I open my eyes and I shake the sleep haze off noticing that I'm now in my bed. I stretch and my back pops before I lick my lips. I rub my eyes before I sit up to see that I'm wearing one of my nightgowns that reach mid-thigh and my hair is in twin braids. I tie them up with leather hair ties that have my dad's spirit animal stamped onto them. I look out of my window to see that the sun is still not up and there is a light breeze even at this hour. I rub my eyes and I feel that my make-up was taken off. I wake back to my inn table before grabbing my phone to see 11 missed calls, 14 missed text messages, and 17 Facebook messages. I look at my phone's calendar and see that it's no longer the 19th, instead it's my birthday. Today is my seventeenth birthday that was two days from when I took my spelled bath. What the hell happened?
"This is why you should always take one of your iron pills before using your gift like that." I hear Mark say softly and I look up to see mom and Mark at my door with scared but also relieved faces on them.
"What?" I say confused as they come in holding breakfast on a tray with smile on their faces. Mark sits in front of me and mom sits next to me.
"The iron supplement pills help keep your body from crashing so hard when you did that high powered spell. Like it did when you did whatever spell you did 2 days ago." Mark says with a hard look in his eyes as mom put the food in front of me. They made bacon and eggs with tater tot like hash browns since I don't like regular shredded hash browns.
"We called the school to excuse you for yesterday, but you should go today my sweet 17 year old." My mom says with a smile.
I furrow my eyebrows as I munch on the bacon. "Really?" I ask as I look up at their retreating figures and Mark turns around to look at me.
"Yep and your gifts from us and the rest of the family are downstairs. So hurry up get dressed cause I wanna see what you got." Mark says and I smile as they close my door. I finish my food and quickly get dressed in a brand new black crop top with a pair of light washed high rise skinny jeans that make my booty look amazing. I quickly put on crimson red lipstick that's perfectly matched with a light silver eyeshadow and a matching silver belt/ring. I fix my waves with my curling iron and make them even curlier. I quickly braid two parts of my bangs and pin them behind my head with a silver clip. I pull my stiletto ankle boots on to hide my nerdy marvel ankle socks and painted black and red toenails. I walk down to see Stefan, Ty, and Matt sitting in the living room eating finishing up breakfast with my mom and Mark.
Ty looks up hearing my heels on the wood floors and he smiles wide automatically before jumping up off the couch, "Happy Birthday Ray!" He and the boys say excitedly before walking over and pulling me into a hug.
I giggle lightly as he nuzzles my neck and rubs his nose on my neck like he usually does, "Thanks boys." He smiles softly and Matt pulls me away then into his own hug that is a bit less enthusiastic than Ty's.
"Our little Ray is finally 17. She's all grown up." Matt says before trying to ruffle my hair and I smirk as I slide away from him.
"Shut up Mattie, before I tell a couple secrets of yours that only I know of." I say with a smirk and he glares as Stefan gives me a hug and I smile while my mom takes a picture of us. "Now let's get to it before we have to go to school." I say and they chuckle before we sit down and I start opening presents. Tyler got me some really expensive sketchpads, shading pencils, and pens with varying thickness while Matt got me an art tote bag that apparently Vicki had before she went to the dark side of drugs. Stefan gifted me a first edition Alice in Wonderland before they all leave and as I open my family's gifts the doorbell rings.
I'm about to get up when Mark sits me back down making me pout, "I'll get it. Finish un-wrapping your gifts." I smile and I open up an intricately carved oak box with green accents that's holding a bunch of different flower which are encased in little glass jars. I got the box from my uncle Lucas and auntie May while I got little handmade necklaces from their kids. Auntie May and Uncle Lucas got me some Kunai daggers that have some type of black wood as the grip.
"Package for a Rayen aka Wonder from a Freckles?" The deliveryman asks with a very confused look on his face. I blush as I jump over the couch and walk over. Mark starts busting out laughing at the message and I glare at him.
