****FREE**** Signs: The Grand Design [Series Book 1]

Episode 1. The Birth-Day

Turning over in my sleep, I reached my arm across to feel him, but he was not there. Sluggishly, I sat up on the bed and pulled the blanket with me as I scanned the room. There’s a little table and chair. Beyond it is a sink dripping water. A picture crookedly hangs on the wall in front of me, a family of four. Seems no one has lived there for a while, this studio has been abandoned for years. I see him clearly as the daybreak, the rise of the morning sun beaming down on his golden tan skin as he stares out the window. Shirtless, only his bottoms hanging loosely off his waist. He seems lost in thought, with one hand raised along the windowpane, as he sips on a glass of water. Even in this small room, the presence of him is captivating. His hair is as yellow as the sun, with hazel eyes blazing like fire. Rising as if not to wake the dead, I slowly migrated towards him, touching his back. He turns to me and smiles, his hand on my neck while his thumb caresses my cheek. I reached up and grabbed his hair, staring into his eyes, pulling him down to my lips. He lifts me off my feet with the ease of his strength and I wrap my legs around him. As we kiss, I feel his passion matching my own. He begins kissing my neck and I’m utterly lost in him, losing all my senses. Then I open my eyes and I see them, stealthily moving in through the door, lining up like soldiers behind him. I get tense and scream, but it’s too late. As they drag him away, I hear him calling for me.

“Justice, Justice.” I opened my eyes and looked around. It was just a dream, but it seemed so real.

“Wake up kiddo, the guests are starting to arrive, and I find you here, in bed still in your pajamas.”

“Dad, please stop calling me kiddo, I’m not twelve. Besides, this is Susan’s party. I didn’t want one.”

Today was my eighteenth birthday party, though technically my birthday wasn’t until Monday. I’d told my dad weeks ago that I wanted a private dinner with just a few friends, but he insisted that Susan, his new fiancé, wanted to do something special for me. My dad’s a very handsome man, tall, with dark hair, dark skin, and brown eyes. He has his own law firm that he built from the ground up, Joshua Benjamin Wade & Associates. My mom was the secretary when it was just the two of them and a rental space in town. I can remember playing under the desk with my dolls while she was making appointments and talking to potential clients, and she always smelled of jasmine. I was seven when she died and my dad poured himself into his business, I guess to drown out the pain. I was, on the other hand, too young to remember much about her. I only knew that I missed her.

My father met Susan a few years ago. They met when he hired her as the event planner for a gala he was throwing for his firm. She was one of the top planners in Maricopa, Arizona. Naturally, she had to throw a grand spectacle for me. I like her but she can be a bit over the top. Her daily clothing is never boring, always in heels, except when she’s exercising, of course. She’s quite stunning, her short black hair never out of place. Her dark eyes and olive skin were nothing in comparison to her confidence. When she walked into a room, she owned it, and she knew it.

“Well, what’s done is done. No use fighting it, get dressed and come down before I send the crazy.” He laughed.

“Real funny Dad. I’ll be down in thirty minutes. Tell the step-monster not to blow a gasket.”

“You remind me so much of your mother. And don’t worry, Susan and I will play the background tonight.”

“Thanks Dad.” Though I knew he and Susan wouldn’t stay completely away. They’d take turns popping in.

He smiled, kissed me on my forehead and whispered happy birthday. Once he was gone, I had to get to it. My clothes were already hanging in my bathroom, shoes and accessories all picked out, thanks to Susan. I dislike parties and all the attention, but it’ll be a great distraction from that dream. That Dream. It seemed real, not like your normal dreams where you wake up in different places every five seconds, but real. I’ve always had a gift for foresight or, as I call it, the sixth sense, but most people say déjà vu, and this seemed a lot like it. As if this was going to happen. I would see little things, who’d win a game, when the weather was going to be bad, if my dad would win or lose a case. Maybe it’s luck. I don’t know.

