Destiny Rising

Chapter 8

I didn’t really know where I was going. I just knew I had to drive somewhere. I drove until I reached John E. Pearce Provincial Park, a small and not well-known provincial park located just southeast of Wallacetown. My grandmother Tallulah used to take my sisters, Jayde & Crystal, and me there when we were younger. It’s only 68 hectares with a trail that leads through a century-old hardwood forest. There’s also a cliff that overlooks Lake Erie. My sisters and I used to climb down a certain section of it, so we could go swimming in the lake. But today, I wasn’t exactly dressed for climbing down the cliff, so I just sat on the top of a picnic table and looked out over the cliff at the water. It was so relaxing sitting there with a nice breeze coming in off the water, I pulled my iPod out of my purse and turned it on as I popped my headphones into my ears. While I was sitting with my music playing in my head, I pulled out my journal and started to write down everything from the past few days. I was writing furiously when I felt someone approach me from behind. Turning, I saw it was Michael and that girl from the parking lot on Saturday night.

“Sapphire, I didn’t think you’d be here.” He said in surprise.

“Ya, I don’t usually come here anymore. But today I just felt the need to go.” I replied and quickly closed my notebook and shoved it into my purse “I should probably get going though.”

“Wait Sapphire, I wanted to introduce you to someone.” He said, gesturing to the girl. “This is Bianca Tempest, she just moved here from Kelowna, British Columbia with her adoptive parents.”

“Hi,” Bianca said distantly. She was short, maybe 5”4, with short pale blonde hair that looked almost white and pale skin. She was very thin and dressed in black, lots of black. A black off-the-shoulder t-shirt, black shorts, and black Airwalk high-tops with electric blue laces. When I got closer to shaking her hand, I saw her ice-blue eyes were rimmed with thick black eyeliner and mascara.

“Nice to meet you.” I nodded “Do you go to Aliquid?”

“Not yet, I’m homeschooled. But I’m enrolled for September, I’ll be in grade 11.” She replied.

“Cool. Well, I’ll see you around then. I’ve got to go.” I said as I grabbed my purse off the table.

“Wait,” Bianca said, grabbing my arm “The wind, the wind knows all. She told you that, didn’t she?”

“Um, what are you talking about?” I asked, yanking my arm free.

“Didn’t Michael tell you?” She asked, looking back and forth between myself and him.

“Tell me what?” I demanded.

“No, I haven’t told her yet,” Michael said to Bianca at the same time.

“Will someone please tell me what’s going on? What are you two talking about?” I asked, looking at them with questions flooding my mind.

“She’s not ready yet,” Michael said to Bianca, completely ignoring me

“You’ve been here since last August and you still haven’t found the time to tell her?” Bianca replied back.

“She hasn’t displayed any abilities yet, so I assumed she wasn’t ready to know.” He said, glancing quickly at me and then away.

“She has to know because he already knows they’re here and isn’t waiting around for her to be ready.” She shot back while crossing her arms across her chest as it suddenly started getting very windy.

“You know what, she is right here! Now will someone please tell me what the heck is going on?” I yelled over the now-roaring wind and stepped between the two.

“You seriously have no clue what’s been going on and who you really are?” Bianca asked me.

“Again, I ask, what are you talking about?” I inquired.

“Your powers and destiny, of course,” Bianca simply said to me.

“My what!?!?” I asked, looking back and forth between them in shock.

“You’re destined to control and protect the element water.” She said, “I’m the wind you were supposed to find.”

“Okay, you are both nuts. There is no possible way anyone could control the elements.” I replied, backing away.

“It’s true, and I can prove it,” Bianca said, matter of factly, and the wind started blowing faster and swirled around me, then just stopped and she was smiling at me.

“Michael, you don’t really believe this nut-so? Do you?” I asked, gasping and rubbing my arms for warmth.

“She’s not insane, Sapphire,” he said gently. “And she isn’t the only one with powers either.”

“Wait, you think you have these elements too?” I asked in disbelief.

“No, not elements. Something else entirely,” he replied.

“I knew you were crazy from the start,” I pointed at Bianca. “But now I think you are both mad. I am so out of here.” I said, turning on my heel and starting to walk away.

