everyone knew who he was. Not only was he dating Madden Sumner, but he was the grandson of a Minister of the Seven. I was so sick of people like him. Which is when an idea popped into my head.
Bastin knew an Ash destiny was happening, but he didn’t know what it was, or if it had been accomplished yet. And the Keepers were still standing across the street talking. I unclenched my fists and smiled. This was going to be fun. Before I had time to change my mind I was running toward him, my arms wide open.
“It’s you! At long last, I’ve finally found you,” I said, flinging my arms around him and burying my head into his chest. His muscular chest, I couldn’t help but notice. Too bad it was overshadowed by his ego.
“Crilas,” Bastin cursed. “What the—” He looked at me in shock, and I returned it with wide-eyed adoration. “Who, who are you?” he sputtered. “Get off of me.” He tried to pry me away, but I held on for all I was worth.
“He said get off,” Madden said through gritted teeth. The students who had started to drift off stopped and turned back around to watch, much to her horror. And my delight.
“I can’t,” I told her, my hands now clinging around Bastin’s neck. “Today is Thursday, September nineteenth .” I looked over at the clock tower for added effect. “And it is almost 2:15, is it not?”
Bastin’s eyes flicked to the clock in confusion. “What is this about?” He finally peeled himself away from me and took a step back, adjusting his tie.
“I’d like to know that myself, Dax ,” Madden said. I could tell she was trying to stay calm, but her eyes had narrowed into slits. I’ve had my share of run-ins with our future minister and once the eyes narrow, it means she’s started to boil. Which was exactly what I wanted.
“Well, Madden ,” I said, matching her tone, “he may be your boyfriend, but he’s my future.”
“You have no future,” she spat back.
Technically she was right, but her boyfriend didn’t know that. And so I moved toward Bas, reaching out for him possessively.
He grabbed my wrist before I could wrap myself around him again. “Will someone please tell me what is going on?” The vein near his temple jumped in fury. It was just the reaction I was hoping for—and the perfect place to drop the final bomb.
“But darling, can’t you feel it?” I answered as dreamily as I could. “You’re my destiny.” I clasped my free hand over his. “Tall, light brown hair, blue eyes, purple tie? My file says we’re to be married. I’ve been waiting for this moment all my life. We’re destined to spend eternity together. Now where could the Keepers have gone off to? Technically my destiny isn’t scheduled for another two minutes.” I glanced up at the clock tower. “Well, one minute now. Don’t you just love this system?”
The color drained from Bastin’s face. He was totally falling for it.
The students around the lawn were snickering. People rarely paid attention to Ashes, but when you were an Ash with a Blank destiny like me, you developed a kind of notoriety. My classmates knew I was lying, but it didn’t matter. They were still riveted.
Bastin turned to Madden, opening and closing his mouth, trying to form words. Nothing was coming out.
Madden turned her wrath toward the crowd and the laughter immediately stopped. “Enough,” she growled.
I ignored her. “Bas, sweetie?” I said as innocently as possible. “Honeybun? Say something, won’t you?”
But it wasn’t Bas who answered.
“I’ll plan the bachelor party,” a voice called out. It belonged to Sol Josephson, the only other Ash besides Laira and me at Spectrum. Roars of laughter met Sol’s suggestion, and I struggled to keep a straight face.
“She’s messing with you, Bas,” Madden told him. “She’s a Blank. One who’s just overstepped her bounds.”
I stepped back and held my hands up. “Guilty,” I said, smirking.
Bas turned to me, his paralysis quickly
Bastin knew an Ash destiny was happening, but he didn’t know what it was, or if it had been accomplished yet. And the Keepers were still standing across the street talking. I unclenched my fists and smiled. This was going to be fun. Before I had time to change my mind I was running toward him, my arms wide open.
“It’s you! At long last, I’ve finally found you,” I said, flinging my arms around him and burying my head into his chest. His muscular chest, I couldn’t help but notice. Too bad it was overshadowed by his ego.
“Crilas,” Bastin cursed. “What the—” He looked at me in shock, and I returned it with wide-eyed adoration. “Who, who are you?” he sputtered. “Get off of me.” He tried to pry me away, but I held on for all I was worth.
“He said get off,” Madden said through gritted teeth. The students who had started to drift off stopped and turned back around to watch, much to her horror. And my delight.
“I can’t,” I told her, my hands now clinging around Bastin’s neck. “Today is Thursday, September nineteenth .” I looked over at the clock tower for added effect. “And it is almost 2:15, is it not?”
Bastin’s eyes flicked to the clock in confusion. “What is this about?” He finally peeled himself away from me and took a step back, adjusting his tie.
“I’d like to know that myself, Dax ,” Madden said. I could tell she was trying to stay calm, but her eyes had narrowed into slits. I’ve had my share of run-ins with our future minister and once the eyes narrow, it means she’s started to boil. Which was exactly what I wanted.
“Well, Madden ,” I said, matching her tone, “he may be your boyfriend, but he’s my future.”
“You have no future,” she spat back.
Technically she was right, but her boyfriend didn’t know that. And so I moved toward Bas, reaching out for him possessively.
He grabbed my wrist before I could wrap myself around him again. “Will someone please tell me what is going on?” The vein near his temple jumped in fury. It was just the reaction I was hoping for—and the perfect place to drop the final bomb.
“But darling, can’t you feel it?” I answered as dreamily as I could. “You’re my destiny.” I clasped my free hand over his. “Tall, light brown hair, blue eyes, purple tie? My file says we’re to be married. I’ve been waiting for this moment all my life. We’re destined to spend eternity together. Now where could the Keepers have gone off to? Technically my destiny isn’t scheduled for another two minutes.” I glanced up at the clock tower. “Well, one minute now. Don’t you just love this system?”
The color drained from Bastin’s face. He was totally falling for it.
The students around the lawn were snickering. People rarely paid attention to Ashes, but when you were an Ash with a Blank destiny like me, you developed a kind of notoriety. My classmates knew I was lying, but it didn’t matter. They were still riveted.
Bastin turned to Madden, opening and closing his mouth, trying to form words. Nothing was coming out.
Madden turned her wrath toward the crowd and the laughter immediately stopped. “Enough,” she growled.
I ignored her. “Bas, sweetie?” I said as innocently as possible. “Honeybun? Say something, won’t you?”
But it wasn’t Bas who answered.
“I’ll plan the bachelor party,” a voice called out. It belonged to Sol Josephson, the only other Ash besides Laira and me at Spectrum. Roars of laughter met Sol’s suggestion, and I struggled to keep a straight face.
“She’s messing with you, Bas,” Madden told him. “She’s a Blank. One who’s just overstepped her bounds.”
I stepped back and held my hands up. “Guilty,” I said, smirking.
Bas turned to me, his paralysis quickly
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