Where Life Meets a New Beginning

Chapter 7 - The Calm Before the Storm

Thanks to the Solus Bond, I slept better than I ever had in my life with Elijah wrapped around me.

I awoke almost in a daze. Elijah was holding me from behind, and when I rolled over his eyes were still closed.

As if he knew I was looking at him, his mouth turned upright into a grin.

“Are you staring at me while I sleep?” He said without opening his eyes still.

“I just woke up but what if I was?” I giggled back at him.

He stretched and then squeezed me close to him, finally opening his eyes and looking at me.

They got me every time.

“Well I might think you were a little crazy but it wouldn’t be a problem.”

I started laughing hysterically. “Oh yeah? I’d be the crazy one? Aren’t you the one who kept showing up at my job? And then at my house? How did you know where I lived by the way?”

“Okay so maybe we’re both crazy. But it’s definitely not just me.”

He looked so happy but he settled down a bit and began talking again.

“I will always know where you are. We are part of each other. I can just feel it. It would be like if I didn’t know where I was myself. It’s a crazy feeling.”

“And I’m gonna feel this too when I ascend?”

“I’m surprised you can’t feel it yet, the way this is going.”

I wanted to ask what he meant by that but I already knew. I’m some genetic anomaly of a creature that I didn’t even know was real until yesterday.

He could sense what I was feeling and changed the subject.

“But hey, today is gonna be a good day, okay? I’ve got a lot planned and I wanna make sure it all goes smoothly for you.”

I looked over at him suspiciously.

“What do you mean you’ve got a lot planned?”

“Well.” He just paused like he didn’t know where to start.

“I have to get you to the council as soon as possible. Not only is it in your best interests, I’m gonna be in deep s**t if they find out that we found each other and didn’t come to them immediately. It’s kind of a.. big deal. My family has a high spot in our society’s hierarchy.”

“What do you mean it’s a big deal? And what does that have to do with what you have planned today?”

Of course he answered the second question first.

“From what I heard from your friends, they didn’t want you to be with Caleb anyway. So I don’t think taking you away from them has to be complicated. I believe that if we’re careful then they can even still be a part of your life. So I think that we should get them all together to hang out and act like we’re having some crazy love at first sight experience. Just tell them you need to get away from everything with me for a little bit and we’re gonna go travel and that I’m gonna take care of you. I’m sure they’ll be okay with that after seeing us together for a bit.”

It was a good idea but still felt like so much.

“Or they’ll see the way we look at each other and think I’ve gone off the deep end.”

He looked me in the eyes and asked -

“But are you happy?”

I hadn’t even thought of that. I couldn’t remember the last time I stopped to process my emotions. Honestly as complicated as this all was, I did feel happy.

I looked back at him, and grabbed his hand.

“I am.”

“So who cares if they think you’re crazy? I think they really care about you and when they see you smile that’s all that’s gonna matter to them. Plus if they’re being assholes you can just leave. You can literally never talk to them again if you don’t want to. Your life will go however you want it to from here on out.”

Elijah was so sweet. I already didn’t doubt for a second that he would move the world to make me happy if he had to. But he was still trying to avoid the other thing I asked.

“So you didn’t answer the other question I asked. Why is it such a big deal that you found your Solus?”

He winced.

“Okay this is another one of those things where you have to promise not to freak out.”

“No promises, but shoot.”

He took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair.

“So my parents are the King and Queen. You’re now set on a path to one day be the queen of our world. I’m technically a prince. I know it sounds weird.”

My eyes widened and my heart skipped a beat. I began to freak out instantly.

“SO YOU’RE TELLING ME. THAT ME.” I pointed at myself. “THE CHICK WHO WAS BORN TO DRUG ADDICT PARENTS AND LIVED IN A RUN DOWN TRAILOR HER WHOLE LIFE, IS GOING TO BE A QUEEN?”

I busted out laughing. Manically. I couldn’t stop.

