(24) "Forever."
She walked through the mall with a fond smile on her face. The atmosphere was filled with scratchy music blaring from overhead speakers, bustling people talking with each other and laughing, and a sense of ease. She'd never been to the new mall built a little over a year ago, but the hustle and bustle of the building reminded her of so many other places she'd been. She walked beside her friend Vera, an average looking, spunky woman with a blonde bob adorning her face. Her lips were painted a deep red color and an ever present smirk made her eyes twinkle with mischief. She was wearing baggy, ripped jeans held up by a black belt and a cropped white T-shirt. On her feet were black sandals that barely lifted her feet off the ground.
"Let's go in here, O!" Vera said excitedly. They were supposed to be window shopping, but they had entered more shops than she could count. She only had a few bags, albeit big, hanging from her hands, but Vera had gone overboard already and was practically drowning in plastic bags. They entered the shoe store and separated into different sections. She went towards the heeled shoes while Vera veered towards the flatter, tennis shoes. She appreciated a good heel every now and then, and her shoe rack was filled mainly with more casual shoes. She was supposed to go on a date the following night, anyway.
"Odessa, what do you think about these?" Vera asked as she held up a pair of plain white shoes.
Odessa put down the shoes she was holding and planted her hands on her hips. She gave Vera a flat look and said, "Vera, I know you have a certain aesthetic you're going for, but you have at least two pairs of shoes at our apartment that look exactly the same."
"But these are brand new! See! There aren't any stains on them!"
"You can easily clean the ones you already have."
"But O," Vera whined out as she gestured towards the shoes. Odessa sighed and walked over to her best friend. She grabbed the box out of Vera's hands and put it back on the shelf. She quickly scanned the shelf for another color and pulled out the same shoe but in gray.
"What about going with another color? I know you prefer going with black or white shoes, but gray is close enough and still a neutral color," Odessa told her. Vera eyed the shoes before she took them from Odessa and scanned them over. She hummed and turned her head this way and that before she nodded and agreed to get them.
"Did you find anything yet?" Vera asked as she closed the shoe box.
"Yeah, I just have to go grab them," Odessa said. They walked over and retrieved the heels Odessa picked out. They were a dark purple with small sparkles covering the entire surface. They would match her accessories well.
"Those are cute," Vera said as they walked up to the counter and waited in line. "Are you excited for tomorrow? He seemed like a good enough guy."
"I am excited, but I'm worried, too."
"Why?"
"I don't know him, V. For all I know, Serena could be lying to me and he could be some old pervert looking to kidnap some young, unassuming woman," Odessa said as they placed their item on the counter. They greeted the worker amicably and continued with their conversation after they were all checked out.
"Don't psych yourself out; you always do that and end up ruining your date. Besides, Serena wouldn't do that to you," Vera said.
"You underestimate Serena's hatred for me," Odessa scoffed.
"Why does she hate you again? I could never understand why she holds such a huge grudge against you."
"My mom and her mom got into an argument. You know my mom doesn't like her mom. Ever since her mom yelled at me for not helping Serena, Jennifer, and Maysun clean their rooms, my mom has had a problem with her," Odessa explained. "Mom got into it with her and almost fought her. Now every time they cross paths, they snark at each other. And since Serena is an exact replica of her mom, she thinks she should do the same thing with me."
"I still can't believe your dad bagged four beautiful women and cheated on them. I mean, men are trash, but that's excessive."
"Yeah, well, Serena's mom is dumb for getting back with him. I guarantee you he's still cheating on her," Odessa dismissed.
"That's true. At least Maysun and Jennifer like you."
"True."
"Anyway," Vera said as she steered them toward the food court, "don't stress yourself over the date. Everything will go great! And if it doesn't, so what! We'll find you someone else to date."
They got in line for a Chinese food stall and waited patiently in line, goofing off and occasionally getting too loud for the people around them. Whenever someone shot them a dirty look, Odessa would smile sheepishly at them and Vera would roll her eyes. When they paid for their food, they took it to an empty table. On the way, Odessa realized she forgot to grab napkins, so she ushered Vera along and turned back to grab napkins. She took a step forward and turned her head just in time to bump into someone clothed in all black.
"Sorry," she apologized. She looked them in the eyes while she did so, and her arm reflexively shot out to stabilize them. Her hand brushed against his exposed arm, and she pulled back immediately. She stared wide-eyed into deep green eyes and her mouth popped open a little in surprise. She took a step back and continued to stare at him as her feet wouldn't let her move and her mouth wouldn't move to form the syllable needed to talk. Finally, she snapped out of it when the stranger chuckled.
"I'm sorry," he said with a small smile. "I wasn't watching where I was going."
"No, that's my fault," Odessa said quickly. "I shouldn't have walked without turning fully."
