Jasmine lived a more normal life than I had, so maybe she had a more diverse spectrum of experiences. I hoped so, for her sake. "Do you think she'll tell Mother about my classes?"
"I don't think so. Besides, it doesn't matter." She spun me around to face the mirror hanging on my wall. "You do realize that you're an adult? She has no legal claim on your life or your choices anymore."
My reflection didn't convey an adult in charge of her own life. Instead, my mousy brown hair, ordinary hazel eyes and make-up less face made me look young and unremarkable. The kind of girl who lives under the thumb of another, and who never speaks out in her own defense.
A new awareness settled in me, and I turned away from the girl in the mirror. "You're right. It's time I took control of my own life. Let's find a place to learn self-defense."
Ocean's face lit up in a smile, her dimpled cheeks, red lips and emerald eyes so beautiful. "Perfect! I'm so proud of you, Rose. Okay, I'll look online for different places today and we can check a few out tomorrow."
"No." I reached for my jacket and purse. "I'm going today. Now. I don't want to wait anymore."
Much to her credit, my best friend didn't hesitate a moment. She pulled on her coat and scarf and waited while I put on my boots, then marched me out of the cottage and to her car. "Get in. I'll drive. I'm taking the class with you."
"Thank you." My insides let out a sigh of relief. If she were with me then I wouldn't do anything bad. I wouldn't be able to hurt anyone. She'd stop me.
Already I felt better about this new adventure.
Fate guided us as we went in search of a studio. Ocean's car actually ran out of gas on a corner that featured a gas station, a laundry mat, a coffee shop, and a martial arts studio called Inner Peace Martial Arts.
When the car sputtered to a stop, Ocean slammed her palm down on the steering wheel and cursed.
I tried hard not to laugh out loud at her antics. Instead I said, "Guess you have to push while I steer."
She glared at me. "We can both push. I'll steer while pushing."
I got out and went to the back of the car, while she stood by the driver's side and leaned in to steer. Once in place, she hollered back to start pushing. It didn't take as much strength as one might imagine to push the car to an available spot at the gas station. She had a Fiat Coup, which wasn't big at all, and we had the advantage of nudging it along with a little magic.
Ocean emptied out her purse on the counter in the gas station, scrounging for loose change and small bills. She collected bits and pieces of what amounted to $4.32 and presented it to the cashier.
Such a small amount of gas pumped into her car quickly.
I pointed to the martial arts building. "Let's go check them out."
She nodded and drove us across the parking lot.
My palms became slick and my heart rate raced as I came face to face with my own rebellion. This was real, not some fantasy. I was actually going to disappoint my mother and coven leader and walk into this new way of living.
I steeled myself, took a deep breath, and opened the door into the heated studio.
And nearly walked right into the absolute sexiest man I'd ever laid eyes on.
The man from my dreams.
He turned to look at me, mouth open as if about to say something, but he just stood there in silence, chiseled jaw slack. His blue eyes shimmered with a hint of gold, giving him an animal-like quality. But it wasn't just his eyes. He stood so still, as if poised to leap for his prey in a great hunt. Well-defined muscles rippled under his tight black t-shirt, and his gaze held an intensity I'd only ever seen in my forbidden dreams. He smelled wild, like a forest at night. He possessed strength, power, a sway over others, and I would've backed away, intimated, if not for a shuck of black hair that fell onto his forehead, softening his features and giving him a boyish quality that tugged at my heart.
I pushed my mess of hair out of my face and tried to smile. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to run into you like that."
This all happened so fast that Ocean still stood behind me, half inside and half outside. When I didn't move, she pushed me forward. My mystery man steadied me with strong, confident hands as my friend muscled her way in. "Rose, what the hell—"
She stopped mid-sentence when she saw a man with his arms around mine. "Uh, okay. Hi, I'm Ocean and this is Rose. And you are?"
Leave it to Ocean to make abrasiveness so charming.
Whatever it was about me that had caught his attention would fade away in the brightness of Ocean's beauty and spunk, I knew that from experience. It didn't bother me anymore. Not everyone could be a star.
But he only glanced at her briefly, then locked eyes with me again. "I'm Derek. I work here. Is there something I can help you with?"