I jump in the shower, careful not to get my hair wet; it’s a shame I could only spend ten minutes in this hot water. Quickly, I get out and dry my skin. I rub on some lotion, dab on a little perfume oil, and take my auburn hair down from its curlers, giving it a quick brush through before pinning it up. I must admit, Susan has impeccable taste. The dress is beautiful, light opal blue with delicate sheer lace and beaded pearl embellishments. It looks perfect with my honey complexion. The beaded front hugs my breast and the back is low cut to my waist. Nothing but a few strings of diamonds going across. The length is perfect, mid-thigh, to show off my legs and the flow of it moves elegantly with ease. I slipped them on and put on my four-inch Prada shoes. Being five feet three, I can appreciate the added height. As I strap them closed, I notice my birthmark had gotten darker, more defined.

My mark was somewhat unusual. It looked exactly like the Libra sign and being that I was born on October 7th, made it even more bizarre. That’s how I got my name, Justice Serenity Wade. “The one who fights for truth and justice must always bring peace,” my father would always say, he and my mother had already been grooming me for law school since birth. Libra is a sign of the scale of balance. That’s why my name just wasn’t a name, it had meaning, and its meaning meant everything to my parents. I looked down at the mark again. It’s a good thing the shoe strap will hide it. I put on my mother’s diamond and pearl earrings and bracelet. A little shimmering gloss on my full lips, eyeliner and mascara and I was ready. Doing things at the last minute always suited me better than planning. I knew I’d be on time. I gave myself a once over in my full-length mirror before heading out.

I made it downstairs just in time to hear the D.J. offering an official welcome. Before I reached the patio doors, I saw Lacy waiting. Lacy is my best friend; I’ve known her since kindergarten. She’s much more beautiful than I am. Her long black hair, full frame and dark silky skin make her one of the most wanted girls in our school. And the fact that she’s the head of the cheerleading squad makes her a likely candidate for the most popular.

“Jay! Omg you look hot! Wait until they get a load of you.”

“Thanks.”

“You don’t have to be so dry about it. The biggest party of the year is through those doors.”

I gave a slight smile, “We had better get to it then.”

As we walked through the French doors, I saw almost half of my class. There must be 150 people here, including the wait staff, of course. The back yard is covered in the biggest white tent I’ve ever seen, tables are set with a white cloth and each one has a centerpiece that stands slender and tall enough not to be an eye sore and they’re all filled with white calla lilies, white and blue roses, and blue hydrangeas. Hanging from the ceiling were delicate chandeliers from the front to back right up the center of the tent, illuminating the blue dance floor. Evenly placed between the tables are small trees trimmed in the shape of roses with added white lights. The cake was enormous. It had five tiers; white and each tier had a different design. Pearls, diamonds, and flowers were all meticulously placed. There was even an all-white photo booth. Susan really did go over the top with this one.

I was lost in a trance until I heard the D.J. count off, “1, 2, 3, Happy Birthday Justice” as the guests all chanted at once. Immediately, I got all the usual greetings from everywhere. I thanked Susan and my dad for the party; Lacy and I hit the dance floor. Dancing was never my strong suit, but I could certainly keep up. Lacy immediately met up with Chance, her boyfriend, while I was being waved over by Amari.

“Hey Justice, this is a fab party, one fit for the gods. I’ve been taking selfies since I got here.” Amari said, “This is going to be the best party of the year.”

Amari Sully was one of my more socially conscious friends. Everything we did was posted on all three of her social media outlets. She was also the editor of the school paper. If you wanted popularity, she was the one to give it or take it away. At seventeen she was already a fierce blogger. Before I could say something condescending, I felt someone bump into my side.

“Yes! This is history in the making girl, and I’ve managed to sneak some booze into the punch. This is gonna be an epic night.”

And there you have it, Jordan Knight. Jordan was a party boy and happened to be best friends with Chance.

“Jordan, are you drunk?”

“Not yet hot stuff! I’m just feeling the burn.”