Elijah just stared at me, unsure how to react.

“I’m uh.. I’m not joking Salem.”

“Oh I know you’re not. But this s**t is insane.”

And then my laughing slowed down and started to turn into heavy breathing as I really processed everything he just said.

I sat down and just stared at the wall, trying to calm down. He rushed over and sat next to me.

“When I felt you I was so happy. I wish this could be easier for you. But something happened to you when you were born and we don’t know what. Your parents aren’t your parents Salem. I have no idea how you got here. You should have been up north, with the rest of our kind. Whoever put you where you ended up, made our love story a lot harder than it has to be. But aren’t those the best love stories around?”

He was right, and we couldn’t go back and change time. This was just so much.

Then he knelt down in front of me and looked up at my eyes with my hands in his.

“In a year this will all be just a memory. And I’ll be here to hold your hand through it all. Nothing can change that.”

I breathed in and out a few times before I finally responded.

“I can do this. Just give me my phone. I’ll set up a lunch or something with my coworkers. I’m not scheduled today, thank god, so it won’t be weird that I’m like calling in, too.”

He handed my phone to me with a look on his face that said my wish was his command.

I opened a group chat between myself, Amy, Zoey, and Isaiah.

Sooo guys. I’ve got a lot to tell you. The schedule says you all work night shift tonight. Wanna meet up for a late lunch around 2?

They all responded faster than they ever have and agreed excitedly to meet up.

We worked it out to go to the place we always did. There was a small restaurant right on the water with great drinks and food that we went to a lot.

To my surprise, when I opened my phone though, there was still nothing from Caleb. He truly didn’t care about me. I couldn’t believe I let myself stay in such a pathetic situation for so many years.

I didn’t care anymore though. I was a new person now. I even wanted to care. I just couldn’t.

Elijah and I spent the morning in bed. We just laid there, making love and talking to each other for a few hours.

I was looking at the time and realized I would have to get ready soon.

At this point I was walking around in one of Elijah’s t shirts but I obviously didn’t have anything of my own after I just appeared here in my bed clothes.

“Hey uhhh Elijah. We have a problem. I don’t have any clothes with me.”

I was standing in front of a mirror and he walked up behind me, putting his arms around my waist and talking into my ear.

“Well, I don’t think you having no clothes is a problem, per se.” I turned around and hit his arm lightheartedly.

“I don’t think my friends or the public wants me to show up to lunch today naked.”

“So I guess it’s a good thing that I planned on taking you to the shops downstairs to buy some new clothes. Whatever you want. There’s no budget.”

I was taken aback by this. No one had ever even bought me anything outside of my birthday or Christmas, and I wouldn’t even spend more than $30 on a pair of shoes. I sat there in silence just looking at him. I didn’t know what to say.

“What’s wrong, Love?”

“No one has ever bought me stuff like that. I know I need the clothes so I can’t say no but I hope you don’t feel like you’re having to do some kind of charity work for me.”

His face dropped into a concerned expression.

“What? Salem no. Absolutely not. You are far from a charity case. I’m on this earth to take care of you and give you everything you want. Money will never be an issue either, so from here on out you’re not allowed to worry about finances ever again. Promise me you’ll pick out whatever you want and have a good time? You deserve it.”

I was blushing. Literally no one had ever treated me like this. My childhood trauma felt so uncomfortable right now.

For now I just put on the jeans that Elijah had grabbed me yesterday and tied his shirt up in a knot where my stomach was showing just a little. It was good enough for now.

I definitely did not have any shoes though.

Elijah ran to the nearest store and made me video call him so I could pick out a pair of shoes I liked for him to buy real quick first. He absolutely would not let me know the price of any of them, but he genuinely wanted me to have whatever I desired and I didn’t know how long it would take for me to adjust to that.

I went with a pair of cozy slip ons that could go with just about anything.

When he got back, we left with a few hours to get some shopping done and get ready in time to make it to lunch.

