Destiny's Touch by Liesbeth Assani Marrose (books to read in your 20s female .TXT) 📕

balloon barrage. Pushing a sopping strand of hair out of my face, I glare at my boyfriend. “Jar-ed.” “Uh oh man. She looks pissed. I would run if I were you.” I turn my glare to Riley, who shrinks back against the wall. Jared wrapped his arms around my waist, pressing his lips to my neck. “Good morning beautiful. How was the shower?” Before I could answer, Lyla walked up, dropping a bag at my feet before turning to glare at the guys. “Unless you want your dick permanently attached to your butt, I would leave right now.” The guys scattered like leaves in a late autumn breeze.

Jared plants another kiss on my forehead before running off to join his friends. “I can’t believe they did that! Urgh! I could kill them. Where do they think they are? Water World?…” I let Lana fume as I check the damage in my locker mirror. She rolls her eyes at my pathetic attempt to fix my now unruly curls. “Come on.” Seizing my stuff, she slams my locker shut and drags me to her locker, or should I say beauty central. I swear this girl's locker is like walking into a beauty department store. Not that I’m complaining. Lyla's obsession with perfection in the form of make-up has saved my butt a couple times. Glancing at my face, she digs in her locker. “At least you had the foresight for waterproof eyeliner & mascara. You might want to touch up the corners.”

Handing me a mirror, some eye shadow, bronzer, blush, eyeliner & lipstick, I quickly re-apply my make-up. Closing the compact she gave me, I toss all the stuff back into her makeup bag and begin to try and fix my hair. Lana watches me struggle for a minute before sighing. “Here let me.” Grabbing a couple of ties from her locker, Lyla braids the sections of hair above my ears before braiding the sections together, making a very intricate braid which she secures with a hair tie. Suddenly, the warning bell rings obnoxiously, sending students scrambling to find their classrooms. “Shoot! I'm late!” She shoves some books into her bag, and slings it over her shoulder. Slamming her locker shut, she waves to me as she runs toward her class. “I’ll see you later!” I laughed.

That girl really does take class attendance too seriously. Heading in the opposite direction, I quickly check my schedule.

 

Harrison

American History Rm. 210

The hallways cleared out quickly as I continued to walk up & down the rows of purple lockers & classroom doors, glancing at the signs as I pass them. It took me until the second bell to find my history classroom. I took a deep breath, grab my changed class slip & finally pushed the door open, causing every head to turn in my direction as I stepped inside. The teacher stopped mid-sentence & a few whispers rippled through the room. Walking quickly, I reached the teacher & handed him the yellow slip, symbolizing that I wasn’t originally in his class. He snatched from me & scanned over it quickly. “Ms. Johnson, welcome to the class. Please take your seat.” He motioned to the only chair open, the one next to the girl wearing cutoff shorts and a Led Zeppelin t-shirt.

As I walked to my seat, the teacher cleared his throat. “I hope that in the future, Ms. Johnson, you’ll try to make it to class on time.” Chuckles from my fellow classmates ensued after he said that. “Now as I was saying before, all of you will do a five minute presentation, in front of the class about your lab partner. Ms. Johnson since you had the fortune of arriving late I have no choice but to have you work with Narcisa. Ms. Burch, my apologies.” The girl looked at me then the teacher, nodding her consent. Obviously pleased, he grabbed a white board marker & began his lecture. As I took my seat, I studied my partner. Her blonde hair looked like it had been cut with kitchen shears, giving it a shaggy appearance. The girl - Narcisa, looked at me & smiled.

“Curious little thang aren’t ch’ya? I’m the teacher’s assistant. This is part of my program for school. I’m also friends with the Stone family. You’re Jared’s girl. He purposely made you late so you would be paired with me. He wanted me to look out for you. Answer your questions sweet thang?” I just stared, which made her laugh. Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to her paper. Taking out my notebook & pen, I begin to take notes on the lecture, forgetting all about the strange lab partner I have and her ties to Jared. Could this be the infamous mysterious ex that I heard his brothers talking about? The bell rang, jerking me out of my Jared-fuelled session. The classroom filled with the sounds of backpacks unzipping & zipping, chairs scraping against the ugly yellowish white linoleum floor.

The excited voices of students talking about what they were going to do for holiday break rose over the P.A. system. Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I head for the door, right into a pair of muscular arms. The hands wrapped around my waist & turned me around. “Jesus f-ing Christ! Jared DON’T scare me like that! I’m still mad at you…” Tunneling his fingers through my hair, he kissed me, taking possession of my mouth. Behind us, someone cleared his or her throat. Springing apart, Jared gave the person a sheepish smile. “Sorry Mr. Harrison. I just couldn’t help myself.” Great, first I’m late to his class, now I get caught making out in front of him. Can this day get any worse?

