. When she finally calmed down, Amorette glaring, she said, “I believe you! No really, I do! But, really, your life sucks, no offense.” Amorette scowled at her friend.
She cleared her throat, “However, Claire, I’m allowed to bring a friend with me on this daring adventure. I was going to pick you, but seeing as you find this so hilarious, I’ll bring Bernadette instead.” She flipped her hair and was about to walk out but Claire grabbed her arm, “No! Sorry, sorry, I’ll come. When are we leaving? My mom’s gonna freak and I’ll need time to wear her down.”
Amorette smirked, “Meet me at my house next Saturday at 1:30.” She turned, “Don’t be late.”
Amorette kept murdering her nails with her mouth, but she couldn’t stop biting them. She was so nervous.
It was Saturday, the day she was meeting Claire, and 1:30 was slowly creeping upon her. She was so scared Claire wouldn’t show up, and her Aunt wasn’t helping, chanting about different mischiefs they would be getting up to in America, and occasionally teasing Amorette about her “special someone,” despite the fact she didn’t know who it was yet.
She was just about to give up when she checked her watch. 1:20.
1:21
1:22
1:23
1:24
1:25
She bit her lip and glanced up at her Aunt who had finally shut up. She heard a call behind her, and turned to see Oliver Bellerose waving at her with a smirk. She groaned and went to go inside to wait instead, when Oliver reached her and started talking, “Well, well, well, if it isn’t skipping Amorette. Do you know how disappointed Mr. Johnson is with you? I offered to bring you your homework, of course-” Amorette groaned at this. She didn’t have time for homework while looking for her Lover. She glanced at Aunt Adalicia who was suppressing a laugh. Thanks so much, that’s really helpful. Best aunt ever. She thought sarcastically “-and obviously, he was very pleased. I have it all right here- hey, where do you think you’re going? I’ll tell Mr. Johnson about this! He won’t be happy!” Oliver called after Amorette who was retreating back and texting Claire to meet her at the park down the street instead. Aunt Adalicia was giggling next to her, “Here, he gave me your homework. I take it you won’t be working on it?
Amorette rolled her eyes before grabbing the stack and throwing the papers in the trash, “Oh, look, my hand slipped. Well, Oliver must be telling Mr. Johnson I cannot do his precious homework. A pity, truly. I can’t work on my grades while I’m off in America, on a quest that determines my, entire life. Devastating.” She said dryly, faking devastation as she whipped out her phone and texted her friend.
Meet me at the park down the street from my house. We ran into some…problems.
She put the phone in her pocket before plopping down on a park bench and waiting. Aunt Adalicia started talking again, about more ideas and - again - teasing her about her soulmate.
Oh joy.
Finally, Claire came running up to her and smiled, bag in hand. “Okay, I have my bags, are we going now? I met Oliver down the street near your house, we might want to run, I heard him coming after me for homework. The guy’s slow, but he’ll catch up eventually.”
Amorette smirked, grabbing her friends hand and pulling her and her aunt along with her, around the block and towards her house, “We can lose him. He’ll be running towards the park after you, and if we go around he’ll not see us. C’mon, hurry, before he sees us leaving.”
Once they got to her house, Amorette pulled Claire up the stairs to her room to help her pick a few more things to pack, and once that was done, she took a deep breath and started talking, “Okay, so did your mom approve you coming with us to America? We’re leaving on Tuesday so you need to convince her as soon as possible.”
Claire sighed, “I’ve been picking at her about it for the whole week, and she just won’t budge. She doesn’t want me in another country alone.”
“But my aunt is coming.”
“And she doesn’t know your aunt.”
“Maybe if my mom talked to her?”
“Maybe.”
They were quiet for a second before Amorette sighed and said, “Well, we’ll just have to try it. Come on. MOM!”
Her mother came running up the stairs, “What is it, Amorette? I was making dinner and if it burns you’re not eating anything tonight,” she threatened.
