Marks of the Chosen

ALEX

I stared up at the sign that read Mrs. bakers fortune cookie, and I looked over to my side to see a really excited Erica who couldn't wait to crack open a cookie for her fortune. As her emotion differed from mine, I couldn't wait to get out and go home. How ironic. I wasn't even in yet.

"Come on, Alex. Let's go in."

I sighed as we both walked in and found an empty table at a far end of the shop, we took a seat and the waiter came over to take our order. Erica ordered for two plates of fortune cookie and two sundaes. I only stared at her with a look that said, let's get out of here.

"Come on Alex. Don't look so bored. People would think I dragged you in here." she sighed and I blinked before saying

"You literally did."

"Oh come on Alex don't be silly" she rolled her eyes with a smile and I felt my brows fold up a little before I let out another sigh.

"Just get your fortune and let's get out of here." I groaned and she asked

"Aren't you getting yours?"

"Nope" I said immediately without having to give it a second thought.

The waiter finally brought over two plates of cookies and two sundaes. I pushed my plate of cookie aside and went straight for a scoop of sundae, it tasted so good and I wondered again why the place wasn't named Mrs. bakers marvelous sundae scoop.

"Why don't you want to crack yours open?" Erica asked me as she had began to crack open every cookie she had while she gave a little pout at every disappointment.

"Erica, anyone but you should be asking me that. Over the past six summers I've been getting the same terrible fortune that looks like a death sentence and you still want me to go ahead and rub in more death sentences on my face? no thank you."

Every first day of summer Erica and I would always be over at the cookie shop for our fortune but I haven't been getting any luck at it. Can you blame me for not liking the fortune cookie?

"Trust me Alex, this fortune cookies are excellent and they always come to pass."

I gave her a not - helping sort of look and she paused her lips before saying

"what I mean is. I believe this summer is gonna be different for both of us and that begins with you getting a change in your fortune. Remember my last summers fortune?" She asked

"Yeah, what about it?"

"I went over to a party and four different cool guys asked me out but I only chose one of them." she smiled brightly and I wondered. How many was she supposed to go for in the first place?

"You mean Brian, right?"

"Yeah!" She said as her eyes lit up with excitement but then it died down immediately "but he's old news now. Now I'm in for Jamie."

I wasn't surprised. Erica's boyfriends change almost at the same rate as the human heart beats. I think she realized she had totally lost me at this point because she added "what I mean to say is that all you need to do is believe in it...I guess."

I sighed. I believed her being asked out wasn't the work of the cookie but because it was only natural. Shiny long blond hair in a neat French braid style same as mine, lovely honey brown eyes, a beautiful smile that beat up a lot of other girls capacity, a stylish dress code sense and lovely set of shoes, with good grades. She was a masterpiece, so who exactly wouldn't be interested in her. All that aside, she was a wonderful diver who had made it to the national diving competition.

Yep, she's been my best friend since grade school.

Unlike me on the other hand. I've never really paid any attention to how I dress or how I look. I just go with the flow of life. Nothing about me is so interesting. We were just so different.

"Ah! Found it." She gasped as she showed me a small rolled up paper.

"Well, go on, open it." I said, finding myself actually curious for her fortune. She gently opened hers as she let out a soft breath and my eyes drooped at her reaction. "Come on Erica, you're not checking your result for the term you know."

"Don't rush me!". She whispered and I couldn't help but to smile.

She read out "head above the water..." her eyes shone and her mouth gaped as she finished "...its golden."

"Could it be?" I said as it became my turn to gape and suddenly we both squealed softly as we pumped our feet on the ground. As much as I didn't believe in the fortune cookie, I was so glad Erica got such a great fortune and she deserved it cause she worked so hard for it. I wished deep down from my heart it would happen.

"Wow, I feel so happy and assured right now that my summer is going to be great!" She pumped her fist and then raised a brow at me

"What?" I asked and she gave me an obvious look

"Its your turn."

I smiled "I told you Erica, its not happening."

"Ugh, come on Alex, please. Alright, just go through three of the cookies and if you don't find a fortune, I would lay off, okay?"

I took a spoon of sundae and looked at Erica as she had on her pleading face. I was so confident I couldn't find it in the first three cookies and I know she's probably thinking of pressuring me on after the first three failures but I wasn't going to fall for it.

"Alright, only three cookies" I said to get her off my neck. I sighed as I confidently took a cookie and broke it into two to see not-"

I froze.

She froze.

We stared at each other and she blinked as I followed the same pattern.

"Wow." I finally muttered.

"A big wow, I was going to pressure you after the first three but who knew this would happen" Erica said looking just as shocked as I was to see the white paper in the first cookie "now this is interesting. Go on, open it"

A lot of things were wrong at that moment. First, no one, I mean no one has ever gotten their fortune on their first try. How I know is because I believe the workers are not dumb enough to keep the fortune cookie up right? business doesn't work that way.