“Mr. Stone, Ms. Johnson. Please refrain from intimate physical contact in front of my class room.” Giving us one finally creepy stare, he heads off to the teacher’s workroom. “Oh God. Jared, we just made out in front of my teacher.” He smiled. “Considering that I have been waiting all morning to kiss you like that, I really don't care.” I smack his arm. “Jared I'm serious! How am I going to face him next class? He already doesn’t like me. This is probably just the cherry on top in his book.” Jared wrapped an arm around my waist. “Babe, you’re just over analyzing the whole thing.” He held the cafeteria door open for me & leads me to our usual lunch table. Lyla looked up & frowned. She glared in Jared’s direction. “What did you do?” Jared rolled his eyes & rubbed my back, obviously trying to soothe me.

“Nothing.” Lyla reached across the table & took my hand. “Charlie what’s wrong?” “I’m going to die from mortification the next time I see my history teacher. Jared & I made out in front of him.” Lyla rolled her eyes, making Jared laugh. “Of course.” She mutters under her breath. “Babe don’t do that!” Dylan called out concernedly as he walked up, plopping in his usual seat across from me. Ugh Dylan Martinez, who has to be one of the most annoying people on the soccer team. His brown hair peeked out from underneath his baseball cap. I don't know why aside from team pride which I doubt, he sitting with us. Unfortunately, no matter how annoying he can be, no one seems to have the heart to tell him to shove off, myself included. “I am not your babe.”

I retorted, making a disgusted & no doubt unattractive face at him. “Dylan, leave Caroline alone or we will have a problem.” Dylan smirked as I laid a hand on Jared’s forearm, feeling his muscles flex & tense. Leaning in, I press a kiss to his forehead. “Jared I’m fine. Dylan is just being an ass. What he says doesn’t bother me at all.” Dylan pretends to look wounded, putting a hand over his chest. “Caroline, I’m hurt. I thought we had something special.” Jared’s arm tenses. Clamping down on his arm, I glare at Dylan. Before I could say anything the bell rang, signaling the end of the day for seniors. We grab our bags dumping our trash in the can as we head out to the courtyard. The whole way there, I am silently thanking God that Dylan isn’t a senior. I link arms with Jared as we head for the wall.

“Y’all wanna hang out at my house before the party tonight? We can totally get wasted!” “Like you know to drink babe.” Everyone laughs as I pretend to wrestle with Jared, and give up a minute later. “Well…. what do you guys think?” “I’m up for it but let’s make it a girl thing. We can help each other get ready & I have enough makeup for all of us.” Lila rolled her eyes & elbowed her sister’s ribs. “Of course you do sis. I live with you remember?” We all laughed as Lana failed to look offended at her sister’s comment. “Vamnos. Lets go before the guys decide to join us.” Seth doubled over in mock pain & then wrapped his arms around Riley. “Awww I just know they’re going to talk about us, & we won’t even be there to defend ourselves.” We laugh & wave by to the guys before heading to the parking lot.

 

“Charlie! I will meet you back at your house. I need to pick up some stuff.” I nodded in acknowledgement & unlocked my BMW. “Wow…when did you get this car?”

 

“Birthday present from Dad. Nice huh?” “No kidding.” Willow ran her hand over glossy black surface. “Alright stop imagining & get in the car. Vi since you are the smallest get in the back okay?” Violet grinned & hopped in followed by Luna & Meghann. Leaving Willow up front. The next few hours went by & before I knew it, it was time to get ready. Lana, Lila & Willow, having already gotten dressed, took it upon themselves to help me get ready.

 

DING DONG.

 

“I got it!” I hear Victoria talking to someone as she closes the door. I was itching to go downstairs & see whom she was talking to. “Jeesh! Charlie can you hold still? I’m trying to do this without maiming you.” I snorted, which earned me a smack on my ass. “Ouch! Lila can you please control your sister?” Lila grinned & shook her head. “Sorry Charlie. Not even the second coming could save you from my sister right now.” I giggled, earning another swat on my ass.

 

I glared at Lana while she glared at her sister, who shrank back in her seat helplessly. “Lana don’t make her laugh. She is just lucky I didn’t stab her eye out. Why don’t you make yourself useful & grab her dress from the closet & put it in the bathroom.” Oh god. Knowing Lana, she probably got me a dress that’s bright hot pink, or one with lots of ruffles, or even worse, both. Gulp. “There. I’m done. Now go change. And foreheaven sakes don’t touch your face.” I resisted the urge to do just that as I head to the bathroom. Stripping off my clothes, folding them & placing them neatly on the toilet, I unzip the black opaque garment bag & gasped.

 

Inside was a beautiful strapless knee length wine red dress with a diamond bracelet hanging on the hanger. So not only was it not pink but it was also something I would wear. I began to apply the lip gloss Aria handed me when a knock on the bathroom door shocked me back into reality. “Charlie? People are starting to arrive.” “Okay I will be right out.” I slid the dress over my head grateful that I did a full body shave in the shower this morning & fastened the diamond bracelet around my wrist. I took a deep breath & opened the door to find Jared leaning against the wall outside of the bathroom. His eyes bugged out of his head, as his eyes swept