We all decided to head to the tables and get something to eat. If Jordan had spiked the punch the way I knew he did, we would need food. Everything was delicious. All of my favorite foods were on the menu. I especially liked that there were fried plantains and mini-fish empanadas. My mom used to cook those for me all the time. She was from Central America and had moved to the States as a child. She’d always make Belizean dishes, but those two were my favorite. I guess Susan wanted me to have a piece of her. I’d have to thank her for that. It was nice of her to remember.

The D.J. started playing Best Life by Cardi B and that was our cue. It seemed everyone at the party was up and ready. I couldn’t help but laugh as we danced to the music. After 30 minutes, it seemed like I had been dancing forever. I looked at Lacy and Chance and they seemed to be in a world of their own. At least they weren’t fighting. I didn’t want them to break up at the party of the century. You can never tell about those two. They broke up more times than I could count.

“Hey Lace, all this dancing is making me thirsty, you want anything?”

“No, I’m good.”

“Okay, be back in a minute.” Even though I told Lacy I wanted a drink, all I really wanted was a break for my feet. I made my way to the bar and asked for a glass of iced water. I sat down and started taking off my shoes.

“Well, don’t you look all grown up.” I’d recognize that voice from anywhere. Aden. I turned around with a sly grin and took him in. I’ve had a crush on him since I was 10 and he was 13. Back then, it was puppy love. Today is more of an unspoken thing between us. I give him the biggest hug and he kisses me on the cheek. Aden is Chance’s older brother. He’s away at college, Stanford to be exact. He’s the direct opposite of his younger brother. He got a full ride to college solely on academics and he’s defiantly the more handsome of the two.

“When did you get here, I didn’t know you were in town.”

“I promised Chance I’d be here for his big game.” It was our rival game, right before homecoming and Chance was our number one wide receiver. “So, what, I’m not good enough to be invited to your party, I see? It’s okay, I knew once I left, you’d forget about little old me.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. I almost forgot how charming he was. “Aden, I could never forget about you.”

“So, tell me something, why are you sitting here all alone? Shouldn’t you be on the dance floor?”

“I’ve been there, done that, plus these shoes weren’t made for dancing.” We both laughed and I began to ask him if he had come to town alone when my eyes caught him. Suddenly I was lost for words. There he was. Leaning against the end of the bar. It was only a brief glance, but it felt like an eternity. He looked more handsome than in my dreams. His hair with its dark roots and golden locks bounced off his sun-kissed complexion perfectly. His dark blue eyes and full facial stubble made him look even more mysterious. “Jay”, I heard Aden say. No sooner than I looked at Aden and turned back, he was gone. I rose from my seat so quickly that I stumbled. Aden caught me before I hit the floor. When I looked up, he was gone.

“Woo Justice, you okay?” No, you didn’t see him. He was just there smiling at me.

“Yeah, must have stood up a little too fast or something, I’m fine.”

Lacy, and everyone else, for that matter, must have been watching because no faster than I could regain my balance and take a seat, they were all there. Amari was the first on the scene as usual, asking if I was okay. I’m glad her camera wasn’t on. And Jordan insisted he smell my breath to make sure I wasn’t drunk.

“Jordan, I haven’t been drinking.”

“Hey, just making sure you didn’t hit my stash.”

We all burst out in laughter. Aden, of course, didn’t find the humor in it.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” I just shook my head. Yes, I was lost in his eyes. He looked at me with such concern, such compassion. I hadn’t noticed that he was still holding on to me.

“Bro, you can let her go now, she’s not gonna break.”

“Chance, shut it.”

I wanted nothing more than for him to not let go. He had one arm around my waist while the other in the small of my back was pure heat. After years of playful banter between us, I wanted nothing more in that moment than to have him closer to me.

“How about I help you put on those heals of yours and you can give me a chance to dance with the birthday girl?”

“Sure, why not? I think I’ve rested enough.”

