So Called Fate.

New Year’s Eve, 2010.

Laughter was all around us that night. My friends and I’d gone camping deep (not really deep though) within the woods to celebrate our new year in the woods for some ‘nature vibe’ as they call it. We were all discussing our New Year resolutions.

Some of us had some really illogical resolutions like, to marry Harry Styles and become somebody famous. We were all just average people and we know it.

“Dream killer,” Imogen had mumbled when I said her dreams were nonsense. Everyone laughed and I just grinned.

“Hey, we should go to the hill top right about now. We’d be able to look over the city and see the New Year fireworks.” Charlie told us as he looked at his watch. We all whooped and begin making our way to the hill top.

We made it up there fifteen minutes before midnight and we were all jittering with excitement. I sat on the very edge, letting the cold air sweep across my face as the others talked and danced behind me in excitement.

I was sitting alone, thinking about 2011 when Wren walked over to me and asked, “Mind if I joined you?”

I shook my head and smiled and gestured him to sit next to me. He sat down, hugging his knees to his chest. We were both quiet, respecting each other’s thoughts I could say.

“What’re you thinking about?” Wren asked, looking at me with his bright green eyes. His hair was covering his ears and his Australian accent lingered in his question. I looked at him for a second before looking back at the city I was looking at.

“2011,” I answered shortly.

“Specifically?” Wren asked.

I was quiet for a moment. “I don’t know.”

“You didn’t tell us your resolution just now, back at the campsite.” Wren told me. I was quite annoyed by the fact that he was asking me these questions. I rolled my eyes at him and did not answer.

“Sorry,” He said. “If I’m invading your personal space.”

“No, no, no,” I lied. “It’s okay.” I didn’t tell him my New Year resolution though. I just sat there with him, looking over the whole city which was glimmering with city lights.

“You didn’t tell us your New Year resolution either, Wren.” I said, looking at him. He was already looking at me and I was wondering since when. Didn’t matter now though. I wanted to get back at him.

To my surprise, he laughed and looked away, turning his gaze to the city we were looking over. I still looked at him, waiting to see if he’d answer me or not.

“Naomi, I like you.” He says abruptly, almost giving me a heart attack. I stare wide eyed at him as if to say what the heck?

“Don’t look at me that way,” He says with a laugh as if what he said was nothing.

“What’s your point?” I ask instead. He looks at me for second and looks like he’s thinking.

“Do you know that skating rink at Harley Mall?” He asks me. I nod and he nods. He turns to the city as I wait for him to make a point.

“If we meet there, during New Year’s Eve, at the same time we’re talking about it right now,” He points to his watch that shows 55 past 11. “We’re bound to be together. Think of it as… fate.”

I nod. I honestly liked Wren as well. I turned to him, smiled and asked, “Any specific year?”

“No. Things happen when it needs to.”

“How do you know we’ll meet? What if we don’t?”

“Oh trust me,” He says, charming me with his eyes. “We’re bound to meet. I know it.”

His gaze is turned back to the city lights so I decide to do the same. We don’t say anything to each other and let the noise of our other friends drown our thoughts and silence.

“It’s 58 past 11! Fireworks will start soon!” Dylan yells, making the others even noisier than they were before. Some of them whoops and some of them just scream in total excitement.

“Do you believe in fate though?” I ask Wren stupidly. If he’s willing to make that bet of course he does. What was I thinking?

“Not particularly,” He says in which surprises me. I raise an eyebrow to him and he just laughs. “But, I’m willing to put my disbelief aside.” We both smile and suddenly, we can hear faint explosions. We look up and see fireworks exploding in the air. Everyone whoops and cries out loud in excitement.

“3, 2, 1.” Somebody counts down.

“HAPPY NEW YEAR!”

…

3 years later…

“Skylar! Don’t be afraid,” I say to my student as I hold her hands in mine. She seems nervous so I start to skate and she looks like she’s going to freak. I laugh and she looks at me in the eye with this kind of death stare that meant lady, I seriously feel like skating on your face right now.

I laugh at my own illogical thoughts out loud and Skylar looks at me as if I’d shave my eyebrows off. I laugh some more and she says, “You’re weird.” In this very innocent squeaky voice. I laugh some more.

“And you’re weird to be afraid of skating,” I tell her. I let go of her and she almost screams but she doesn’t. Instead, she whimpers as she tries to keep her balance.

“That’s right, you got it…” I say.

The other kids who’re standing at the side whoop at Skylar as some chant her name as a form of encouragement. She cracks a smile and soon, she’s dancing on the ice as if she’s born for it. The kids and I clap and Skylar skates herself back to the side, sticking this wide smile on her face.

“Yeah Skylar!” I say as I hold out a hand for her to high-five. She does and the other kids congratulate her.

“Miss Turner, you’re great!” Skylar says as she hugs me. I embrace her back.

“Don’t you mean Mrs Reed?” A kid says. This sends the others ‘oooo’ing and some smiling naughtily. I blush but I try to hide it.

“We’re not married yet,” I tell them in a very soft voice. They all laugh.

“But you’re getting engaged!” A girl says excitedly. She’s not the one getting married though, I am. I smile at this thought and try to hold in a laugh.

“Getting, Audrey. Not yet.” I say with a grin. Soon, parents come in one-by-one to pick their children up and they all say thanks and goodbyes.

“Mommy! Miss Turner’s great! I can finally skate!” Skylar tells her mother. Her mother, Mrs Miller, looks at me and smiles jubilantly. “Really?” She asks as if it’s one of the world’s mysteries.

I nod and she embraces me as she says thank you like a million times. I embrace her back and I can see Skylar smiling widely from over her mom’s back. I wink at her and she shows me a thumbs up. Once the hug’s over, Mrs Miller and her daughter leave the skating rink, leaving me in the quiet skating rink.

My phone rings and I see my fiancé’s name flash on the screen. I pick it up.

Me: Hey Luke.

Luke: Hey. Where are you?

Me: The skating rink at Harley Mall. Just finished coaching.

Luke: Great. So I’ll see you at the wedding planner place?

Me: Yeah okay, great.

And with that, he hangs up, without saying another word. I sigh as I tuck my phone back into my pocket. I skate for a while longer, thinking about Wren and our so called fate deal. I sigh.

“It’s been 3 years, Wren.” I whisper to myself. “New Year’s Eve is in three months and I’m getting married on New Year’s Day.”

I sigh again and make some skating tricks, jumping and spinning and continued to skate like usually, asking myself, “Are we really fated?”

To be continued in: Wren’s Return.