I have no idea how much money we spent but I felt like a princess.

He wanted me to look at everything, and he even picked out some things that he liked and thought I would look good in. I’d wear whatever he wanted me to at this point.

We wrapped up at the last store and headed back to his home so I could get ready. He bought everything else I could possibly need too, like makeup and toiletries.

When we got there, I began to get myself set up to get ready, quickly I might add, in his bathroom. Since it was such a big, nice apartment it had a double sink with an empty vanity anyway. It was like he had been ready for me for a long time. As I looked around I noticed that the whole place was like that.

Only half of the closet was full. Only part one of the two sinks were taken up. Only one of the towel rods had a towel on it. I felt comfort in the thought of just fitting into his life.

I was getting ready and Elijah came into the bathroom to sit with me during.

I was blending makeup on to my face but I paused for just a moment.

“I know you wanted to do all of this for me, and you want me to be used to it, but I still have to say thank you. No one has ever treated me like this, and I feel like a princess.”

He stood above me from behind, while I sat in the vanity chair, and he brushed my hair to one side. My head instinctively moved into his hands and he rubbed my neck, making me get goosebumps from his touch.

“You are a princess Salem. This is all very new to you now but just wait. I am going to give you the world.”

I had butterflies in my stomach. I wish I would’ve always known it was possible to be treated this way.

I finished up my makeup and pulled on one of the new outfits he bought me.

I decided to go with some high waisted bell bottom jeans, and a pair of slightly platformed converse. I threw a random band tee I’d gotten on for a top and just tied it up again.

My long green hair was styled in loose waves that fell to my waist, and for my makeup I just did a cat eye with some big lashes and a red lip. I felt super cute. I didn’t get to wear anything other than work clothes very often.

Elijah was admiring me from across the room as I looked in the mirror to make any last minute adjustments.

“You are insanely beautiful, but my god Salem, you are very sexy as well. How am I supposed to control myself during lunch?”

I looked back at him and asked myself the same question. He was wearing his normal get up from what I’d seen so far. He had on slim fit jeans and a black t shirt, with all black vans. Except today he’d also thrown on a backwards cap and he was just so cute.

Then the anxiety started up and I felt like I was gonna throw up. I really had no idea how my friends were going to react to any of this.

“Calm down, Love. I told you it’s gonna be okay. And if it’s not, we’ll just move on.”

He reassured me.

“I just don’t want to have to move on. At least not from them. These people have been my whole life for the past three years. I’ll be devastated if I have to leave them behind.”

“Well we won’t know what’s gonna happen until we do this. So without any further ado, we should head out or we’re gonna be late.”

He said it with such a positive attitude, it almost made me feel better.

The restaurant was only a few minutes away since Elijah lived in down town.

We pulled up to the restaurant in a nice black SUV. It was one of Elijah’s three cars that he chose to take. Of course.

I got out and looked up at the sign above. It read “Marie’s” in purple neon lights. It was a small bar themed after The Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau.

We walked through the parking lot and I noticed everyone else’s cars were already there. So that meant I was just walking right into this, their wasn’t any waiting time or anything. Awesome.

Zoey had texted and let me know they got a table on the patio, so we walked through the inside of the dimly lit bar, then made it outside.

My heart was racing when I saw them. They hadn’t noticed us yet.

They didn’t even know that Elijah was going to be with me.

It felt like we were walking in slow motion towards them. We were just a few feet away from the table when they all looked up.

All of their mouths just dropped when they watched me walk up on Elijah’s arm.

We stopped at the edge of the table and they just continued to stare, with gaping mouths.

I spoke first.

“Uh, hey guys.”

They all looked back at each other and smiled, then looked back at me.

“f**k yeah!” Zoey said finally.

“Please do sit down you two, you have so much to tell. We knew you and Caleb broke up, but we didn’t know this. This is freaking awesome.” Amy said next.

