Finding Ivy and Hunting Diana

Hunting Diana Part 3

Chapter 3

“Well, at least she didn’t burn the cake,” Clay says into the silence.

We all turn to stare at him making him fidget. I glance around and my eyes fill with tears; this is the first birthday party I could ever remember having. I didn’t know when my birthday was in the past, so I never worried about celebrating it. However, now looking at the streamers hanging from the ceiling and the cake with my name written on it, I realize that I was missing out.

Aaron notices the emotions flowing across my face, and walks up to me. Pulling me into his arms, he whispers, “Happy Birthday.”

I just hold him tight until I know for a fact that I have all my emotions under control. Nodding into his chest, he pulls back and gives me one of his genuine smiles.

“Thanks everyone,” I tell him or her with my brightest smile.

“Presents!” Eli screams.

Everyone darts into different directions. They start lifting cushions from the couch, pulling things out from under the coffee table. This whole time they had hidden the presents in the living room, and I never noticed them. Wow, this makes me feel extremely oblivious to my surroundings.

Wyatt looks at me sternly. “Sit down in the chair and we’ll bring the presents to you.”

I laugh at him while inching down into the soft chair. Everyone smiles at me as if they know a big secret. I notice that nothing is in Aaron’s hands, and my suspicions rise. Cynthia pushes Wyatt towards me, and he hands me a rectangular box. They both look at me expectantly, so I lift the lid.

I look down at the contents confused, and it must have shown on my face, because Cynthia darts at it. “It’s so cute. I picked it out,” she says as she grabs the garment out of the box. She holds it out and I have to stifle a gasp. I am not going to where that thing.

“It will be great when you four go off. You can wear it, and it won’t scuff or anything. I promise its real leather.”

I look around at the other people in the room. Wyatt’s face is filled with rage, Clay is holding back a laugh, Blayze looks a little jealous, and Aaron looks like he’s contemplating something.

I turn to Cynthia. “I am not wearing a leather jumpsuit.”

As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I regret it. Her face falls and she turns her eyes away. I try thinking of a way to make it better.

“I’m not wearing a leather jumpsuit…yet!” I scream acting as if I was joking before. Her expression changes and she dazzles me with a smile.

“Our turn,” Aidan says from his seat. All three of the boys stand two of them empty handed and Eli holding a small poorly wrapped present. He hands me the box and whispers, “It’s a rock.”

Smiling I begin unwrapping it. Inside was a small jewelry box; flipping it open, I expect to see an actual rock, but to my surprise a ring is sitting in the case. My eyes widen as I scan it, a large ruby is in the middle of the ring surrounded by diamonds. I look at my three boys with a watery smile. “How did you afford this?”

“We’ve been saving up for a long time. We were planning on giving it to you for your birthday, but we never knew when that was until now,” Aidan says with a smile.

“So, wait. How long exactly have you three been saving up?”

Arlan shrugs his shoulders. “A couple of years.”

“Why didn’t you buy you guys something? You could have bought a video game,” I tell them overwhelmed.

“Or several video games,” Clay mutters.

I send him a glare. He just shrugs. “I just want to give you our present," he says getting more excited as he talks.

I nod my head at him, and he throws me the present wrapped in Scooby-Doo paper. I open it up to find a booklet full of handmade coupons. They say various things on them, but the one I find the most funny says ‘Make Clay go away for a day.’

“We didn’t really have enough money to buy you anything,” Blayze says with a small blush on her face.

“Are you serious? This is a great present, and believe me I will be using at least one of these coupons.”

She laughs knowing exactly which coupon I am talking about. Aaron clears his throat, and I gaze up at him.

“You can’t really wrap my present, and I can’t really give it to you,” he says.

I scrunch my eyebrows together. “Then what is it?”

“Remember that air finds the way? Well, it seems that air is also good at finding people,” I could see the slight reluctance in his eyes.

“Just tell me, please.”

He leans down and pecks me on the lips. Pulling away, he says, “Turn around.”

I do as he commanded and gasp. I’m afraid to take my eyes off the person in case they disappear, but I force myself to.

“You did this for me?” I ask as the tears that I have been keeping in all day stream down my cheeks.

He steps closer and frames my face with his hands. Wiping of my tears with his thumbs, he says, “Of course I did, Ivy. I would do anything for you. You think I didn't notice that behind all your smiles was sadness? You don’t think that I wouldn’t know when my soul mate is hurting inside? I love you, and I trust our relationship enough to know that nothing can break us apart.”

“Really?” I ask while blinking back the tears trying to make them stop.

“Really. Now, I don’t think that you should just stand there looking surprised. Go greet our guest.” With that, he lets me go and pushes me towards the door.

I begin walking towards the person, but as I see the smile, I take off in a run. I dive into the welcoming arms and sigh. Snuggling in deeper, I take in his scent that is so unique to him, but something is off. Instead of the woodsy smell that usually emits off him, he smells like strawberries.

I push myself back with a fake smile. “How have you been?”

“After all this time all you have to say is ‘How have you been?’” He asks with harshness in his voice. I cringe back. Something is wrong; he would never talk to me like that.

I step out of his arms. “Who are you?”

“What do you mean?” I can hear the slight squeak in the person’s voice and know this isn’t who I thought it was.

“You’re not Chris. Chris does not smell like you. Chris does not talk like you. So, I repeat. Who. Are. You.”

A smirk settles on the imposters face, and the cold brown eyes begin to turn blue. The short brown hair lengthens and turns blonde. The once male body turns into a female right before my eyes.

“Oh, poor Ivy. You never thought about what my power is did you? Ms. Perfect never thinks about anyone but herself. Wipe the shocked expression off you face.”

I glare at her. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, I planned on pretending to be your lover boy on the side until you ruined that plan. Now, I guess I just have to go to plan B,” she sneers at me.

I remain silent not finding a good enough reason to talk.

“What you don’t want to know? Plan B is just to kill whomever I can until I die, and I’m starting with you, Ivy. This is for Ethan,” she says and lunges at me with large talons as hands.

I roll on the ground to avoid them. I stand back on my feet with my arms blazing. “Bring it, Tiffany.”