Finding Fate

A Strange Visitor

"So? How'd we do?" Chase said, slipping into the booth and taking a spot next to Brad.

"I liked your last performance better."

"You weren't even there for it, Amelia."

"My point exactly." I rolled my eyes and looked down at my drink, swirling the beverage around in the cup.

"Come on Ames, you have to admit, we smashed it out there," Brad said.

"Sure." He turned to Grace for some help, but she shook her head,

"Don't look at me Brad, you're arguing with some strange forces over there." Amelia, Grace, Chase and Brad began to bicker playfully, Oren staying silent next to his girlfriend.

Jason rested a hand on my own and I could feel that he was purposely pressing his leg against mine.

"What?" I asked sharply, looking up at him.

"Nothing." He paused, "That dress looks nice on you."

I flushed, crossing my ankles underneath the table. I wish I hadn't worn this thing.

"Uhm, thanks."

"How are you getting home?" He brushed a piece of hair from my eyes and I blushed at the contact.

"I'm going home with Ames and Grace." Jason frowned, almost... possessively.

"Not who, how?" I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. This feels so wrong.

Suddenly, my phone pinged in my pocket.

cAt laDY : You ok over there?

Thank God Grace had chosen a different platform.

lunamoon : idk

I raised my gaze to look across the table, meeting Gracie's eyes from under my eyelashes.

"Who's that?" Jason peered over at my phone and I was just able to turn my phone off before he saw.

"Oh, just a classmate going on about my PE teacher."

Jason narrowed his eyes sceptically-

"Hey Tay, when are we going to head to Ames'?" I put my phone in my pocket and shrugged.

"Ames?"

She glanced down at her watch, tilting her head side to side, "Now probably, if we want to be at my place by eleven at the latest."

Grace hastily ushered us out of the club, giving the band a rushed goodbye before Jason could question me further.

Amelia gave me a look as we made our way down the lit street,

"You good?"

I crossed my arms over my chest, "Yep."

Something was wrong. Why all of a sudden did it feel wrong to be with Jason? I never had this feeling before! Why did I feel like I was missing something?

Grace laid a hand on my shoulder, and I didn't have the heart to shrug it off.

"Can we go through the park? I have a call to make."

"Sure, is everything okay?" I peered up at Grace, my phone feeling heavy in my hands.

"You're not leaving, are you?" Ames asked. I vigorously shook my head,

"No, no, I just want to make sure I speak to Skylor before she goes to bed."

We walked silently to the park, and I could feel Amelia and Grace's glances burning into the sides of my head. When we reached Ninjago City Central Park, my friends stopped to admire the large statue of the white ninja, Zane. Something familiar washed over me. I shook my head. I've never met him. Right?

I split off, my fingers dialling Skylor's number.

"Taylor?" I was suddenly pulled into the bushes and my phone slipped from my fingers.

"Jaso-"

"You have your hair out, I've never seen it like this before." I opened my mouth to scream but a hand slapped across it, stifling the sound. "Shhhh." They pressed a finger to their lips. "It's okay, it's just me." The voice sounded familiar but so foreign at the same time. That is not Jason-

"I'm sorry, am I supposed to know who you are?" They let out an unamused chuckle,

"That's not funny Taylor. Why does no one remember who you are?"

"If you don't tell me who you are, I will scream and alert my friends that you're here." I felt the other person bristle.

"It's me, Lloyd! How do you-"

"Oh, no, no, no, you're going to get me arrested," I spat, pushing the Green Ninja away from me. I turned to leave but he quickly took hold of my hand.

"What have you done..." he whispered softly. "You really don't remember me?" I threw a glance over my shoulder, meeting blazing green eyes. I couldn't help but pity him.

"I'm sorry but we've never met before." He gulped, almost hesitating before holding my wrist tighter and speaking,

"Not even... our kiss?" I faced my body to him and tilted my head.

"No-"

"In the training room in the Bounty – we were talking about the scar on your back and then we kissed-"

"What scar?" I felt his body tremble.

"The one your father gave you." I was now starting to tremble. I stepped back, yanking my arm out of his grasp, and out of the bushes.

"Y-you know who my father is?"

Lloyd followed me out into the faint light of the park. "Your father is Chen."

No.

No.

It can't be.

"No, no, no you have it wrong. My father is dead! You're a liar, this whole thing is a lie!" He reached out and I twisted away. My knees started to buckle.

"I'm not lying Taylor! Skylor isn't your full-blooded sister, why don't you know this? You must listen to me, did a Djinn visit you?"

"No! Go away!"

"Taylor?" Grace and Amelia had heard us.

"I'm not leaving until you tell me what you wished for! What did you do?" Why is he crying? Why am I crying?

"I didn't do anything, okay?" I screamed. The four of us silenced, the sound of mine and Lloyd's heavy breathing filled the air. I turned my body away from him but avoided meeting my friends' gazes. Then, he spoke up,

"You wished that your mother lived, didn't you? Charity is alive..." He stepped forward and for some reason, he lifted the sleeve of my shirt slightly. "The scar is gone." I had never heard a man sound so broken.

"I don't know what you're talking about. All I know is that my father is dead, and my sister and I have been living with our single mother since I was born," I said, keeping my gaze on the floor, my voice cracking. I felt him step away. He let out a bittersweet chuckle,

"Oh, Taylor, you've really gone and messed things up, haven't you?" At first, I thought he was talking to me but when I looked up, his head was tilted to the sky. "You already had a family; you were just too blind to see it."

Amelia shook her head, ridding the shock,

"You need to leave now or I'm calling the authorities." The fugitive looked at Amelia and Grace, then at me. He opened his mouth to speak but hesitated before disappearing into the night.