Fated to Meet You

Chapter 2

As her alarm rang the next morning, Katryna found herself exhausted. What shut eye she did receive was riddled with night terrors, making her wake up covered in sweat. It was hours more before she dozed back off just to have her alarm blaring in her ear the next second. Giving a loud groan, she reaches over to smack her alarm clock, turning it off swiftly. She lays in bed a few minutes longer before dragging herself from her comforter, pushing her way from the room towards the bathroom.

She trudges down the steps of her house, greeted by an empty kitchen. On the island counter sat a plastic wrapped plate with a little note next to it. ‘Your father said work has been really stressful, so we will be away until dinner. I left you breakfast, I’m sorry I can’t be there to tell you good morning. Happy birthday, my little angel. XOXO Mom’

Great, just great. It was her 18th birthday and her father decided to pull his little tantrum he liked to do. Making everything about him, as he always does. Katryna wants to throw the card away, but stops her hand above the trash can. It was from her mother, afterall. Perhaps she should keep it. Her mother, who loved her so dearly but was nothing against her father’s whining and rage.

Her whole life, Katryna has done everything to please her father, yet nothing was ever enough for him. She helped keep the house spotless, cooked him food, got perfect grades, made honors, joined far too many extracurriculars, graduated with her associates degree, and was even deemed ‘Most likely to succeed’ in the senior yearbook. But was it enough for him? Of course it wasn’t. One little mistake and she was scrubbing the toilet with a toothbrush.

Katryna asked her mother on multiple occasions why they didn’t leave him. She could get a job, Katryna would find something part time while finishing school to help pay whatever needed paying, but her mother always declined. She said staying with her father was what was ‘best’ for them. As if. Her mother was practically a puppet, her father pulling the strings. It was literally the biggest birthday of her life and where was she? Pampering her asshole of a husband.

Katryna sighs and sets the note back on the table, grabbing the wrapped plate and opening it up. Pancakes made with smiley faces in them, hearts for eyes. She grins, mom always knew how to cheer her up. Finding some syrup, she makes her way to the table, eating it quickly. Even if she was home alone, it was still her birthday and there was still plenty she planned to do. Finishing quickly, she cleaned her dishes before moving to her room to get changed. She takes her mother’s note with her, placing it in a drawer in her room.

Getting dressed quickly, Katryna grabs her bag and heads for town. Although the walk was now half an hour without a car, she wouldn’t complain about a little sunshine. As she reached town, the first place she went was to her favorite coffee shop. She would definitely need some caffeine after the long night she had. Thank the barista, she then proceeds to walk around, just taking in the sights.

What were her big birthday plans, you might ask? Well, unfortunately, nothing too exciting. She was looking for a job. Her parents had forbidden her from working while in school, but now that she was 18 she could do whatever she wanted without their permission. She wasn’t staying a moment longer than needed at a house with her father in it, and you kind of needed money to move out and not live on the streets. Unfortunately.

Katryna spent hours walking into shops with help wanted signs, offering her dazzling smile, and signing up dates and times for interviews. By the time she began to head home, she was starved having skipped lunch. She tosses her house keys on the plate by the door before stretching and heading to the kitchen. A deep, purple envelope sat on the table causing her to stop in her tracks. There wasn’t a car in the driveway. “Mom? Dad? Are you home?”

Not hearing a response, she hesitantly approaches the table. On the envelope in swirling, silver letters was her name. She looks at it curiously before picking it up, turning it over and glancing across the wax seal of an owl. Checking the front again to confirm it was, indeed, her name on the envelope, Katryna opens it and unfolds the letter.

‘Katryna Jepetski,

We are pleased to inform you that your magic abilities have been noticed by Ariel’s Academy of Future Alpha’s and Sorceresses. You have been automatically enrolled as we have noted you to be unenrolled in any other academies of magic. You are expected to arrive in three weeks time to begin working on your class schedule.

If it is deemed you do not have a guide for gathering the required coursework, then one will be appointed to you in two weeks time. We look forward to meeting you.

Cordially,

Headmistress Ariel Nightshade.’

Katryna stares numbly at the letter for a moment. Magic abilities? Academy of Sorceresses? Was this some kind of joke? She rereads the letter a few times and checks the piece of paper behind it, which contains the mentioned material list. Before she can question that as well, however, the sound of a car engine is heard outside. Blinking a few times, she drops the letter to the table before moving to take a beer from the fridge, popping it open in preparation for her father. Hearing the door open, she moves back to the table, “Welcome home,” She replies in the best cheerful voice she can muster.

The only response from her father is a small grunt as he removes his shoes. “Thank you, sweetie, and happy birthday!” her mother replies in the most excited little voice, clearly happy to see her daughter. Setting the beer on the table, she rushes to her mother’s open arms, embracing her in a hug.

“Thank you, mom,” Her father passes them without a word, moving to the table to grab his beer. They linger in their hug for a moment longer before a crash is heard behind them, causing them both to jump in look in the direction of Katryna’s father.

Spread across the ground was the freshly opened beer, splattered. His face was a deep red and smoke was practically coming from his ears as he looked down at a piece of paper. Katryna’s letter. “You will not be going. I always knew you were a freak, but this? This is too much.” He crumbles the letter and supplies list up before walking towards the sink, turning on the faucet. “Clean up this mess and then you’re grounded.”

Katryna was shocked, not moving at first. Grounded? For what? Receiving a prank letter? She hears the garbage disposal turn on, her father clearly getting rid of the evidence of any claim to magic she might have. This causes a fire to start burning in her. “Grounded? For what! I haven’t done anything! And I’m 18 now, you can’t ground me anymore!” This, however, only makes matters worse.

Her father turns around, even more angry than before. He starts walking closer to her rather quickly, but Katryna stands her ground. “Haven’t done anything? You’ve gone too far, Katryna! I’m sick and tired of you pretending to be perfect all the time! You can’t even just keep quiet and behave yourself! Getting into trouble with magic!”

Although the words stung, she refused to back down. Already invested. “But I didn’t-” A loud smack resounds through the air, her cheek beginning to throb.

“SILENCE! GO TO YOUR ROOM!” Tears brim in her eyes, surprise causing her fire to sputter out. He hit her. He has never hit her before, but this time he did. She stares at him silently for a few moments before running upstairs and back to her room, locking the door behind her.