Page 39 of When Fate Breaks
“Well, if that’s true, I have definitely been wasting a majority of my days,” I laugh, shaking my head. “But, see? Your parents are great.”
Blake head tilts. “Yeah, they are great. But, what’s your point?”
“They were just from the same home town and in the same classes,” I say. “And they’ve got it pretty made. They’re happy, successful,” I glance up at Blake, “and they’ve got a pretty decent son, I suppose. There wasn’t some crazy twist of destiny or divine intervention.”
“Something doesn’t have to becrazyfor it to be fate, Evangeline,” Blake says, turning towards me. “It’s just about letting life happen and trusting your gut when it shows you the right path. Or person.”
I open my mouth to reply and then my head snaps suddenly to the right. “Do you hear that?” I ask Blake.
“Hear what?”
The volume raises, the lyrics ringing out clearly.
“Just a small town girl!” I yell out.
Confusion flashes momentarily across Blake's face until I point my thumb in the direction of the party.
“Livin’ in a loooonely world!” I continue, throwing my hands in the air.
Blake shakes his head, a smile lighting up his face. I jump to my feet at the same moment whoever is in charge of the party’s music, as if in response to me, turns the volume to what must be nearly full blast.
I continue screaming the lyrics, dancing ridiculously along the edge of the roof. Blake stays seated, watching me with amusement. “Oh,c’mon!” I shout, motioning for him to stand. “It’s Journey! You gotta sing.”
“I’m actually great right here,” Blake laughs.
“Our fathers would besodisappointed in you,” I say, spinning around.
“Maybe you should get down from there,” Blake says, glancing over the edge of the building.
“Maybe you should get up and join me,” I shoot back.
“Nah, I’m good.”
“Then so am I,” I say, inching closer to the edge.
“Evangeline.”
“Yes, Blake?” I respond, sticking one foot barely off the roof as I continue to sway my hips to the music.
“Would you just get down–”
“Hmm..?” I ask, turning fully towards the city. I start to dance one inch closer to the edge when an arm is suddenly hooked around my waist, yanking me backwards until I slam into a hard warm chest. I spin around, pushing my hair out of my face, seeing Blake standing just in front of me, all amusement gone from his expression. I glance down, seeing one of his hands still resting on my hip.
“People!”
I look up at him, my brows pinched.
“Livin’ just to find emotion!”
My confused expression breaks into a smile when I realize he’s singing along. I start to tease him for giving in but he cuts me off, spinning me around suddenly by my arm. I laugh so hard that tears prickle my eyes.
I grab for his other wrist, standing on my tip-toes, and attempt to twirl him. Our height difference makes it impossible, and our grip breaks halfway through the spin. We quickly recover, both of us singing at the top of our lungs so loudly now that I’d be shocked if everyone at the party couldn’t hear us.
We go through every cheesy dance move in the book, switching between shimmies and disco arm movements when we don’t know what else to do. The guitar solo begins and Blake jumps up onto a box of some sort of mechanical equipment, committing to the performance like he’s trying to win an Oscar. I have one hand shooting repeatedly into the air, fingers formed into the universal symbol for rock ‘n’ roll, and one hand clutching my stomach as my gut starts to ache from laughing so much and singing so hard.
“Don’t stop believin’!” Blake and I both shout when the moment comes, him jumping down from his platform and me spinning on the spot. Our voices start to go hoarse and sweat dots both of our foreheads as we finish out the chorus. Blake grabs my hand, spinning me out and back into him just as the song ends. I crash into his chest, both of us laughing and breathing hard enough to think we just ran a marathon.
When the next song begins, the music is back at its previous volume, making it unable for us to fully hear. I take a step back, pushing my hair behind my ear and fanning myself. It takes a few seconds before I realize Blake is still holding my hand. I slowly look up, seeing his seafoam colored gaze on me. It’s as if gears are turning behind his eyes, his expression one of deep concentration for just a moment before it’s wiped away, my hand falling from his at the same moment.
