As a Night World Academy student and witch, Addie Rosewood has always dreamed about her soulmate. Her world crashes when unfortunate events lead her to realize her soulmate is the school's super-jock and ultimate jerk, Blake Tarragon.

I have no rights and/or ownership over the night world series in any way. The main characters in this story are my own creation.

I'm back!

Sorry for the wait. I realized that those in the Asia/Pacific region only got this chapter on March 1st, so I'm sorry about that too!

I also wanted to clear something up before we move onto the rest of the story;

Basically, can we all just pretend that texting was possible and frequent in the 90s (when all the original NW stories took place) and that my story is in time with Thierry already having revived Circle Daybreak and all. This story takes place after Poppy/James and Mary-Lynette/Ash, and in time with Thea/Eric/Blaise.

Yeah, okay.

Thanks soooo much for reading and I hope you enjoy~

Chapter 21

"Blake drove you home again?" My dad asked when I went into his study to say hello. He was flipping through some papers from work and he didn't look up at me.

"Uh, yeah," I said. "How did you guess?"

"Witch, remember? I just had a feeling," he stated a little absently.

My dad was such a normal goofy kind of person that I sometimes forgot that he was a witch too. He was even from a very pure bloodline, unlike my mother. My mother was actually a lost witch and an orphan, but she found the Night World without any problems thanks to her incredible powers. Yet I always felt as if their back-stories should have been switched. My father was just too comfortable with the human world, which explained my extremely human-like name. I mean, a lot of Night People had been getting more comfortable with these kinds of names but I would have thought that a witch from a pure bloodline would have kept to tradition.

I never regretted how he named or raised me though. It kept me extremely grounded in many ways. Both of my parents have always taught me to never refer to anyone as vermin. They respected life as a whole, and they firmly believed that nobody was truly better than anyone else. Sure, it might have paved the path for me to be much more sympathetic toward humans, hence indirectly causing some major school unpopularity, but I still don't regret it.

"You and your witch-y abilities," I said.

My father finally looked up at me through his signature frame-less glasses, and proceeded to give me a once over. "Got a little caught in the rain again?" He must have known I enjoyed it, because he looked amused instead of worried.

I laughed nervously. "Yeah…"

I really hoped that he wasn't going to ask anything more about Blake. I knew I had to tell him what happened in the park sometime, but I wasn't sure I was ready yet.

It was all so surreal - being back at my house, standing in the archway to my dad's mini-office-at-home, and just trying to take it all in. Just moments ago, I had my very first kiss. Well, first real kiss – middle school truth or dares didn't count.

I kissed Blake Tarragon and it was amazing. It was nothing like twelve year old Trevor Marion's cold fish lips. I remembered swearing off kissing for the rest of my life after that awful dare. Boy was I glad I broke that promise to my silly past-self now. Yes… Kissing Blake was definitely worth it. His lips were so much more soft and tender than I expected any boys' to be. He was so gentle too, as if he were afraid he would break me. I mean, I was literally floating because of that kiss! Then I had to go and ruin the moment by mentioning Carla, and have a quiet drive home because Blake went into a sort of brooding mood.

Now, I had a bit of an empty feeling, and I wanted to tell someone everything. I wanted to gush and go crazy because of what happened. I needed to go red and passionate and rant about what I felt for Blake. I wanted to be pissed off that he was engaged. I wanted to feel guilty that he was engaged and I kissed him. But I didn't exactly want my dad to be the one to do all of that with. Yes, I needed to clear my system up before telling my dad anything. These were the times I wished my mother was still around. But she wasn't, and I knew someone else who was around that I really really wanted to talk to.

"Dad?" I asked. He had already buried himself back into his work.

"Hmm?" he said.

I really hated disturbing him when he got like this, because I didn't like it when I was disturbed when working either. But I needed him to do something for me, and it was a little urgent.

"Can you drive me over to Belle's?"