The stranger with dark brown hair and pouty lips opened his mouth to say something when he was cut off by a short blonde woman. "Alec, I told you to wait for me by the pizza stall."
"I'm sorry, Jane. I had to use the bathroom and couldn't wait any longer," the stranger - Alec - apologized. The woman rolled her eyes at him and moved her attention to Odessa. Odessa studied the woman and realized with a jolt that the two were related. While they weren't identical, they certainly bore quite a resemblance to each other.
"Who are you?" the woman - Jane - asked with a raised lip.
"I'm Odessa. Who are you?" Odessa asked back with just as much attitude. Jane studied her before a smile burst onto her face.
"I like her. Is this your girlfriend, Alec?"
Spit caught in Alec's throat and he coughed to dislodge it. "Jane, seriously?" he asked. "I just met her. I have no idea who she is."
"Well, are you interested?" Jane asked. "She'd make a good fit for you."
"We don't even know her," Alec sighed out, like he knew he couldn't get her to back down. Then he addressed Odessa, "I apologize for her bluntness."
"It's fine," Odessa said as she felt her cheeks heat up. Thank God no one could see the color rise to her face or else she'd be even more embarrassed. "I'm gonna go. It was nice meeting you two."
She walked away to grab the napkins quickly and found her way back to Vera. She went to tell Vera what happened but saw that Vera was eagerly awaiting for her arrival. She sighed and said, "You saw everything, didn't you?"
"He's cute!" Vera squealed. "You should have got his number!" She hit Odessa's arm hard, causing the brown-skinned woman to wince.
"In front of his sister? No thanks," Odessa said as she dug into her food.
"Who cares," Vera said as she picked up her fork and dug into her rice.
"Did you completely forget about the date I have scheduled for tomorrow?"
"So?" Vera questioned.
"So?" Odessa echoed incredulously. "What if I like this guy? I would have gotten Alec's number for no reason."
"Alec, huh?"
"Enough, Vera," Odessa said with finality.
"Yeah, yeah," Vera said.
Odessa thanked Vera for dropping the subject and kept eating. However, she couldn't stop her head from wandering and thinking about the man she just met. He was attractive and totally her type, and he seemed nice enough. He seemed a bit introverted if the way he subtly strayed towards his sister when she made her presence was anything to go by. His eyes were alluring, and his lips were so pouty, she wanted to lean in and kiss him and see what they felt like. Her eyes strayed from her food and discreetly scanned the tables around them. Her eyes latched onto green and she immediately ducked her head to avoid his gaze. She smiled and huffed dreamily. It seemed like she wasn't the only one stuck on the interaction.
Alec walked through the busy mall with his sister, Jane. He had been dragged to the overcrowded mall, much to his reluctance, and was forced to endure hours of shopping. He wanted to spend his Friday night at home curled up in bed with a book or watching his favorite TV show. The only good thing about being out of the house was that he was able to avoid his father and his drunken spurts of violence and arguing against his mother.
He maneuvered throughout the crowd skillfully in a way that allowed no contact between him and the other occupants of the building. It was just Alec's luck Jane wasn't much of a buyer; she was a picky person that carefully analyzed everything she did before doing it. She'd only bought one bag's worth of stuff so far, which meant he didn't have to hold anything yet. Of course that didn't mean he wasn't occasionally shoved and forced to hold her bag and purse so she could try clothes on. As they walked, Alec glanced up and noticed through the skylight that night was approaching. The mall would close in an hour or so. He was grateful.
"I'm gonna go into this store real quick," Jane said as she gestured towards a lingerie store. Alec cringed and nodded his head. "Wait for me at the pizza stall. I'm hungry, and I'm sure you are, too."
"You're going to make me wait by myself?" Alec complained. "I'm going to lool stupid standing there by myself."
"Your point?" Jane questioned. "I'll be quick. Now, go."
She pushed him forward and he scowled. "You know, just because you're a few minutes older than me doesn't mean you get to boss me around."
"Quit being a baby and go, Alec," she dismissed him. She walked into the store, leaving Alec by himself questioning why he let her drag him to the petrid place in the first place. He sighed and walked over to the pizza stall to wait. People passed him, giving him confused looks. He wilted in on himself and mentally prayed his sister would hurry up so he wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb. As the minutes passed by, his bladder began begging him to leave and use the restroom. He was quick to obey it.
Stepping out of the bathroom, he scrunched up his face as he noticed his sister wasn't finished yet. He shook his head in disappointment and glanced down at his shoes, trying to gain the courage to walk back over to his standing spot and wait. He urged his feet forward, only to stop. He bumped into someone while he was focused on his thoughts. The person apologized and gripped his arm. Her hand brushed against his skin and he flinched away from her touch. He looked up and met beautiful teak eyes with a swirling mixture of browns and golden hues. She was beauty incarnate, and Alec could not keep his eyes off her. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on.