Amorette rolled her eyes at her mother before asking, “Do you think that you could talk to Claire’s mother about her coming with me? She doesn’t want her with me and some stranger in the U.S.”
Precious sighed, “I guess I could try. But if she says no you are not doing anything foolish to get your friend with you.”
Amorette looked at her mother with an innocent look on her face, “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Precious rolled her eyes at her daughter before turning around to call Claire’s mother. Meanwhile, the girls were talking about the best way to prank Oliver as revenge for…well, existing I guess.
“OPEN YOUR DOOR AMORETTE! LET ME IN!”
Amorette jumped, before running down the stairs and throwing the door open to find her best friend jumping up and down excitedly, “She finally said yes! I’m coming with you to America, Amy! I can’t wait! Come on, can we go now? Please? If we wait too long my mom might change her mind! C’mon!”
Amorette stared at her friend who was acting like a child, before putting a hand on her shoulder to stop her from jumping, “Do you have all your stuff with you?”
She nodded.
“Everything?”
She nodded again.
“Are you positive?”
She nodded impatiently, “Yes! God, you sound like my mom.”
Amorette snorted. “Aunt Adalicia! Claire’s ready to go!” She called up the stairs before running up to make her brother carry her stuff down to the stairs.
Once he brought it down - with no shortage of grumblings - she pulled her friend along with her and into the car her mother was driving them to the airport with.
Amorette looked up as she heard the airport lady say in the intercom that their flight was ready. She looked at her friend, “You ready for an adventure?” She nodded, looking slightly nervous but still excited. Amorette turned to her Aunt, “You ready?” Her aunt nodded, not nervous at all.
Once they were on the plane and in their seats, she heard Claire whisper, “America, brace yourselves. You’re about to be hit with a whole lot of crazy.”
Amorette smiled as she turned on her screen. This was going to be an adventure, that was for sure.
Amorette took a deep breath before raising a shaking fist up to the door of her best friend’s house and knocking three times.
Last week had been chaotic for the 14-year-old girl. She had spent it packing and unpacking, deciding what to bring with her and what to leave behind. She had packed junk before throwing stuff out of her trunk, packing and unpacking what felt like thousands of times. Her aunt had come the day before, as well, and had done nothing to help except laugh at her a couple of times when she would come downstairs, looking tired and exhausted. Aunt Adalicia had lightened the mood a bit, but she hadn’t missed the rude looks Amorette’s mother had been sending her way. They had never liked each other.
Now, she was at her best friend Claire’s house. Claire was from America and had moved to France when she was a little girl. She and Amorette had been best friends from the moment they met each other when Amorette was maybe, six or seven. They were both wild and random, but Claire was slightly more grounded, and made sure Amorette never did anything too…dangerous.
Amorette waited outside, fidgeting and wringing her hands as a result of her nervousness. Finally the door opened to reveal Claire’s mother, Violet, who smiled at Amorette.
“Hello, Amorette. How are you? Claire has been worried. You haven’t been at school for the past week. Is something wrong?” She asked with her slightly American accent.
Amorette smiled shakily before shaking her head, “No, nothing is wrong, but thank you. I was wondering if I could see Claire? I need to talk to her about…something.” She knew that she had to tell Violet about the trip at some point, but she was stalling.
Violet searched the girl’s face worriedly. She wasn’t stupid, she knew something was special about that girl and her family, but she didn’t know what it could possibly be. The woman sighed before smiling warmly and gesturing into her house, inviting Amorette inside. “She’s upstairs, doing some homework. She needs to catch up on some work and I finally forced her to do it.” She paused for a moment before calling up the stairs, “Claire, dear, your friend is here! She needs to talk to you about something!”
The girl came barreling down the stairs and ran right up to Amorette, trapping her in a hug. When she finally let her go she glared at Amorette with piercing eyes, “Where have you been? No word for a week, you weren’t at school, not answering calls or texts! I wasn’t certain you were still alive!” She finished with an even more piercing stare before she crossed her arms. “I’m waiting.”