I stood in front of Belle's house all dried, in fresh clothes, and carrying a bunch of things in my arms as my dad drove off. I had snacks, chocolates, magazines, and a few of our favorite movies, while feeling stupid that I didn't put everything in a bag first. I planned an entire apology in my head - memorized like a speech to spew out the moment I saw my best friend's face.

I needed her. I hated not having her around. I felt stupid that I needed something to happen in order to give me the courage to speak to her again - but I was grateful that it got me this far.

I scurried over to the front door and push the doorbell with my elbow. I was beginning to feel a bit sick from the anticipation. I hoped that one of her parents would answer, so that there would be a smaller chance of getting the door slammed on my face. But when it did swivel open, I saw Belle.

My brain immediately went blank. That big speech I had? It went poof! Gone - and it was never coming back. My mouth was dry and I couldn't manage to croak out a single word.

I was about to attempt some weak 'sorry' then run away, when Belle attacked me.

She didn't punch me, or kick me, or throw fireballs at me. No.

She jumped and wrapped her arms around me, making me drop everything I had onto the floor.

"You awful witch!" she screamed in my ear.

That had me a bit disoriented. What was going on? Was she hugging me or trying to hurt me?

"It took you long enough to freaking get here," she added. "I love Jesse, I really do, but I couldn't stand listening to her fake accent laced with mindless gossip for another day!"

Now I understood. I hugged her back. "I'm so so sorry I lied, Belle," I said, finally finding my words.

Belle pushed away from the hug, held me by the shoulders, and gave me a hard stare.

"No, I'm sorry I overreacted," she said.

I wanted to melt back into my best friend, and then sort of slap her for being too awesome.

"No," I said. "Let me apologize. Please."

Belle gave me a look. "Okay, fine. But I think we should get all that stuff you just dropped and go inside first."

Belle picked up all the chocolates and snacks, remarking on how she loved every one of them, and how they were all her favorites. I picked up the magazines and movies. We went up to her room, splayed everything on the bed, and each took a seat at the edge.

"So," I began. "I should have told you everything that happened the moment it happened. I know that it's no excuse for lying, but I was afraid I would hurt you if I told you what Skye told me. I am so sorry. I should have known that you wouldn't care about that as much as me betraying your trust. Then one lie piled after another and another and I couldn't stop! I am so sorry." I was starting to ramble, because I still forgot my entire speech. "Then you told me you made out with Gaia, and I was thinking, She's over Skye! Now's the chance! So, like the total chicken that I am, I used that opportunity to tell you. I am so sorry. I just can't even believe you let me in your house. I am so sorry. I'm such a bad friend. I am so sorry! I don't even-"

"Okay, shut up!" Belle interrupted and I listened. "Yes, you shouldn't have lied. But…" she looked away from me.

"I totally was jealous that Skye likes you," she said. "I mean yeah, it hurt that you lied, because we're supposed to tell each other everything. But if we're being honest here… I was angry not only that you weren't truthful, but because of something that was probably completely out of your own hands. I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have ignored you for so long."

I placed my hand on hers and squeezed it hard. "Don't even think you should be sorry for anything. I'm the one who did something wrong. You had every right to be mad at me."

Belle gave me a bit of a nervous smile. "Thanks for coming over. You know, I have been thinking and… I'm so happy for you and Skye."

"What?"

"You two are together, right? Jesse swears that somebody saw the both of you make out under the bleachers. Not exactly classy, but what floats your boat."

What a cliché! And of course Jesse would hear that sort of thing. Ugh, rumors.

"Skye and I are not together," I said, with an emphasis on the 'not'.

"But what about the whole rock star love song in the lounge? Everyone thinks you guys are together."

I guess that would be the conclusion everyone jumped to. Just like Blake did. There was no other sort of public announcement that Skye and I had saying that I rejected him.

"I talked to him earlier today. We decided to just be 'mates'. Anyway, does that mean you and Gaia are in a relationship now or something?"

