Fate's Intentions by Dawn Nicole Stevens

grocery store, out on the streets at night as you walk to your door, sitting next to you at the theatre! And we are totally oblivious to it! I don't know about you but I'd rather be walking on a dark street with a pillhead rather than a rapist!"
    "Okay, we have to stop talking about this! My blood pressure is going through the roof right now!" Ashlynn scoffed.
    "Don't want you to pop a vessel in your forehead or anything!" Scarlett laughed.
    "It just makes me mad that things like that aren't taken as seriously as they should be. How many stories do you hear about women being stalked. They go to the police and if they know who the stalker is they can get a restraining order but what the hell kinda protection is that? 'STAY AWAY I GOT THIS PIECE OF PAPER!' It's stupid. Then the woman goes missing or is attacked and only then, once it's too late, the cops decide to do something!" Ashlynn was panting from all her excitement.
    "You're right. We need to change the subject!" Scarlett said looking away.
    "Well, I guess we should pack some things if we are going with the guys." Ashlynn said sounding happy about going with them.
    Scarlett laughed. "I know you aren't happy about the current circumstances, but you are just loving it that you get to go to Adam's place!"
    "Well duh!" Ashlynn laughed. "You mean you aren't excited about staying with that other hunk of beef?"
    "The way I feel about him is so strange. I don't know the guy and I've barely even talked to him but there is something between us I can't even begin to describe."
    "You certainly wasn't having any boundary issues with him last night!" Ashlynn giggled.
    "I know, right? I intended to thank him, but I got so upset. That should've been so awkward but something about him seemed to calm me."
    Ashlynn gave her a serious look. "I don't know what kind of future either of us could have with them. They aren't human. In fifty years we'll be old and wrinkly and they'll look the same as they do right now. How would we explain that to people? How would we feel when our man looked the same age as our grandchildren?"
    "Whoa whoa whoa! Slow down a minute! I don't even wanna think about all that right now. I'm just saying I feel comfortable around Ben, not that I wanna marry him and have his babies! I'm still in love with Aaron! Did you forget about him?" Scarlett looked upset.
    "Actually yea, I did forget about him! You need to forget him too Scarlett! He's out of the picture! I don't want to put it so simply and sound insensitive but he doesn't want to be with you and you shouldn't keep punishing yourself for it, you deserve to be happy!"
    "It's just hard to move on knowing that I caused the mess between us." Scarlett looked down into her coffee.
    "I told you before Scarlett, you need to just let things happen, let fate take its course."
    "Yea, I begged and pleaded and it didn't get me anywhere. If it's meant to be he won't be able to live without me and it'll work out. So I'm just going to let it go and try to be positive that life has lead me in the direction it has for a reason."
    Ashlynn smiled and nodded. She was going to speak again but Adam and Ben walked inside. Adam sat down on the chair next to the sofa and Ben sat down on the floor.
    "So have you girls made up your minds about coming to stay at our place for a while?" Adam asked looking back and forth between them.
    "We decided that staying with you would probably be best." Scarlett answered him.
    "Okay. Well if that's what you've decided, the sooner the better. Do you need any help packing?" Adam said as he stood.
    "I think we can handle it." Ashlynn said standing as well.
    "I guess you two are suggesting we should go now?" Scarlett asked knowing the answer.
    "The sooner the better!" Ashlynn grinned down at her friend.
    "Actually Adam, if you guys would like, you could pack up the things in the kitchen. No need to let the food in the fridge go to waste." Scarlett said, assuming the guys wanted a job to do.
    "Okay, we can do