"Yeah that's me." I say as I quickly sign for it and he hands me a little wooden box. I drag my nail on the sides of it as I feel the wood swirl designs engraved in the sides and I feel my power slightly ingraining itself in the wood.
"The message he requested to give with it is, 'Happy Birthday Wonder, can't wait for another dance till next time. Yours truly, Freckles. ' " I give the guy a five buck tip before turning away and closing the door.
Everyone starts teasing me as I stick my tongue out at them and they laugh at my embarrassed face. I blush as I open it up and I see a beautiful silver Celtic star necklace with a little malachite stone in the center of the pendant. Underneath the necklace, is a small Polaroid picture of the Paris skyline at night, a cherry martini on a rail with a white ribbon wrapped around the stem of the martini glass with the moon behind the Eiffel Tower. I smile as I remember him singing to me as we looked out at the skyline. Mark closes the door and I blush before I put it on letting it rest on the hollow of my throat. I smile as I feel a slight jolt shock my system and I feel even more energized than I ever have.
"We nicknamed each other so shush it." They chuckle at my blush that won't go away. I open another gift to see Mark holding up a very pretty leather belt with some of my old jingle bells melted into studs and mom my backpack along with my skateboard that looks like someone cleaned it up and fixed the wheels.
"Go to school have fun, be careful on your board, and I'll be at the shop getting caught up on everything." Mom says as I pull my backpack on and put my keys in my pocket before skate boarding to school.
I smile, a genuine smile at that, as I feel truly happy something that is very foreign to me as of late. That's a feeling that I haven't had in a very long time and it feels absolutely amazing. Everything seems livelier than yesterday and I know it sounds cliché, but oh well that's the truth. My body feels electrifying and I feel the vine in my skin squirm slightly, but it stays in my skin. I look around making sure that there are no teachers around me and I skateboard right into school almost running over one of Ty's old conquests. Alyssa Peters is a cheerleader with Care and Bonnie. Her short black hair in a faux bob today with her bangs dyed a dark purple color while wearing a pair of shorts and a tank top with her brown eyes lined with purple and black cat eye liner.
"Sorry Alyssa!" She waves me off with a teasing smile, knowing I didn't mean to almost run her over and I quickly stop before I bump into her younger cousin Cathy Anderson. She is in the band usually wearing jeans and a band shirt and her medium length brown hair is down in her signature French braid with her blue eyes hiding behind glasses. I ride over to my locker and see that it's decorated with different sized cards, lots of confetti, balloons tied to a bag, ribbons, and a shit ton of multi-colored glitter. Bonnie, Care, Jeremey, Matt, and Tyler are all standing with gift bags. I smile as I stop and walk over letting my heels click against the school's tile floor.
"Happy birthday Ray!" They all cheer and I giggle as I smile when they throw confetti at me and gets it all in my curls.
"You know sometimes I hate you." I say insincerely. I shake my head as the boys come walking up and Bonnie holds out a cake. My favorite cake, vanilla cake with Oreo frosting and sprinkled with Oreo crumbs on top.
"Come on Ray, make a wish." Bonnie says with a smile and I nod before I push my hair back away from the candle flames. I look around seeing everyone staring at me and close my eyes thinking to myself. 'I wish that I do not have to be second place to Elena.' I think to myself before I smile as blow out the candles and I hear everyone clapping and cheering. I open my eyes and we walk into history before everyone comes in.
"Happy Birthday, little Ray." Alaric says with a smile as I hand him a piece of the cake and he hands me a small little journal. "I didn't know what to give so I got a little journal of flowers since I've noticed that you like to draw flowers in the margins."
"Thank you, sir." I smile as I rub the spine of the brown leather bound book that has been through a lot by the wear and tear of the leather of the book. He nods before they put the cheap ass little fake gold tiara on my head and along with a pink birthday sash. 'What an amazing start to my day.' I think to myself as everyone starts trickling in saying hi to me and happy birthday. As the days goes on my amazing friends make each and every one of my classes sing to me surprisingly even Elena does with a smile on her face. Once that final bell rings everyone leaves happy that our 6 day Thanksgiving vacation, but we're staying until after the New Year. Tyler and Matt blindfold me after I get my stuff from my locker.
