Sunday
Picture 2
Destiny Cullen’s Choice: Picture 2
As I walked out into the summer heat, I looked at my watch. An hour until two. I smirked, “Oh, I’m going to get him back for that. I look like a damn disco ball.” I pulled out my cell phone and called my best friend Robbie. “Hey, Rob, how much does glitter cost?” I grinned creating my master plan. “Meet me with three containers, we only got one hour.”
This was going to be good!
Thirty minutes after I called Robbie, he met me at the Starbucks I was supposed to meet Beau at.
“Good news, Ariel! Remember Angelica from Physics 301? Well, she works here and she’ll help us with your plan.” He grinned, lifting the shopping bags full of glitter and extras I couldn’t make out.
“What is all that stuff? I was just planning on dousing him in glitter to make him look like one of those Twilight vampires. Maybe shouting ‘Robbert Pattinson’ at the top of my lungs to see girls run after him.”
Robbie clicked his tongue in disappointment and smirked. “See, that’s why you have me.”
I smiled and we made our way into the crowed Starbucks. Robbie handed me the plastic bags and forced his way to the counter to talk to Angelica. I squinted trying to read their lips but I only got ‘samples’ and ‘broadway’.
Robbie waved me over to the far corner of the shop. “You’ll want to stay away from the exit when Angelica makes her announcement.”
I cocked my head in confusion, “What announce-”
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m sorry to inform you that our machines have crashed on us.” Suddenly a cloud of white smoke rose from behind the counter. “For the inconvenience, we will have free drinks and samples at our Broadway shop.”
Once free drinks was out of Angelica’s mouth, people rushed for the door and the whole shop was cleared out in less than minute. I looked at Robbie astonished. “How?” He just shook his head and walked behind the counter.
“Thanks so much, Angelica. We owe you.” Robbie said, giving her a hug before we headed towards the back room.
“Just leave the fog machine and we’re even!” she called behind us.
“I’m so glad I called you!” I smiled as he dumped the plastic bags on the table.
“You don’t even know the half of what I’m planning.” He grinned and pulled out five super-soakers, five bottles of glitter, and a gift card to Sephora. “What is that gift card for?” I asked.
“You don’t think that I’m going to leave my fog machine do you? The gift card will make Angelica happy and keep her eyes off my baby. But we need to get our asses in gear so we’re ready when your new boy toy comes in.”
“He isn’t-”
“Nuh, huh.” He waved his had in the air. “I don’t wanna hear your denial, we’ve heard about him alllll summer. I get to call him whatever I like.”
I groaned but helped him put glitter and water into the super-soakers. Once we got them filled adequately, we went to the front, handing Angelica and her two co-workers guns. Robbie and I concealed ours as we sat at opposite tables with fake drinks.
Five minutes later, Beau walked through the door and looked around the shop confused at the emptiness, but then he saw me and smiled and headed toward my table. Before he reached it, I stood up pulled out my gun and he froze.
“Now!”
Everyone pulled out their guns and started spraying him with the glitter water. He stood there shocked for a second, but then he gave me an evil smirk and ran toward me and pulled me to his chest. The force caused me to drop my gun and everyone was still shooting us with the glitter water.
I tried to shout stop, but Beau had me crushed to his chest. I wouldn’t be complaining if it was other circumstances. Since I couldn’t tell them to stop, I tried to use him as a shield but he found a way to always make get me with him.
I wrapped my arms around his waist and tried to yank him to the left, but it didn’t end up that way. As I shifted my weight my foot slipped on all the water and I fell on top of Beau.
It seemed like time slowed as gripped my hips and my hands were on his chest, sparkly water dripping off of my face and onto Beau. Robbie wolf whistled and the girls ‘ooooh’ed’. Beau’s mouth curved into a smile and my cheeks flushed.
“Uh....gottcha?” I said dumbly.
Beau laughed. “I’d say so.”
“Ariel? You wanna get off of him?” Angelica said, laughing.
I scrambled off of him, slipping on the water and blushing even more. Beau picked himself up easily and smiled at me. There was dead silence before everyone started laughing.
I gave a death glare to Robbie and Angelica and of course they just laughed harder. I groaned and walked outside headed for my house to change.
“Did you need a ride?”
I turned and saw Beau and couldn’t help but smile. He was full of glitter, his thick black hair, his clothes, even his face and the sun caught it just right and he really did look like a disco ball.
“No thanks, I can walk.” I really didn’t need anymore humiliation today. I waved and continued down the sidewalk avoiding people’s stares.
“I’ll make sure you get there safely. I wouldn’t want you to get kidnapped because they think you’re a sparkly vampire out of hiding.”
I jumped and Beau laughed. “Come on, you had to be thinking the same thing.”
I narrowed my eyes playfully, “Maybe.” A old couple walked out of a drug store and caught sight of us. Suddenly I recognized them as my next door neighbors. “Lets cross the road.” I grabbed Beau’s hand and ran across the street.
“I take it you know them?”
“Yeah, they’re our nosey neighbors. I have a feeling my parents are going to hear about this one, along with the whole town.”
Beau chuckled. “It’s not that bad. You’re just covered in glitter walking around town.” I glared at him and that earned another laugh. “How about I distract you then?”
“That sounds perfect.”
“All right, where to start?” He ran his fingers through his hair and glitter fluttered down on the sidewalk. I giggled watching the glitter flutter to the ground. “How about you tell me why you had glitter in your pocket at the library?” I suggested.
“Ahh, the big mystery. Well you might be disappointed to find out that I don’t walk around with glitter in my pocket.”
I shook my head sadly. “There goes the whole fantasy.”
He grinned. “You fantasize about me, Ariel?”
