CURSED BY FATE

I was late. Not fashionably late. Not five minutes behind schedule late. It was the kind of late that made you question whether showing up at all was still worth the embarrassment. My alarm had gone off at seven. I knew this because it was still screaming at me from somewhere underneath my pillow. I reached blindly across the mattress and slapped my hand against the sheets. Nothing. I tried again. My fingers finally hit my phone. Unfortunately, instead of turning the alarm off, I knocked the phone off the bed. It landed on the floor with a sharp c***k. I stared at the edge of the mattress. “Fantastic.” I pushed myself upright and looked down. My phone was lying beneath the bed, its screen still glowing. 7:43 a.m. My class started at eight. I closed my eyes. Maybe if I stayed perfectly still, time would feel sorry for me. It didn’t. I threw the blanket aside, climbed out of bed and immediately stepped on my phone. I froze. “Sorry,” I whispered. I don’t know why I apologized. It wasn’t a person. But considering how badly my morning was going, I wasn’t ruling anything out. I grabbed my towel and hurried toward the bathroom. I twisted the handle. Locked. Of course. I knocked. “Elias!” Nothing. I knocked again, harder this time. “Elias, open the door!” “I’m using it!” My younger brother’s voice came through the door, irritatingly calm. I stared at the door. “That’s generally what people do in bathrooms.” “Give me ten minutes.” I checked the time. 7:46. “You said that ten minutes ago.” There was a pause. “That sounds like a you problem.” I inhaled slowly. There were moments in life when violence seemed like a reasonable solution. This was one of them. “Elias.” “What?” “I’m going to count to three.” “Okay.” I narrowed my eyes at the door. “One.” Silence. “Two.” Still nothing. “Three.” The door swung open. Elias stood there brushing his teeth, completely unbothered. He looked at me. Then at my towel. Then at the clock behind me. “You’re late.” I stared at him. “You think?” He shrugged and walked past me. “Happy birthday.” I turned around. “Wait.” Elias stopped at the end of the hallway and looked back. “What?” “My birthday isn’t until tomorrow.” A grin slowly spread across his face. “I know.” Then he disappeared down the stairs. I narrowed my eyes. That little demon. I checked the clock again. 7:47. “I am going to kill him.” From downstairs, Elias shouted, “Love you too!” I rolled my eyes and hurried into the bathroom. Eight minutes later, I was downstairs with one shoe on, my bag hanging from one shoulder, and my hair tied into a bun that could generously be described as intentional. My mother was standing in the kitchen. She looked at me. Then at the clock. Then back at me. “Good morning.” “Morning.” She folded her arms. “You’re late.” “I’ve noticed.” I reached for a piece of toast. She slapped my hand away. “Sit down.” I looked at her. “Mom, I have class.” “And you also have a stomach.” She pushed a plate toward me. Eggs, toast and fruit. I sighed and dropped into the chair. “Fine.” “Thank you.” I picked up my fork. My mother sat opposite me with her coffee. For a moment, everything felt normal. Comfortable. Familiar. Then she looked at me. “You’re going to be twenty-one tomorrow.” I stopped chewing. “Unfortunately.” A small smile appeared on her face. But it disappeared almost immediately. I lowered my fork. “What?” “Nothing.” “You made a face.” Her eyebrows lifted. “I did not.” “You did.” She took a sip of her coffee. “I was thinking.” “That was definitely a face.” She laughed softly. I watched her for a moment. There was something strange about her expression. I couldn’t quite place it. “Are you okay?” “I’m fine, sweetheart.” She smiled again. This time, it looked more convincing. I wasn’t convinced. Before I could ask another question, footsteps sounded from the hallway. My father walked into the kitchen. Adrian Del-Raye had a way of making a room feel quieter without actually saying anything. He was already dressed for work, his dark coat buttoned neatly and his hair perfectly in place. He glanced at me. Then at my mother. Then at the clock. “She’s late.” I pointed my fork at him. “Why is everyone obsessed with my lateness?” My mother smiled. “Because you’re late every day.” “That isn’t true.” Elias appeared in the doorway, eating an apple. “It is.” I looked at him. “You weren’t invited into this conversation.” He shrugged. “I live here.” “Unfortunately.” He grinned. My father walked toward the counter and picked up his keys. “Your class starts at eight?” “Yes.” He glanced at the clock again. “It’s 7:56.” I looked at the time. Then at him. “Thank you for that helpful observation.” His mouth twitched. It was barely noticeable. But I caught it. My father almost smiled. Almost. I considered it a victory. I grabbed my bag. “I’m leaving.” My father looked at me. “Jewel.” I stopped. “What?” His expression changed. The tiny trace of amusement disappeared. “Don’t stay out late tomorrow.” I frowned. “Why?” He hesitated. Only for a second. “Because it’s your birthday.” I stared at him. “That doesn’t make sense.” “It doesn’t need to.” “That’s not an answer.” “It is the answer you’re getting.” I looked at my mother. She suddenly seemed very interested in her coffee. I looked back at my father. “What is going on?” “Nothing.” He said it too quickly. I narrowed my eyes. My father picked up his keys. “Have a good day.” Then he walked out. I stared after him. “What was that?” My mother didn’t answer. “Mom?” She looked up. “Hmm?” “What’s going on?” “Nothing, sweetheart.” There it was again. That smile. The one she used whenever she wanted me to stop asking questions. I knew that smile. I’d grown up with it. I leaned back in my chair. “Okay.” My mother relaxed slightly. Then I added, “But if there’s a family secret involving a cult, please let me know before I accidentally join one.” Elias laughed from the doorway. My mother didn’t. I looked at her. Her fingers had tightened around her coffee cup. Just slightly. My smile disappeared. Something was wrong. I didn’t know what. And apparently, nobody was interested in telling me. I stood. “Fine. I’m going.” My mother looked up at me. “Jewel.” I paused. She smiled. “Be careful.” I frowned. “Of what?” For a moment, she said nothing. Then she shook her head. “Just… be careful.” I stared at her. “Okay.” I grabbed my bag and walked toward the door. Behind me, I heard Elias whisper, “That was suspicious.” My mother sighed. “Elias.” “What?” “Please don’t.” “I didn’t do anything.” “You’re about to.” I smiled despite myself. That is my family. We are weird. We aredramatic. We are occasionally impossible. But we are family. At least, that’s what I believed. I stepped outside and pulled the door shut behind me. The morning air was cold against my face. I started walking toward the car, already mentally preparing an apology for being late to class. I had no idea that by the time I came home that evening, something would be waiting for me. Something my family had spent twenty-one years trying to keep away from me. And once I found it… There would be no going back.