“Wait, let me explain.” He begged and grabbed my wrist to halt my process of leaving.

“You two don’t have anything I want to hear. So just leave me alone, both of you.” I hissed, yanked my wrist free, and stalked away. I walked back to my car without looking back over my shoulder, got in, and drove straight home. Luckily, my parents weren’t home yet, so I was able to get to my room with no questions asked. I didn’t even bother to take my shoes off, I just tossed my bags and books aside and flopped onto my blue & silver duvet. Staring up at the white canopy over my head, I thought about what had just happened between Michael, that new girl, Bianca, and myself. I mean, they are insane if they think I have power over water. Nobody can control an element. As I rolled onto my side and curled up I realized I was thinking way too much about this. I needed to just shove it out of my mind, a lot has been happening lately and it was probably all just a joke. No doubt a joke put together by Kiara to make me look like a fool. I thought she was my friend, but lately, she’s been becoming a grade-A b***h with everything having to be about her. Personally, I think she’s just jealous over how easy things seem to come to me, but it’s not my fault life dealt me better cards than the crap hand she was dealt. At least Jasmine doesn’t judge or compare my life to hers, she’s too polite and gentle for that. Sometimes I would think she belonged in a different lifetime than this one. Suddenly, a ringing pulled me out of my deep thoughts and it took me a few moments to realize it was my phone. I slid off my bed and rushed over to where my purse was lying and rummaged through it until I found it. Looking at the screen, I saw it was Kiara calling and I knew she was determined since it kept on ringing. But I really didn’t want to talk to her, so I sent it right to voicemail. Two minutes later, the landline began to ring, which I promptly ignored and sat down to get started on my homework. I was working on a research paper for Art History, my first-period class, when there was a knock on my door,

“Come in,” I called.

“Sapphire,” my mom said, opening the door. “Your father and I are having dinner with a business associate tonight. So, you’re on your own for dinner.”

“Oh, okay.” I replied as she closed the door without another word. “Nice to see you too and, yes, I had a nice day.” I grumbled at the door. Even without my sisters living here, it’s like I’m still worthless to them or never good enough for their attention. Slamming my books shut and shoving them away, I pulled my laptop across my desk towards me and turned it on. Out of habit, I logged onto f*******: and I was immediately overwhelmed by the number of messages and notifications I received that all revolved around my break-up with Troy. Someone had also posted a video of my confrontation with him and Kiara after school. The rumor mill must be moving at super speed too, since somebody also posted a picture of Kiara and Troy kissing yesterday afternoon. So, of course, people are assuming that’s what caused our break-up. I was just about to log off when another photo was posted, this one was of that slut Darci Flame and Kiara at Coffee Culture together! Grabbing for my phone, I scrolled through my friend Sue’s number and hit the call button. She worked at Coffee Culture and could tell me the truth.

“Hey Sapphire, what’s up?” Sue asked when she answered

“Hey, Sue. Are you at work?” I asked.

“Yeah, why?” she countered.

“Can you tell me if Kiara is really there with Darci?” I inquired.

“Um, sure. Just a sec.” she said, and I heard static and hushed words on the other end before she returned “Ya, they’re at table 12 with coffee and cookies.”

“Okay, thanks.” I replied, “Talk to you later.”

“Alright, bye.” She said and disconnected

“Great, just great,” I said to myself as I flopped down on my bed again and buried my head in the pile of black & white pillows. First, Kiara is a fiery b***h to me and now she’s having coffee with Darci. When did those two become friends anyway? Man, the past two days have not been the greatest for me. Break-ups and betrayals, plus Crazy Michael and his friend Bianca. Suddenly, I could not wait for this weekend and going to Jasmine’s competition on Friday. Then I headed to my parent’s lake house in Port Stanley for the Victoria Weekend Celebrations on Saturday and Sunday. Just to get away from all this and St Thomas for 4 days would be heaven on earth for me. Pulling myself off my bed, I changed into a pair of yellow pajama shorts and a black t-shirt that said “NYC” on it. I bought it last year when I went to New York City on a school trip. I then headed downstairs and had a slice of leftover cold pizza for supper before dragging myself and a bottle of grape-raspberry Vitamin Water back upstairs. I finished up my homework and fell into a deep dreamless sleep.