Amorette winced at her gaze before muttering an apology as she dragged her friend to her bedroom upstairs. Once they were there she plopped down on Claire’s big bean bag, much to her friend’s displeasure (they always fought over who sat on it.) and quickly started, “We need to talk.”
Claire muttered something irritably that Amorette couldn’t make out, but she sighed and ran her hand through her hair, “You need to promise not to freak out, okay? And I’m serious, this is freaky.” Claire frowned at her but smiled nonetheless. “Shoot.”
Amorette took a shaky breath before diving into the complicated explanation, “Well, I don’t know how to dumb this down, so I’m just going to put this bluntly: I live in a family that has had people born into their family who have soulmates from all around the world. My brother-” “Super-Idiot?” Claire confirmed, and Amorette cracked a smile before continuing, “Yes, Super-Idiot, was born into the luck of not having a soulmate so he he doesn’t have to go running on adventures and other stupid stuff to find a stranger he is supposedly going to love for all eternity.”
Claire looked stunned. She cleared her throat before asking, voice small, “Oliver is one too, isn’t he?”
Amorette looked at her in surprise before nodding slowly. “I always thought that was strange, him and Chloe being together since they were twelve with no signs of stopping their relationship. Middle School sweethearts don’t last that long normally, you know?”
She nodded again before launching into another explanation, “Yes, well, that’s not all. I have a soulmate myself who lives in some kind of English speaking country, and naturally we’re starting with the States. Now, I have until I’m 16 to find this mysterious bachelor and whoever it is will have the same mark I have on their wrist.” At this she displayed the silver moon and stars on her left forearm to her friend before continuing, “Where it is will not be specified, but most likely it will be on the opposite wrist. My parents have gotten tired of me skipping classes-” Claire snorted, muttering, “It’s about time.”
“-and insisted I need to go on my trip now. My Aunt Adalicia will be coming with me. She was Loveless, meaning she didn’t have a Lover. If I don’t find my lover in the next two years I will be sent to a place called Lovelorn.” She finished, having said all that in one breath.
Claire stared at her, long enough for Amorette to get fidgety, before she burst out laughing. When she finally calmed down, Amorette glaring, she said, “I believe you! No really, I do! But, really, your life sucks, no offense.” Amorette scowled at her friend.
She cleared her throat, “However, Claire, I’m allowed to bring a friend with me on this daring adventure. I was going to pick you, but seeing as you find this so hilarious, I’ll bring Bernadette instead.” She flipped her hair and was about to walk out but Claire grabbed her arm, “No! Sorry, sorry, I’ll come. When are we leaving? My mom’s gonna freak and I’ll need time to wear her down.”
Amorette smirked, “Meet me at my house next Saturday at 1:30.” She turned, “Don’t be late.”
Amorette kept murdering her nails with her mouth, but she couldn’t stop biting them. She was so nervous.
It was Saturday, the day she was meeting Claire, and 1:30 was slowly creeping upon her. She was so scared Claire wouldn’t show up, and her Aunt wasn’t helping, chanting about different mischiefs they would be getting up to in America, and occasionally teasing Amorette about her “special someone,” despite the fact she didn’t know who it was yet.
She was just about to give up when she checked her watch. 1:20.
1:21
1:22
1:23
1:24
1:25
She bit her lip and glanced up at her Aunt who had finally shut up. She heard a call behind her, and turned to see Oliver Bellerose waving at her with a smirk. She groaned and went to go inside to wait instead, when Oliver reached her and started talking, “Well, well, well, if it isn’t skipping Amorette. Do you know how disappointed Mr. Johnson is with you? I offered to bring you your homework, of course-” Amorette groaned at this. She didn’t have time for homework while looking for her Lover. She glanced at Aunt Adalicia who was suppressing a laugh. Thanks so much, that’s really helpful. Best aunt ever. She thought sarcastically “-and obviously, he was very pleased. I have it all right here- hey, where do you think you’re going? I’ll tell Mr. Johnson about this! He won’t be happy!” Oliver called after Amorette who was retreating back and texting Claire to meet her at the park down the street instead. Aunt Adalicia was giggling next to her, “Here, he gave me your homework. I take it you won’t be working on it?