"Keep your eyes closed Ray. It's a surprise." Matt says with an obvious grin in his voice and I feel him take my skate board away from me.
"Come on boys. You can tell me." I say as I roll my eyes as they carefully put me into I'm guessing Ty's car by the leather feel.
"Sorry not telling." Ty says and we drive somewhere for quite a long time. Once the car stops my powers start reaching out for what's around me and I can tell that we are in a large clearing. The breeze slightly blowing through sending the smell of peyote, food, and nature, I try to use my gift to find out why there's peyote this far East.
"I know that you never want a big party, but I didn't realize how big your immediate family is." Tyler says as the blindfold is taken off my eyes and I see that my most of my father's family is here. They all cheer and start taking pictures left and right. Tyler smiles at me when I look back at him and he gives me a hug. I cover my mouth seeing my friends from here along with my family and Elena is nowhere in sight.
"Enjoy tonight Sassy. You only turn 17 once." Mark says with a smile before going to the bar and then over to the hookah where his close cousins are.
The clearing is mostly covered by a canopy with a full buffet line that looks like is filled with food that they all made, a slight bar, two hookahs, a deejay stand with a generator, and small lanterns being held to the ground by rocks. I smile a big ass smile as my cousins surround me giving me hugs and the deejay starts up. We dance, eat, and open my presents without a care in the world and I even introduce my friends to my cultural dances. My smile never once leaves my face as we party like Californian surfers in the Virginian woods. I know that this night Elena can stay in the shadows because it's my day and not even she can take it away from me. I get home with Mom and Mark. Mom is drunk and Mark relaxed cause of the peyote he smoked with our cousins. We put all my presents in my room which is a lot of new photo stuff, new lotions and perfumes, art journals, art supplies, and surprisingly enough some different flowers. I take a long shower after taking my makeup off along with brushing the alcohol tastes out of my mouth. I dry off before putting on my lotion that smells like vanilla and strawberry on every inch of my body. As that dries I get into a pair of black and a stripe of white short shorts with an oversized black and white marvel off-the-shoulder tee shirt with a pair of black thigh high socks as my pj's.
"Make sure you get to bed we have to get everything ready to go to California for Thanksgiving." My mom says as I flip my hair over and pull a band around the bun, so it'll dry somewhat tamed. I stand up straight and as I fix my messy bun and on my bed is a rather big white box with a red ribbon tied around it in a bow.
"What the hell? When did this get here?" I ask myself as I walk over and open it up gasping a little. I see the cutest little British shorthaired kitten with all of his papers. 'Here is a present so that when I can't be around he is there to keep you company. Love, Freckles' I smile as I read the little card and put it on my nightstand where a vase with some wildflowers in it. Then I look around my room to see that it completely kitten proof with all of his stuff already set up and I gently pick him up. He mewls lightly before squirming so I put him on my bed and I smile as he automatically curls up on the other pillow watching me.
"I think I'm gonna call you Riptide." I say before he mewls in agreement liking the name that I chose for him. I put on my Disney soundtrack on my radio before he wakes up and curls up under my chin. I smile as he purrs and I fall asleep rubbing the pendant that Freckles gave me. In unison with Sally I start singing with her sleepily, "I sense there's something in the wind
That feels like tragedy's at hand
And though I'd like to stand by him
Can't shake this feeling that I have," I yawn softly and I fall asleep with her voice ringing into my mind while I feel Riptide purring.
TIME JUMP
Mom, Markus and I land on the west coast and I go into the airport bathroom to change into a pair of black shorts, black thigh high boots, a black knit top, and I redo my makeup to make sure it's perfect. I walk out and walk over to my mom and cousin as the security guard with them gives them Riptide's carrier. I smile and as we get outside I give my baby boy some water and some food as my older cousins go in and grab my bag.