I blushed but kept my ground. “You’re going off topic.”
He smirked. “Well, I was helping decorate for my sisters masquerade themed birthday party. I was glittering the masks before I went to the library, and you’d be amazed how much glitter gets trapped in your pockets.”
I put my hand in my pocket and pulled out glitter. “Not really surprised.” I giggled.
“To get off topic... you fantasize about me?” He wiggled his eyebrows and flexed his arms.
I bit my lip to stop from laughing. “We’re here at my house. thanks for walking me.”
“Aw! Come on. That’s not fair you got to tell me all about your fantasy.” He grinned and I rolled my eyes.
“Bye, Beau. I promise to boost your ego another day.”
I walked up the path to the house and went inside. I turned to close the door when Beau walked up to the door.
“Ariel, do you mind being my date for my sister’s masquerade party?”
I felt like a fish out of water. We were joking but a second later things get intense and serious and I turn awkward. “Uh, sure?”
Beau smirked and the awkwardness disappeared, “Way to boost my ego, Ariel.” He pulled me into a hug and whispered in my ear, “8 o’clock tonight.” My brain fogged up and all I could think of was how good he smelled and the luscious way my body fit into his.
He started to walk away when I realized I didn’t know what to wear to the party. “Beau! I don’t have anything to wear.”
He laughed and yelled over his shoulder, “My sister can lend you a dress. She rented some just in case someone decided to spite her and come in casual clothes. I’ll text you the address.”
He continued walking back toward the Starbucks, and I closed the door finding what perfume to wear, which shoes, what make up. How the hell am I supposed to do my hair?
“I got five hours to get all this glitter off my body. I can do this.” I ran upstairs, turning on some music and getting out the big guns.
As I pulled up to venue, my heart was racing. The directions he texted me made it easy to find, but I kept thinking my hair was going to poof out any second or that one eye looked bigger than the other.
A sudden knock on the window gave me a mini heart attack.
“You must be Ariel. Come on in and I’ll get you into your dress for the evening.”
I got out slowly, not sure what I was getting myself into, when the girl spoke again.
“I’ve heard a lot about you. Anything out of Beau’s mouth has something to do with you.” She laughed and then caught herself. “I mean, he isn’t a stalker or anything.”
I smiled feeling a little more relaxed. “Don’t worry, I didn’t take it that way.”
We made small talk as she took me into a big room with huge dresses lining the wall. Andrea, Beau’s sister, helped me into the dress and we got more comfortable with each other.
“This place is beautiful, I wish I could have my birthday here.” Andrea just smiled at me and finished zipping up the dress.
“It’s already eight-thirty, you better get out there before Beau thinks you ditched him. I got to get my dress on and make my grand entrance.”
I found my way through the huge living room and dinning room area, finally making it into the ballroom. It was crowded, and I could barely see through the mask Andrea threw on my face. I went into the corner of the ballroom, watching the people dance gracefully.
“Ariel?” I turned my head and found Beau with a mask on and a t-shirt with a suit jacket thrown over it.
I giggled. “Beau your sister is going to kill you when she sees your outfit.”
“Nah.” He pulled his mask up to his forehead. “I put the suit jacket on, it’s totally classy. But you,” His eyes were hot as they looked over my outfit. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.” My cheeks warmed a bit by his intense look.
“Ariel, thank you for coming. I didn’t think you were going to show up.” His voice was so unsure and...vulnerable. I never thought Beau would be anything other than the confident jokester.
“It really is my pleasure. I mean, when do I ever get to dress up and go to a place like this?” He smiled but he still looked like he didn’t believe that I was here.
“Do you want to dance?” he said, taking my hand.
“Ooooh, no you don’t. Your sister put me in these high heels and I can barely walk much less dance.”
He smirked and pulled me close to him. “I guess we’ll just have to dance here in our little corner.”
The music suddenly changed into a slow song and it made me curious if he planned it. I soon forgot it when Beau twirled me around without me breaking my ankle and making me actually have...fun. Before the song was over, I was laughing shaking my hips like we were doing the salsa.
After many songs, we were both out of breath and I rested my head on his chest. “Thank you for inviting me.” I whispered.
He pulled back to look back in my eyes, “Ariel, it was the best thing I’ve ever done.” His green eyes looked into mine and his hand gently brushed against my cheek. He leaned in and my eyes slid shut as his soft lips met mine.
The rest of the night went by in a blur. We danced like we never would again. Once it was announced that the party was over, everyone headed for the door, and I parted from Beau for the first time since the party started. I walked back into the room where Andrea helped me dress and was so happy to get that dress off and back into my jeans and shirt.
“Have fun tonight?” Andrea asked as she smiled.
“Loads. I really like this place. If you don’t mind me asking, how much did it cost to rent it for the night.”
She looked at me like I had a moose on my head. “Rent?” She started laughing as she hung up the dress and put the shoes away. “Honey, we didn’t rent this place. This is where we live.”
My eyes went wide. “Y-your house?” My mind did an instant replay of everything I saw downstairs: the huge dining room and the ballroom! A ballroom for Christ sakes, what house has a ballroom?!
“We get that reaction a lot, but look at the plus side -- you can have your birthday here free of charge.”
I walked out of the house toward my car when I saw Beau standing next to my car. I smiled even though the ravenous butterflies were going crazy in my stomach. He pulled me into a tight hug and the butterflies settled down instantly.
“Do you want to come over tomorrow and we can hang out? Or we can go see a horrible movie at the dollar theaters?”
I stood on my tip toes and kissed his lips. “I’d love to.”
He gave me a final kiss before he opened and closed my car door for me. As I drove away, I couldn’t help but be glad that we had the whole summer ahead of us.