"Sorry," she apologized. Her mouth popped open and she took a step back and continued to stare at him.
Alec snapped out of whatever trance he was put in and chuckled awkwardly. He really didn't know what to do at that moment, so he settled for an apology.
"I'm sorry," he said with a small smile. "I wasn't watching where I was going."
"No, that's my fault," she said quickly. "I shouldn't have walked without turning fully."
Alec opened his mouth to say something when he was cut off by a familiar voice. "Alec, I told you to wait for me by the pizza stall."
Alec was relieved his sister had shown up and moved slightly toward her. He really didn't know what to say to the stunning woman, and he didn't want to embarrass himself in front of her. "I'm sorry, Jane. I had to use the bathroom and couldn't wait any longer," he said.
Jane rolled her eyes at him and moved her attention to Odessa. "Who are you?" Jane asked.
"I'm Odessa. Who are you?" the woman - Odessa - asked back with just as much attitude. Alec was surprised someone answered back with as much ferocity. Usually Jane's resting bitch face was enough to set the other person off that she wasn't one to be messed with. Jane studied her before a smile burst onto her face.
"I like her. Is this your girlfriend, Alec?"
Spit caught in Alec's throat and he coughed to dislodge it. "Jane, seriously?" he asked incredulously. He looked at Odessa before looking at Jane again. "I just met her. I have no idea who she is."
"Well, are you interested?" Jane asked. "She'd make a good fit for you."
While Jane was pulling at straws, Alec did think she was attractive enough to date. He wouldn't be opposed to it, but he didn't know her. He had no idea how she acted or what her personality was like. "We don't even know her," Alec sighed out. Then he addressed Odessa, "I apologize for her bluntness."
"It's fine," Odessa said. There was an awkward beat before she said, "I'm gonna go. It was nice meeting you two."
He watched her turn around and dart towards a counter to grab napkins before walking away to sit across from a blonde woman. Jane watched his reaction to the woman and snorted. Alec swiveled his head to glare at her and followed her after she started walking off. He was annoyed at her actions and her obvious words.
"Did you have to say that?" he asked, annoyed. "You made me look like a complete idiot."
"Trust me, little brother, you did that all by yourself," Jane said as she let out small laughs.
"Whatever," Alec muttered under his breath before Jane ordered for them. They paid for their pepperoni pizza and sat down at a table not far from the woman - Odessa. He watched as she used her fingers to comb through her dark-brown waves. He took in her entire oval face: small, expressive, teak eyes; a wide nose that still managed to slightly upturn; thick moderately arched eyebrows; dimples by the corners of her mouth when she smiled. He sighed dreamily and wished she would look his way so he could look her in the eyes again.
Her eyes strayed from her table and scanned the area around her. His eyes latched onto brown and he watched as she ducked her head to avoid his gaze. He smiled and turned his head to his food. When he looked up again, his sister's eyes were on him.
"What?" he asked.
"If you won't ask for her number, then I'll do it for you," Jane said as she stood up abruptly.
"Wait!" Alec shouted as he grabbed ahold of her and forced her to sit down. "I'll do it, just stop." He tried to regulate his breathing after Jane's shocking actions, but he couldn't help his heart as it pumped fiercely through his chest at the thought of talking to her again.
"Tick tock," Jane rushed him.
"I know, just give me a second," he replied warily. He took in deep breaths and stared at Odessa with false determination. Jane spotted it and sighed.
"You can do it," she encouraged him. He nodded his head and started walking towards her. He cataloged the exact moment her friend saw him and tapped her on the shoulder. Odessa looked up and startled when she saw him walking toward her. When he got to their table, he cleared his throat and gave her his best smile. It came out more as a grimace and Odessa wondered why he was standing in front of her if he looked like he wanted to run away.
"Um," he started nervously. "I was wondering if I, I mean, I need, no that's not right,"
Odessa shared a look with Vera and silently told her to stop as she saw her shaking shoulders. Odessa listened as he fumbled through his words, and after a few more tries, she cut in.
"Alec, take your time," she told him with an easy smile. He took one look at her smile and eased up. He took in a deep breath and finally blurted out what he wanted to ask her.
"May I have your phone number?"
She was surprised he had enough courage to ask her. She was quite flattered, but she wasn't sure if she should take it. She did, after all, have a date soon. She thought it over in her mind as she looked him up and down. His hands resting by his sides twitched every now and then and his eyes flitted uneasily from her face to a place over her shoulder. He was cute. She decided she would give him her number. After all, she couldn't trust Serena with anything.