In a huge sigh of relief, I went to pull out my chair to sit, but Elijah grabbed it and did it for me. I sat down and he pushed my seat in as well. Zoey and Amy were making eyes at each other over it, and Elijah was now sitting himself at my side.

“Wait, how did y’all know that Caleb and I broke up? He didn’t even respond to me when I did it.”

“Oh dude we know. You did it over text and everything! That’s brutal man. He showed up at the bar hoping to find you, and he was a mess. He was asking all kinds of questions about if you were seeing someone else and stuff. We really didn’t know but we wouldn’t tell him anything. I can’t believe he didn’t even respond to you.” Isaiah explained.

“The dude can’t even show you an ounce of attention when you leave and it’s the only thing he could possibly do to get you back.”

“Seriously, what a child.” Zoey and Amy added in.

“Okay but that is more than enough about that guy. Two days ago we had to convince you to be your new man’s friend. Spill the tea!” Zoey was so excited.

Elijah and I looked at each other and smiled.

“I guess you could say it was love at first sight.” I said while grinning ear to ear. He was staring into my eyes.

“I know it sounds crazy, but you guys are the ones who made me realize it.”

“I wouldn’t have given up regardless though. When I saw her it changed my whole life. I couldn’t get her off of my mind. I would’ve made sure she was mine eventually.” Elijah was explaining and I almost forget we were at lunch with them. I just got lost in him talking about his feelings for me.

Isaiah responded to us - “No, this is insane. You two are like literally in love. The sparks between you two are like almost visible.”

“We are so insanely happy, though. All we’ve ever wanted for you is happiness. You’re like, glowing.” This time Amy chimed in.

Elijah kind of looked at them all and said “I know you guys don’t really know me. Like at all. And all of this is happening extremely fast. But I really just want to love Salem and give her the life she deserves.”

“Im not gonna lie, you two sound like high school weirdos the way you’re already throwing the L word around, but I’m happy for you Salem, like Amy said. So are you like living with him now?” That was ‘I approve’ in Zoey language.

“Uh I guess you could say that.” I responded, then Elijah jumped in. He could feel me starting to slightly panic again.

“She said she wished she could get away from all of this for a while. So I told her she could. I’m gonna take her traveling, so she can get some air under her wings. We were gonna visit some places up north first. Maybe go to Europe afterwards. Whatever she wants to do, and whatever she’s comfortable with. We can come back as soon as she’s ready.”

They kind of made a face about this part. Which I expected them to.

“Oh. Okay. So you two are just gonna run off together, after knowing each other for like a week?” Amy asked

“Yeah, and what are we supposed to do with your shifts at work? You couldn’t just put in a request off and wait a couple weeks?”

Shit. I didn’t think about that.

Luckily I was thinking quick on my feet.

“I don’t feel comfortable coming back to work at Max’s. I don’t want Caleb to be able to find me. Remember we’ve broken up many times before and I know how this goes. It’s just not an option to work there anymore. I think it’s best for me to get away for a while, especially now that I know he’s looking for me.”

They seemed to get a little less tense after that.

“I guess I understand that. We’re really gonna miss you Salem.”

“Yeah, seriously.”

“I’m so happy for you, but I feel so sad now.”

They all took turns speaking.

“Yeah but like, you guys will still have my phone number. And like Elijah said, we can come back anytime.”

“When are you leaving?” Asked Isaiah.

Elijah responded before I could.

“Tomorrow. I can’t wait to show her the world.”

This was news to me but I kept a straight face. They didn’t know the full story so they wouldn’t understand.

Elijah put his hand on my leg to soothe me because he could feel me become alert about that.

“Awh Salem. So here you go, with your perfect little love story. You’re just gonna ride off into the sunset and forget all about us. Im gonna cry.” Zoey said.

I was just about to respond when I looked up and I thought my eyes were gonna pop out of my sockets.

Caleb was here, and he was walking right to our table, ready for confrontation.