Fated to Fall for You (Completed)

Prologue

Chapter Image by KateHairBff

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Instinct. Gut feelings. Intuition.

I was never one for anything like that. I always thought that we could best live our lives based on what we could concretely see and feel.

...I was in for a rude awakening.

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Fourteen Years Ago

"C'mon, Elodie. Let's go!" My best friend Val tugged on my arm, dragging me forward with her.

"Val... It's getting late. What else can we even have left to do here?"

Although I loved our local county fair, I was "fair"-ed out. I could only ride so many rides and eat so much sugar and fried food.

Val turned and grinned at me mischievously. "I'm glad you asked."

"Why did I?" I sighed and shook my head, longing to be in bed with a good book. We only had so many days of freedom left before school started again...

"We haven't been to Tabitha's tent yet! Don't you want to know if Connor has a massive crush on you back?!"

Val was practically skipping towards this part of the fairgrounds now.

"I think you want to know more about Sam..." I trudged along behind her, feeling full of empty calories and exhaustion from spending a long day in the summer humidity.

"You're no fun!" Val stuck her tongue out at me. "But we're here anyway, so...."

"Please tell me this is the last stop of the night."

"It is." Val crossed her arms contentedly. "After you!"

We both reached for the entry flap of the tent and crept inside, curiously taking in the occult decor around us.

"Hello, girls. Welcome," Tabitha breathed out her greeting in a delicate British accent, gesturing to the table and open seats ahead of her. "Please take a seat." She smoothed the tablecloth of the table serenely, taking her gaze away from us.

Val happily complied and took the seat closest to her, then gestured for me to join.

I started to move towards the table then hesitated, reaching into my pocket for the leftover cash from the day. "How much-"

"Don't fret dear, I only charge after the reading, if there is anything of note to charge for." She smiled knowingly at me. "I know you'll both be able to fairly compensate me for the reading."

I steadied my hands on the table as I sat down next to Val, starting to feel shivers. I wasn't sure if it was finally starting to cool off or if this fortune teller was giving me the creeps.

"Now, who would like to start?"

Val's hand darted up instantly.

"I'll do a tarot reading, then jot down any further details on a parchment card for you."

"Details?" I felt skepticism and curiosity mingle in my stomach.

"Sometimes the tapestry of fate leaves a few threads for me to just lightly touch and pass on to you, such as a phrase or a name."

I nodded and started studying the rest of my surroundings. The occult trinkets and decor somehow called to me, pulling me into a trance. I could see Val react to Tabitha's reading out of my peripheral vision, but I had a hard time really concentrating on what they said to each other.

Must have been my mind growing foggy, coming down from the sugar high.

"It's your turn, Elodie."

I bolted upright, pulled out of my trance. "You know my name?!"

Val giggled and patted my back. "I introduced us five minutes ago, silly."

"It's quite alright." Tabitha waved off the awkwardness into thin air, an amused glint in her eyes. She shuffled her long, worn-appearing deck of cards, her gaze studying me closely. "You appear wise for your age. Diligent, hard-working..."

I'd been told that several times before. My mom often joked that I was so mature, I was practically raising myself.

"I am."

"What do you really want to know? Love? Career? Money?"

She started to place three cards on the table, all face down and deliberately spaced apart.

"Uh... I think when I figure out what I want to do, money will follow. So love, I guess?"

Tabitha chuckled lightly, setting the deck down off to the corner of the table. "Beware, guessing at love can get you into trouble in the future. Now let's see what the cards have to say."

I swallowed nervously, exchanging a glance with Val as we leaned in to watch her reveal.

She flipped the first card delicately.

"We have one reversed card, the Six of Swords..."

"Which means?"

"You will have a period of personal transition, likely a turbulent time in your life." She flipped the middle card next while I processed her reveal. "And next an upright Three of Swords, indicating a time of grief, sorrow, and heartbreak..."

I eyed Val skeptically. "Wow, this is fun..." I whispered sarcastically to Val as she flipped the third card.

"And lastly, an upright Ten of Cups. Your struggles will pass and you will have a divine love."

"What's a divine love?" Val leaned in, studying the cards intently.

"An everlasting love... A soulmate." Tabitha stared directly at me. It almost seemed as she was looking through me for a moment.

After the moment passed, she turned to dig through a bag next to her on the floor.

She returned to face us with a parchment card and a fountain pen. "I have the name of the one tied to your divine love."

"Whoa." Val leaned in, her mouth hanging open.

I glanced between Tabitha and Val, certain I was being pranked. "Ok then, let's see it." I crossed my arms in front of my chest defensively.

"Yes, let's see..." With long, deliberate pen strokes, she wrote down the name. "Do you know him?" She flipped the card to face us.

"Wesley... Bowen..? That isn't someone at our school." Val's brow furrowed in confusion.

I shook my head. "I don't know anybody by that name."

Tabitha set the card down and slid it across the tablecloth to me. "Not yet."

I cautiously reached for the card, looking over at Val, silently pleading to be done.

"Is that the reading?" Val asked cheerily, reaching into her pocket for cash.

"Yes girls, thank you for letting me see your beautiful futures."

I said nothing but started reaching for my cash as well.

"Don't worry, Elodie. My treat!" Val winked at me as she handed over what I assumed was too much payment for a lady to flip six cards.

"Oh, uh, thank you," I hurriedly murmured after Val.

We both stood up and I slipped the card in my pocket. I didn't really know what else to say after that. I nodded slightly to Tabitha before turning to leave the tent. "Thanks. Have a good night."

Tabitha nodded back with a gentle smile across her lips. "You too, my dears."