Page 25 of The Fates We Tame

Slowly but surely, I’m introduced to everyone.

“This is Vex,” Theo says. “My best friend.”

“Too right,” Vex says with a wide smile. “If you want to know any secrets about him, I can tell you.”

“That feels like an unfair advantage given I won’t know if they’re true or not,” Theo says.

Vex laughs loudly. “That sounds like even more fun.”

“It’s really nice to meet you, Vex. I’ve seen the two of you together before. You came to eat with Theo one night, but you weren’t wearing this.” I gesture to his cut.

Vex brushes a hand over his patches. “Rare I’m without it, but it needed a repair.”

“Maybe you can convince Theo to join movie night once a week.”

Theo glances at me, his eyes soft and kind, and shakes his head. “Still a nope.”

“I’ll make a social joiner out of you yet,” I say.

Vex shakes his head. “You won’t make his stubborn ass do anything he doesn’t want to. I’ve tried to get him to game with me, but the guy won’t even pick up a controller.”

“Asshole,” Theo mutters with humor before turning to the final woman near us. “This is Catalina. Recently married to Niro.”

“Congratulations.” I shake Catalina’s hand as Niro turns around, and I’m taken by his scar that almost mirrors mine. Except he still has his eye.

His brow furrows as he studies me. I’m sure it’s only seconds, but it feels like minutes as he follows the line on my face, likely having thoughts that match my own.

“As a general rule, I don’t like people,” he says, shaking my hand. “But you, I’m gonna make an exception for.”

“Can I…?” I reach my hand toward his face. “I know it’s rude, but…mine feels so…Will it always…?”

Niro takes my hand and leads it the rest of the way to his scar and runs my fingers along it. “You feel yours if you press your tongue against your cheek?”

I nod.

“Yeah, that doesn’t go away. But eventually it won’t hurt…just tugs a little when you yawn and shit.”

His feels smoother, less hard, less hot.

“You got pretty lips, sweetheart,” he says. “You got lucky it missed ‘em.” He reaches for Catalina’s hand and brings it to his lips before kissing it. “About five percent of my mouth feels nothing when I do that, and it sucks.”

Catalina smiles. “Good thing the remaining ninety-five percent is so proficient.”

Niro glances at Catalina, and I can feel the love they have for each other. “Only with you, babe.”

I turn to Theo. This morning might have got off to a rocky start, but I decide that in this moment, I’m choosing to enjoy mylife. “You mentioned something about cake. I feel like today calls for some.”

Theo playfully taps the end of my nose. “Good. Let’s get you a slice.”

“I hope you face fairer weather in the future, Sophia,” Niro says.

And I smile because I do too.

7

SWITCH

“So, who’s the girl?” my mom asks before I’ve even sat down the following day. “And why didn’t you introduce us before we left when the others arrived?”