I gave a half smile and took a seat. Aden bent down to place my shoes on and strapped them. He didn’t neglect to rub my legs ever so gently while doing so. As he helped me to my feet, Ed Sheeran’s Thinking out Loud began to play. We walked over to the dance floor; I couldn’t help but scan the yard. Looking for him. Maybe it was a flash from my dream, I thought, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was real. I had gotten lost in my own head until Aden pulled me close to him. The butterflies in my stomach began to dance as I wrapped my arms around his neck. He was devastatingly beautiful. With each sway, I could feel his hands caressing the small of my back. All I could do was stare into his eyes.

“What’s going on in there? What are you thinking about?”

“I’m not sure. Something about you seems different about you.”

“Maybe it’s something different about you. You’re the one in this perfectly tailored dress.” I blush as he steps back, spins me around and pulls me back in.”

“Why Aden? I do believe you’re flirting with me.”

“And if I am? Would that be a bad thing?”

“No. Not at all.”

“So how about this? Since I’ll be here a week, how about me taking you out?”

I don’t know why, but I started to giggle. Maybe it was because I was nervous or maybe it was because he was actually sincere.

“Seriously Jay. How about it? Anywhere you want.”

Before I could answer, the music stopped. There was a huge round of applause, screams and whistles. Everyone had almost cleared the dance floor and formed a circle watching us. My face began to turn bright red. Embarrassed, I flew off the dance floor into the house and up the stairs to my room. I flopped faced down in my bed, I knew this would be all over social media, thanks to Amari. My thoughts were interrupted by a knock at my door.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me, Lacy.”

“And me too.”

Not Amari. I really didn’t have time to play 100 questions.”

“Come in, I guess.”

“What happened?,” Lacy asked. “You just bolted.”

“Yeah, I was getting some real good footage.”

“Amari, please don’t post that! I’m humiliated enough as it is.”

“Okay, but even if I don’t, I’m sure it’s gonna get around. Everyone had their phones out.” I stuffed my pillow into my face.

“Exactly! Girl, that dance was epic. You two looked like you were gonna drop your clothes right on the dance floor. Anyway, if you start dating Aden, we’ll be girlfriends- in- law.”

“Shut up Lacy. I don’t know why I ran okay! I hate being put on the spot.”

There was another knock at the door. This time it was Susan.

“Mind if I come in?” I simply nodded.

“Will you girls excuse us? I’d like to talk to Justice alone.”

With that, Lacy and Amari left, but not before assuring me they’d be out in the hall waiting for me.

“Do you want to come back to the party? Your friends are looking for you.”

No, I didn’t want to go back to that party. I’d had enough embarrassment for the evening. And Aden. I’m sure he doesn’t want to go out now. When I responded with a look that said, you can be serious, Susan laughed.

“Okay.” She was chuckling at this point, but I failed to see the humor.

“Look, I’ll tell everyone that we’ll sing Happy Birthday and call it night. I’ll tell them some story about you feeling ill because someone spiked the punch.”

“You knew?”

“Of course, I knew. That Jordan doesn’t have tact at all. But I figured I’d pretend I didn’t and let you guys have fun. Your dad got called to the office, so he’ll never know. So, now, how about you come down for twenty minutes so we can end this party on a good note?”

“Thanks Susan.”

I returned to the party as promised. I looked for Aden, but he had left. I really blew it, I thought. I couldn’t wait to get to bed and forget every awkward moment of the night. I took a long hot shower, put on my pajamas, and climbed into bed. I almost forgot to set my alarm. I wanted to go for an early morning run. Running always helped me clear my head. I reached for my phone and saw there was a message from a number I didn’t recognize.

Text: Hey, sorry I left before I could see your fabulous return. How about a movie and dinner? -Aden.

I didn’t hesitate to respond.

Me: Tomorrow at 7.

Aden: See you then. Good night Jay.

Me: Good night.

I smile as I place my phone back on the nightstand and curl up under the covers. I guess I wasn’t as weird as I thought. I was about to drift off, when I saw a beam of light shining through my window. It was so bright I don’t know how I could stand it, yet I couldn’t take my eyes off it. The beam burst through at lightning speed, aiming right towards me. I didn’t have time to react. It hit me hard. I was no longer in my room but in a sunny meadow. s**t!