Amorette rolled her eyes before grabbing the stack and throwing the papers in the trash, “Oh, look, my hand slipped. Well, Oliver must be telling Mr. Johnson I cannot do his precious homework. A pity, truly. I can’t work on my grades while I’m off in America, on a quest that determines my, entire life. Devastating.” She said dryly, faking devastation as she whipped out her phone and texted her friend.
Meet me at the park down the street from my house. We ran into some…problems.
She put the phone in her pocket before plopping down on a park bench and waiting. Aunt Adalicia started talking again, about more ideas and - again - teasing her about her soulmate.
Oh joy.
Finally, Claire came running up to her and smiled, bag in hand. “Okay, I have my bags, are we going now? I met Oliver down the street near your house, we might want to run, I heard him coming after me for homework. The guy’s slow, but he’ll catch up eventually.”
Amorette smirked, grabbing her friends hand and pulling her and her aunt along with her, around the block and towards her house, “We can lose him. He’ll be running towards the park after you, and if we go around he’ll not see us. C’mon, hurry, before he sees us leaving.”
Once they got to her house, Amorette pulled Claire up the stairs to her room to help her pick a few more things to pack, and once that was done, she took a deep breath and started talking, “Okay, so did your mom approve you coming with us to America? We’re leaving on Tuesday so you need to convince her as soon as possible.”
Claire sighed, “I’ve been picking at her about it for the whole week, and she just won’t budge. She doesn’t want me in another country alone.”
“But my aunt is coming.”
“And she doesn’t know your aunt.”
“Maybe if my mom talked to her?”
“Maybe.”
They were quiet for a second before Amorette sighed and said, “Well, we’ll just have to try it. Come on. MOM!”
Her mother came running up the stairs, “What is it, Amorette? I was making dinner and if it burns you’re not eating anything tonight,” she threatened.
Amorette rolled her eyes at her mother before asking, “Do you think that you could talk to Claire’s mother about her coming with me? She doesn’t want her with me and some stranger in the U.S.”
Precious sighed, “I guess I could try. But if she says no you are not doing anything foolish to get your friend with you.”
Amorette looked at her mother with an innocent look on her face, “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Precious rolled her eyes at her daughter before turning around to call Claire’s mother. Meanwhile, the girls were talking about the best way to prank Oliver as revenge for…well, existing I guess.
“OPEN YOUR DOOR AMORETTE! LET ME IN!”
Amorette jumped, before running down the stairs and throwing the door open to find her best friend jumping up and down excitedly, “She finally said yes! I’m coming with you to America, Amy! I can’t wait! Come on, can we go now? Please? If we wait too long my mom might change her mind! C’mon!”
Amorette stared at her friend who was acting like a child, before putting a hand on her shoulder to stop her from jumping, “Do you have all your stuff with you?”
She nodded.
“Everything?”
She nodded again.
“Are you positive?”
She nodded impatiently, “Yes! God, you sound like my mom.”
Amorette snorted. “Aunt Adalicia! Claire’s ready to go!” She called up the stairs before running up to make her brother carry her stuff down to the stairs.
Once he brought it down - with no shortage of grumblings - she pulled her friend along with her and into the car her mother was driving them to the airport with.
Amorette looked up as she heard the airport lady say in the intercom that their flight was ready. She looked at her friend, “You ready for an adventure?” She nodded, looking slightly nervous but still excited. Amorette turned to her Aunt, “You ready?” Her aunt nodded, not nervous at all.
Once they were on the plane and in their seats, she heard Claire whisper, “America, brace yourselves. You’re about to be hit with a whole lot of crazy.”
Amorette smiled as she turned on her screen. This was going to be an adventure, that was for sure.
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