Meant to Be Together

Chapter 2: Jacob

          A few days later, I arrive in Harmony. It seems like a nice little town, like the one I used to live in with my mother and Angel. Speaking of which, my first train of thought was to find her. I wander through the whole town and don't find her, so I decide to go to the beach, to think. Right as I arrive a girl about my age trips and I catch her. "Sorry," she says, smiling softly.

"It's okay," I reply, also softly. Her eyes capture me instantly.

"Thank you. If I had fallen and broken something... that would be some tragedy," she mumbles.

"Why?"

"Because I'm a dancer," she tells me. "An aspiring dancer."

I nod knowingly. "Anyway, do you know anyone named Charity? I'm looking for her."

"Actually, yeah, I know someone named Charity. She's my brother's girlfriend. Why?" the girl asks.

"Because she's my sister, and I have something really important to tell her," I say.

The girl's pretty eyes widen, but she doesn't say anything. Just then I realize that I'm still holding on to her, so I let go. "Sorry," I tell her.

"Oh... it's okay." Then she turns and calls to the other girl on the beach, "Jess! Come here!"

Another girl with shoulder-length reddish brown hair walks up to us. "What's up, Poe?"

"Meet your new cousin... what's your name?" the other girl (I guess her name is Poe) says, trying to introduce me to Jessica, who's my cousin...

"Jacob. Jacob Standish. And I'm guessing that you're Jessica."

Jessica nods. "If you're Charity's brother," she begins.

"Which I most certainly am," I cut in.

She smiles. "Then we're cousins," she tells me. "Your mother and my mother were twins. But you know what happened to her, right?"

I sigh. "Yeah... so Charity's living with you and Aunt Grace?"

"Uh-huh. And this is my best friend in the whole world, Paloma Lopez-Fitzgerald, whom you so bravely saved from a broken leg, arm, or something to that effect."

"I'm also known as Poe, Poe-girl, Poe-doll, Prima, or Ketchup," Paloma says, smiling. Her smile lights up her whole face, I notice. I also notice how very pretty she is, how tall she is, and how thin she is. I can't seem to take my eyes off of her.

I laugh. "Hey. Nice to meet you."

"You, too," the girls chorus, in unison. I smile. "Anyway, you told me that you're looking for Charity? I bet she's at my house," Poe tells me. "She and Ellie--that's my brother--are inseparable."

"Is he good to my sister?" I ask. "He better be."

"Oh, Miguel loves Charity to death. He's devoted to her."

"Okay, good. Can I see Angel?"

"I don't see why not," Poe says. "Come on, we'll take you there." As I follow my two new friends, I get a premonition... well, sort of. A song drifts through the air and I see two people dancing, but it's very hazy.

::Premonition::

"Jake, I wish I could come with you."

"Prima, you can't. It's too dangerous. Besides, you have your dancing, and I know you love that more than anything."

"But not as much as I love you. Jake, please be careful. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you."

"I will be. I just have one question for you... are you gonna be there for me when I need you the most?"

(Are you gonna be there when the rain comes?
Are you gonna be there with a wrong turn?
Can you swear you'll be there with a real love?
Are you gonna be there?
Will you stay by my side through the bad times?
Through whatever will be, will you still be mine?
Will you stay in my life for a lifetime?
Are you gonna be there?)

"I'll be there, Jake. I promise. I know it's going to be hard on both of us, but I'll be there for you, if you're there for me."

::Reality::

Wow. I guess Paloma and I have some journey to take... and it's only just beginning...