I smile as I see a line of trucks and SUV's in the parking lot with all of my cousins, aunties, and uncles cheering. We walk over to them and we all get attacked with hugs even though we saw them all two days ago. My favorite cousin (adopted cousin) Melody runs up to and gives a huge hug before helping me take my stuff into her truck. Melody has long mermaid like curly blue to green ombré hair, light goldish brown eyes, and light freckles on her cheeks.
"How have you been cousin?" She asks as we buckle up and I take Riptide out of his carrier letting him lay on my lap. She pets Riptide's head before I put my belt on and put my sunglasses on just as she does.
"I've been great. I missed ya at the surprise party." I say as I put in a Disney CD and she smiles as she drives out of the parking lot and onto the freeway.
"Yeah, I know I had a final to do and I couldn't convince my teacher to let me do it early or when I got back from vacation."
"That sucks, I hate when teachers are assholes. We gonna have a sleepover tonight?" I ask with a smile as I pet Riptide.
"Of course we are. I'll bring the tequila if you make your marshmallow brownies." She smirks and I nod as I feel Riptide purring.
"Good, we can make it after we go to the beach." I smile as I feel the familiar magic as we drive up the mountains to the reservation.
"Oooh, Belmont or just the beach?" She asks as we pull up to the big 23 acre ranch that is in my father's name, but is taken care of by Melody and her parents because I have always lived in Virginia.
"Belmont. So after we unpack we gotta dress hot." I say with a smirk and I climb out letting Riptide rest on my shoulder. We get to my room that is really Mel's room, but it's the twice size of a master bedroom with her bed on the left and my bed on the right. Her half is more earthy tones while my side is more silver, red, and black tones almost like smoke. I let Riptide jump onto my bed and get comfy while Mel and I sing and dance while we unpack my suitcase.
"So who gave you Riptide?" She asks as she tries on one of my shirts in the full length mirror enjoying the open back and my color choice in the shirt.
"Someone you wouldn't know." I say trying not to blush as I rub my pendant before I get back to putting my clothes into the dresser.
"Ooh must be a guy cause if it was anyone else you would have just told me." She smirks as she changes out my shirt and her lower half, so that she can change into a very cute little mermaid halter top bikini.
"Shut up." I say as I slap her ass before getting changed into a light blue lace up Bandini bikini and we quickly put a litter box and Riptides food and water in the bathroom. "Now Riptide, stay in the room and we'll be back." I give him a kiss and he nips at my nose. I put my money in my suit and my cell phone clipped on my suit as well. I smile before Mel and I walk out and close the door so he can't get out and fall down the stairs. "We're heading to the Boardwalk!" I say as we quickly walk out and get in her truck again.
"I am so glad they didn't try to have any of the cousins try to come with." Mel says with a smile and we quickly peel out of there.
"I know right? So are we gonna go on rides, play games, or get some henna?" I ask as we put the windows down and let the wind blow through our hair.
"Let's ride some rides then get henna and then leave the games for last." She says as we drive on the freeway and just act our age for once rather than being older. We get closer and as we get to the exit and wait at the light a limo comes up and the window opens. It reveals the man that won the wolf for me and he's wearing a suit just like the last time I saw him.
I smile as he returns it, "Well, I wasn't expecting to see your lovely face again." He says with his British accent.
"Still such a charmer. " I say as he chuckles before giving his card and I reach over before putting it in my suit.
"If you wish to be charmed some more then you may contact me through my personal cell phone." He says with a smirk and I nod as the green turns on. We turn into the parking lot while the guy turns the other way and I put the card into the glove box.
"Was that him?" she asks and I shake my head with a smile.
"No, the man that got me Riptide is much more ruggedly handsome rather than his classically handsome." I say with a smile as we park and lock up before we start walking to the boardwalk. While we walk we get a lot of wolf whistles and catcalls, but we ignore them all because we know that we are native beauties.
