Snippet #2564882

Her mother sat across from her on the picnic blanket, nibbling at some sort of pastry. It didn't matter what she ate. They were in a dream. With the snap of her fingers it could be steak, or milkshakes, or whatever. Her mom liked to feel dainty, so here they were in what would appear to be a child's tea party. She loved this time with her mother. They sat and chatted as Kat caught her mother up with all the doings at school.

“How is Anthony?” her mother asked.

“Good, just as lazy as ever,” Kat said through a snicker. It was now, in their dreams that her mother was herself. She wasn't cowering from the shadows, or drooling from the medication that pumped through her veins. This was happiness. However, it wasn't made to last.

The trees around them started to rustle and shake. As Kat watched the warm air blow through the branches she was alarmed. It wasn't often something happened in a dream she didn't want. She was pretty good at controlling them by now. She looked back and her mother was gone, the connection severed.

What was going on?

“My darling,” A robust voice said from behind her. Kat turned and looked upon the face she hadn't seen since she was very young.

“Dionysus.” She recognized him instantly despite the time between their meetings. “You know, I almost thought I had imagined meeting you all that time ago,” Kat spoke hesitantly, sweetly.

“Did you?” He asked. His eyes were a deep purple, like wine. His skin tanned, his hair hung in loose black curls.

“It was a long time ago, and I never heard from you again, but I was different when you left me and that was enough reason to believe in you,” Kat finally looked him in the eye. “Is it time? Is that why you've come?”

“Yes. We are doing the bonding this evening.” Dionysus said.

“This evening?” This was a shock. She knew that eventually she would have to play her part, and participate in this ridiculous “bonding” to entertain the gods. She had her mother back, should she really complain. Still knowing that she was about to be tied to someone, forever was a lot to sink in.

“Yes. There is a coffee shop on the corner of 22nd and Main street. Be there before six pm.”

Kat jolted awake. Tonight. The ceremony was tonight. She tried to cope with that as the sinking realization hit that her alarm was not going off and it was very light outside. She turned, looking at her alarm clock to find that school had already started hours before. She couldn't afford another tardy slip. She was often late due to her dreams, and her father left very early. She jumped out of bed, and grabbed her jeans. She jumped as she pulled them up over her hips. She grabbed her purple tank top, pulling the snug garment over herself. It was a little chilly outside, being the start of October. As an after thought she brought a light jacket as well. Stepping into her flats, bag on her back she ran to her car.
The Jeep roared to life and she was off. The soft rock music that played from the radio put her in a trance like state. The bonding was tonight. The only good news was that at least she already knew some of the people that would be there. Anthony for example would be there. If she got bonded to him it wouldn't be terrible, they were already good friends after all.
Kat did her best to sneak through, but the secretary waved her over. Stealth had never been a strong suit of hers. She blamed her head of flame red hair.

“Mrs. Dodson, I really can't afford to be late again,” Kat pleaded.
“Then you shouldn't have been late Miss Jones.”
Kat sighed, she really hated to do this, but if she was late again she would have to start making up times on Sundays, and that wasn't a day she was willing to part with. She reached down inside herself, and found a happy memory. Her, her mother, and her father all watching TV together. She concentrated on it until she felt the room start to feel warm.
“Please Mrs. Dodson?” She asked again. The older woman looked hazy and waved her on. Kat ignored the creeping headache and hurried to class before the happiness wore off.

School went by too quickly for a change. She was dreading this ceremony. She could barely keep her focus on her classes, all she could think about was this stupid Bonding and who she was going to end up stuck to for the rest of her life.

She had done research on this Bonding. The closes thing she could find was a Chinese legend of “The Red Thread.” It is said that this read thread is tied around one person's pinky finger, and then tied to someone else. That thread can tangle, stretch or pull, but it will never break. The idea that this bond to whoever it was going to be was that strong scared her to her core.

Before she knew it, it was time. It was 5:30 pm and she was standing, trembling at the corner of 22nd and Main street. The coffee shop stood in front of her, looming. All she had to do was open the door.

“You aren't going in like that, are you?”

“Is there something wrong with my attire Dionysus?” Kat asked without looking at him.

”You are meeting your destined in there, your chosen, your Bonded! Don't you think you should look a little nicer?” Kat turned to look at him.

“This is me...uh...sir?” She stumbled over her formalities. “I don't have anything 'nicer'” Dionysus smiled and was gone. Kat felt heavy, she looked at the reflection in the glass windows in front of her and she saw that she was in something much nicer. A rich purple party gown hung from her curves, silver gem stones gleaming from the neckline. It flared at the end giving her hips an even fuller form. It was short, coming just to her knee, showing off her pale legs.

“Not bad, oh god-of-parties,” Kat mused and took a deep breath and entered the coffee shop. She as early, as usual. The only person in the cafe.

“I'm sorry mam we are closed for a private...” the barista started, when she saw Kat she stopped. “Oh! I'm sorry, you must be with the Olympus Party. Come right in, make yourself at home.” Kat clumsily walked in her strapy purple heels and took a seat at the counter. Of all the places for Destiny to be made, a coffee shop seemed rather silly.