Second, I had never found my fortune on my first plate. Usually, after I break through a whole plate of cookies I would be forced to order another plate before I find my fortune. My least amount of cookie plate is two but there I was holding onto my fortune from the first cookie on the first plate.

Third, they serve all their plates on a blue sky like plate but mine is a red checkered plate... I watch my environment pretty well. This had to be a fraud, despite that, a light lit up in me as I found myself believing the fortune was different as I rolled it open. The writing came into view and I was silent for a while, then I smiled.

"What? what's wrong? Is it different?" Erica asked anxiously as she leaned forward.

I looked up at her with a smile and said "yep, it totally changed."

"See, I told you it was definitely going to change" she snapped her fingers excitedly as she took it to get a look at it. She read through it and went silent, then she raised her head and met my eyes. I wasn't smiling any longer.

"You said it changed" she said in a confused tone

"Yeah it did, didn't you notice? It got bolder". I pointed out for her before saying "thanks Erica."

"I'm sorry Alex, I thought it would change."

YOU WILL DIE A PAINFUL AND LONELY DEATH.

I was tired of seeing those set of words. This marks my seventh encounter, what a blessing, I thought.

Just when I thought those were the only wrong things going on. Usually the fortune cookies are always not written to go straight to the point, but that was clearly straight the point. Seven times in a roll, the coincidence was just too unnatural.

Is it too much for a seventeen year old girl to just want a normal life?

"This is all just stupid." I said and took a spoon of my sundae, and I dropped my spoon in frustration and leaned back against the chair. Way to go fortune, now my sundae tastes horrible. We were silent for a while before Erica said.

"Ou! ou! I know what would make you happy" she jumped with a creepy grin on her face.

I faked a smile and said "you sound pretty cheerful for someone who just made me receive my seventh death sentence."

"Come on Alex. Just... look who's coming in".

"I looked back towards the entrance and my eyes went wide open. I looked back immediately at Erica and shot at her. "Let's leave, now."

Unfortunately for me, Erica's dumb side had kicked in.

"I don't want to get in the way so have fun." she said and winked at me then I realized she was gesturing over to Max, Tyler's friend.

"Hey Max."

"Hold on, Erica what are you doing?" I softly gritted through my teeth. She completely ignored me and before I knew it, my crush was standing right next to me with two of his best friends.

Tyler green, a wonderfully talented basketball player at my school. He had a cool and friendly aura and he seemed to get along so well with anyone. Despite that I've never gotten into a conversation with him. His looks? Totally to die for. Yeah, he's handsome. Blond hair, blue eyes as deep and breathtaking as the sea, his piercings holding a black dotted earring, great body state that speaks for basketball. My god, he was heavenly, and this was why Katherine was always so clingy with him.

Just to be clear she's not his girlfriend.

Just the leader of the cheers squad who's a pain in the butt. Max and Joe were also part of the basketball team. What bothered me at that moment was how Erica became buddy buddy with Max and when.

"Hi Erica, fancy seeing you here?"

"Right back at you."

"Guys, this is Erica. She's in my science department. She really saved my butt in the last test" Max said as he smiled to the others.

"And I was wondering why I didn't hear any news of a lab going berserk" Joe said and Max nudged him.

"Anyway this are my friends. Tyler and Joe" Max introduced and I watched from my seated angle as I silently wished this was nothing more than friends greeting each other and parting ways after that. I had no idea what Erica was thinking.

I know I said Erica gets good grades and obviously pointed out that she's a smart ass, but at times she can be far worse off than a pea brain. I could make out the word 'this is my bestee Alex', and I knew there was obviously no way out now. I looked up at them as Erica reintroduced them to me with Tyler coming in last. Our eyes met and he smiled but I quickly diverted my attention over to max. I smiled at them and said

"Hi"

I silently wished it had come to an end. Eye contact with his blue eyes was enough to make my heart skip a beat... but a smile that cute was heart melting.

Enough talking Erica. End the conversation and lets get out of here, I groaned internally

"You two getting your fortune?" Max asked

"Can't miss it" Erica replied with a smile

"I know right. The cookie is so great and the fortune works like magic," Max said and Erica jumped back as her excitement kicked in again

"I know right!"

Yay, you found someone who likes the cookie like you do, good for you Erica, now break up your conversation and let them get a sit away from here! I practically screamed in my mind.

"Alright then. We should get a seat and order our cookie." I heard max say and I silently blessed him.

"Hey, we're about to head out, Why don't you sit here"

Curse you Erica

"But first I have to get the cookies packed. They're..."

"Part of the magic." Max and Erica said in unison then they laughed it off.

"Alright then. If you don't mind then."

With that. I watched Erica walk off to the counter. Max why didn't you object? No no no no no, Erica you can't do this to me. I looked at her but then she gave me that annoying wink that made me want to strangle her at that point.

To make matters worse, Tyler sat right next to me.

Talk about lucky but unlucky.