"Yeah, I think that'd be okay," she said.
"Really?" he asked, surprised.
"Yeah," she said as she dug around her purse to find a pen and paper. She didn't have a piece of paper, but she did have an unused napkin and a pen. She wrote her number down on the napkin along with her name and gave it to him. He stared at it as if it was a grand prize and thanked her.
"I'll text you as soon as I can," he promised eagerly.
Vera snorted and Odessa giggled at his enthusiasm and waved him off. "Don't push yourself," she said reassuredly. "I'll wait, but don't keep me waiting too long."
"I won't, Odessa."
"Seriously?" Odessa snorted. She laughed a full belly laugh and leaned back against the giant bed they shared. Alec rolled his eyes at her antics and followed her lead. He laid on his back and rolled so he was on his side. He watched her with love as she laughed her head off. He shook his head in amusement and rolled his eyes. He reached for her and pulled her closer to his side, kissing her neck and letting her shakes roll over him.
"Yes, seriously," he answered.
"I honestly cannot believe you would act that way," she said as her laughs died down into giggles. "You are not shy at all, Alec."
"Not now, no," he said, "but when I was human, I was a nervous wreck. The only time I could gain enough courage was when Jane was being picked on."
"I would have eaten it up, too," she said as she thought over the small tale they had conjured up together. It was a slow day - a slow year, really - and they had nothing to do. They were given the week off to celebrate their anniversary, but were still on call in case something drastic were to happen. They had decided to take a small vacation at her small humble abode. They had had to clean and dust some things off, but any evidence of her having left it sit for so long was gone in a flash. After feeding together and basking in each other's presence, Odessa had gotten sleepy and demanded he lay with her while she slept. She got sidetracked as she thought of the years they had already spent together and wondered aloud what would have happened if they had met as humans. Hence, the story that had her out of her wits.
"Oh?" Alec intoned.
She hummed and rolled to her side so she could stare him in the eyes. "It is endearing."
"Should I act that way from now on, then?"
"You could try," she suggested, "but I am sure you would never hear the end of it from Jane."
"How right you are," he said as he pulled her impossibly close. He kissed her on the forehead, on her right cheek, her left cheek, her chin, her nose, and finally her lips. He pulled away after a moment and said, "Still don't want a wedding? We could celebrate with the entire Volturi and even invite Renesmee, Nahuel, and Huilen."
"I am content the way we are, Alec," she told him sincerely. "Why get married when we have forever?"
"Some women prefer the marriage route. I just want to make sure you are completely sure."
"I am," she insisted just as his cell phone rang. He groaned, already aware of who was on the other end. He picked it up and listened intently to the other person before hanging up. "You have to go?"
"Yes. Aro needs my assistance," he told her with frustration. He sighed and quickly got dressed and ready to go.
"So much for our anniversary," she said in disappointment.
Alec smiled sadly at her and leaned down to give her a chaste kiss. "I'll come back to you as soon as I can," he promised.
"Don't push yourself," she said reassuredly. "I'll wait, but don't keep me waiting too long."
"I won't, Odessa."
Oh, wow, it's been forever, it seems! I am so sorry. Let me update you all on some stuff. So, I got kicked out of the place I was living at and had to move back in with my mom, I got even more depressed than I usually am and stopped writing for quite some time. I lost a couple friends (I think? Honestly the whole situation is messed up and confusing and I'm still trying to figure out what I did wrong) and have barely had the energy to do anything. Thankfully, I have begun to heal from it and have slowly but surely returned to my daily depression levels. So, yeah. I'm terribly sorry!
I hope you all enjoyed Odessa's story! I have two other bonus chapters I am working on, but I didn't want to make you all wait any longer than I already have for the ending of this story. The bonus chapters explore Odessa's place in the Volturi and her relationship with the other members of the Volturi. I will post them as soon as I can.
I put up a poll a while ago for the next love interest and Jasper won it! I am excited for you all to read the next story. I have already started to write for it and I have some great ideas for the story! I won't be posting it until later on this year (the summer probably) so look forward to that! In the mean time, I was wondering if you all could help me figure out a name for the new OC. I have one picked out but honestly I don't know if I like it all that much. I'll pick some from the comments on here, Wattpad, and Quotevt for my favorite and then I'll post a poll on Quotev for it. A little information you'll need to know is that the OC is Mexican, so please give me Mexican or Spanish name recommendations!
In the mean time, I will be focusing on my Naruto story and trying to finish it. I will also be reading through this story and fixing some errors. I will possibly rewrite some things I think need changing (just the usual for every story I post).
I hope you all have been doing well and I hope you continue to do well. Whatever you're going through isn't stronger than you, and I know you can push through it and overcome it eventually. Keep going! And Stay Awesome!