Meant to Be (The Saving Angels 1)

“Shawn and I think it’s imperative that we start aggressively searching the internet to find out exactly what happened on this beach to tie all of us together.”

“We don’t have to leave right away though if you girls still want to ride more rides,” Shawn added.

Though we were anxious to explore the internet to find out some answers, we voted, and decided it could wait a while. Sam still wanted to ride some of the rides at the Boardwalk. It was decided that we would play for a few hours and then get down to work.

I couldn’t help my nagging feeling, like we were wasting time, but they had a point, the internet would be there later.

Sam lightened the mood as she dragged us on all the rides. I tried to balk when Sam headed back toward the “Giant Dipper,” but she talked me into it.

The second time on the ride seemed to be faster than the first, and I my legs were quaking from the adrenaline rush by the time the ride screeched to a halt.

Mark laughed at my shaky legs when I tried to stand. He put his arm around me, to steady me. I took advantage of having him so close and snuggled in even closer. He didn’t seem to mind; in fact he tightened his hold on me. As we made our way toward the exit of the ride, Sam started clamoring to ride the “Double Shot.” The same ride mom and I had made fun of. It was hard to believe that just last week we had mocked the ride, and how lonely I had felt. Now, I was surrounded by people that felt like family, and that I could trust.

“No way,” I said as Sam turned, pleading eyes on me.

“I think she needs to sit this one out Sam,” Mark said.

Sam looked at my slightly green face and must have agreed with him, because they headed off by themselves to give the giant rubber band like ride a try.

Mark led me to a bench and sat down next to me. I laid my head on his shoulder and looked down at our linked fingers. Though his was much larger, our hands fit together as snuggly as a puzzle piece in the right slot. Usually, public forms of affection mortified me, but I just couldn’t seem to find a problem with this.

“I love you,” Mark said quietly.

“What?” I said, still wrapped up in what his touch was doing to me.

“I love you,” he repeated a little louder this time. “I know it may be too soon to say it, but I needed you to know how I felt.”

I sat in silence for a few moments.

“I’m not trying to rush you,” Mark said, sounding slightly panicked.

“It’s not what you said. It’s just, are you sure? I know we’ve shared the dreams all these years, but aren’t you slightly disappointed at how I turned out?” I asked, feeling my cheeks blaze up in embarrassment.

Mark laughed. “Are you kidding me? You’re everything I imagined and more. I feel like the luckiest guy in the world.”

“Are you sure? Even with all my flaws?” I persisted, pointing to my red cheeks to prove my point.

Mark ran his hand down my cheek. “I love everything about you; your smile, your quirky sense of humor, but most of all your sensitivity. We are a match.”

Love. He had said the word that I craved to hear the most. Sure, I heard it growing up, but I always felt my adoptive parents had to say the words. I knew that not all people loved me, case in point, my own real parents obviously had not. To think that just this morning, I had been tempted to throw in the towel when I thought he might leave me, but instead he was professing his love for me.

“I love you too.”

Sam and Shawn joined us before we could say anything else. Sam’s cheeks were flushed from the excitement of the ride, or maybe it was from being with the guy she was in love with.

Sam was able to talk me into going on the “Haunted Castle,” which was just cheesy enough that all of us were laughing when we got off the ride.

We ended our day at the Boardwalk by going on “Loggers Revenge,” which was a ride where you sat in a wooden log drifting along on the water until finally you drop off a hundred foot decline splashing at the bottom, so the water completely drenches everyone on board.

I put an end to the rides after that. I felt like I had left my stomach at the top of that drop, and now that I was soaked, I was ready to leave.

We decided that it would be best to do our research on the internet at Mark’s house, since I still hadn’t told my mom about Mark.

Sam and I called our mom’s to tell them we were going to the movies, and out to eat afterwards.

I felt terrible about lying to my mom yet again. I was not the type of person who lied and the guilt was eating through me until Mark hugged me. I marveled at the warmth that spread through me at his touch. All the guilt seemed to flow away to make room for his warmth.

“Thanks,” I said, he knew instantly what I was talking about. “I figured out yesterday that we neutralize each other’s abnormalities. When I was angry at Matt yesterday, you touched my face and it was like a blanket being thrown over a fire,” he told me.