We grab some tickets and we start going on rides while the sun is still up. Melody uses her awkwardness to flirt majorly and I try to but I remember Freckles. We go to the henna artist and I decide to get an eagle feather that transition into little stars. I have her put the feather on the outside of my right arm and have it end with the starts resting on my collarbone. For Melody she hands her a design of a tree of life with a crescent moon on it and she has it placed over her heart.
As the sun starts setting we skip the games until we eat some junk food taking pictures of one another some of them modelesque and other of us being goofy and just being overall goofy while we relaxed in the golden rays. After we win at some games, using my gifts only a little bit, and we buy some cute skirts to cover up our bottoms, so that we can go eat some dinner someplace. We drive to a restaurant that's closer to the reservation that's kinda new. Before we can pay for it the waitress says that it's already paid for and I look at the receipt to see the name Freckles is on it. I blush and smile before we leave with even more questions from Melody.
~Our vacation goes by pretty fast. My tan gets even better I look like a native bronze statue and my hair a little bit lighter because of the time in the sun. I got to party with all of my cousins and spend some time with my native family. I also was able to take control of my powers getting different types of plant tattoos since I can now infuse my magic in then to create them and use them to my advantage. I spend New Years' Eve with the family and while they all had someone to kiss, I was cuddling Riptide with Melody on top of the rooftop when my phone buzzes. Melody and I are wearing matching red, blue, and silver plaid pj pants with black tank tops with out Thing One and Thing Two hoodies.
"Hello?" I ask into my phone as I watch the fireworks and kids playing with sparklers.
"Happy New Year Wonder." I hear Freckle's accented voice and I smile as I lay down letting Riptide knead my tummy.
"Happy New Year Freckles. How's the new year for you so far?" I ask as I see the glow from the bonfires and fireworks around the reservation.
He chuckles, "I'm talking to you that means it's so much better." He says as I play with the necklace that he gave me for my birthday and I have never taken it off, well except when I take a shower or bath.
"What a charmer. Does that usually work?" I ask teasingly and he chuckles which is making him smirk.
"I can't lie to you, but yes it usually does." I smile and bite my lip. "So when are you going back to your hometown?" He asks as I was Melody go off to chase our little cousins around the yard.
"Tonight is my last night. We leave tomorrow morning at five." I groan and he lets out a full bellied laugh which makes me smile. "You shut up. You know that I hate early mornings."
"I can just picture it. You pouting and falling asleep whenever you can." He says and I blush. "And now I can bet you're blushing." I hide my face and try to not smile like a love sick idiot.
"I am not." I try to say and he chuckles.
"You're lying."
"Am not."
"Are too."
"Am not."
"Are too."
"Am not."
"Are too."
"Am not."
"Am not."
"Are too." I gasp and he starts laughing again. "That's cheating! You can't do that!"
"Oh darling, I think I can and that i just did." He says lowering his tone into a deeper, but teasing tone making me nibble on my lip. "You should probably head to sleep gorgeous."
I groan and nod before Riptide and i head back into the warm house. "Yeah, you're right." I say and i hear him hum contently before i get to my room and i see a small envelope on my bed. "What's this?" I ask softly.
"Just another picture for you to add with the one I gave you." He says softly as I smile and sit down before having Riptide go on my pillow to rest up. I open it up and see the same martini glass with the ribbon around the stem. Only this time it looks like it was taken from the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna with the fireworks going off in the background. "I want to give you a collection of these. Until we can get you to take these yourself." I smile and settle into bed with the picture in my hand.
"You're so sweet. Thank you."
"Anything for the girl that had the bravery to crash one of my parties." he says and I giggle as I close my eyes feeling my chest lightly fluttering. "I'll stay on the line with you until fall asleep." I smile as I get comfy under my blankets and I hear him starting to hum.
"Thank you." I say softly as I quickly plug in my phone and I feel Riptide lick my forehead.