Belle scoffed. "Goddess no!" She shuddered a little. "I mean, kissing him was fun and all but… Gaia is so not the type of guy I want to get involved with seriously. We talked it out. It was a total one-time thing."

She reached over to the bed and randomly chose a packet of chocolates. She ripped it open and starting popping some in her mouth. She offered me some and I accepted.

"Great chocolate," she remarked. After she was done, she licked and fingers and said, "Okay… you'd better not be lying about not dating Skye…" I flinched a little, only because she had never doubted me like that before, until I broke her trust.

"I still do have feelings for him," Belle admitted. "I mean, I made my peace with you two being together. I was going to tell you that, and then I was just planning to scarf down anything I felt until it went away."

I went 'aw' in my head. It was so sweet. Belle was willing to ignore her own feelings for my happiness. It was pretty unhealthy, but sweet nonetheless. I told her as much and she laughed. I also told her that I was still rooting for her and Skye.

I put the packet of chocolates back on the bed. I needed to get something off my chest - the thing that inspired me to take the plunge and come over to apologize. "Belle…" I said. "I have another confession to make. Most of this transpired when we weren't talking to each other. Mostly today."

Belle sat up straighter, noting the slight uneasiness in my tone, and asked, "What is it?"

I looked heavenward and closed my eyes. "Blake Tarragon is my soulmate," I muttered. I sort of hoped she didn't hear me. I mean, I was crazy about Blake, but up until today, I didn't know it. Belle didn't know it. I just prayed that she wasn't going to freak out.

She totally did.

"What the frick, Addie!" she screamed - except she didn't say frick. "Are you being serious right now?"

I nodded reluctantly.

She hit my arm and screamed a little more. "I always knew you were so into him. Anyone who knows you could totally tell. But soulmates?! Tell me everything! Like now!"

There was no way she always thought I liked Blake. I didn't even know myself, until freaking now.

"Hey, what do you mean by 'knew you were so into him'? You thought I hated the guy. And I did!" I retaliated reproachfully.

Belle rolled her eyes. "Have you seen the way you look at him? Anyone with a brain could tell you wanted to totally suck his face off. Hello? Eye sex, much? I just kept quiet because I knew you would protest."

My mouth hung open. "Eye sex? I was not that obvious about it! I hated him!"

Belle gave me a bit of a pitiful look. "Sweetie," she said mockingly. "You were so in denial. Your mind and your words might have expressed you hated him, but you body language said you knew exactly what you wanted."

I sighed. "I know," I said. I was quite impressed that she knew all this time, but I still had more to tell her. "Also… I sort of did suck his face off. Well, not that crudely, but you get the picture."

It was Belle's turn to have her mouth hang open. She hit me on the arm again. "Geez Addie! I ignore you for like one week and you make out with a man about to married. You total home-wrecker!"

I was actually feeling pretty horrible about the whole Blake-Carla thing, but I laughed. Belle knew how to make me feel better, even if she was insulting me to do it.

"So you two are really soulmates?" she asked.

I nodded quietly.

"What are you guys going to do?"

I threw myself onto Belle's bed, into the piles of everything, grabbed a pillow and screamed into it. I came up for breath and said, "I don't know. Blake doesn't know. He's thinking about things."

Then I proceeded to gush to Belle about everything I needed to gush about. I complained, gushed a little more, and complained a little more. I blabbed and blabbed and Belle listened. We burned through about half our snacks in the process.

When we were done, Belle asked, "Do you want to stay over tonight? It's late."

It was late, and I was so happy she offered. I had brought a bunch of my clothes over to Belle's a long time ago (and she had a bunch of her stuff at my place) in case we had any impromptu sleepovers. We'd have to drop by my house for my school things in the morning but that wasn't going to be a problem. I had expected so much less out of this night. It was such a relief to know that Belle wasn't the type to cause unnecessary drama. She was too good of a person.

In the midst of our sleepover and movies, I hatched up a little plan. I was totally going to set her and Skye up, and I knew exactly how I was going to do it.