The Marked One (The Marked Series Book 1) by Chevoque Page B

like Thai green curry and loads of bow ties!” Aaliyah cheered, breaking Madeline’s train of thought, as she found her feet and went to the bathroom.
    “Mhmm, and sweet and sour prawns.” Madeline also found her feet to grab her cell phone to call the takeaway place.
    Aaliyah peeked around the bedroom door’s corner with a washing cloth in her hands to remove her makeup. “Get some papadums as well, please!”
    “I almost forgot those.” She made the call and soon they were having an Asian feast. “I really want to go to Japan some day.”
    Aaliyah licked some of the bow tie syrup from her finger and then looked at Madeline. “Random.”
    “What? Isn’t there a place you’d really like to go?” She snapped off a piece of papadum and ate the crackly thing.
    “I wanted to come to the US, but I’m here now,” she said, thoughtful.
    “No, I mean adventure. Culture shock. New place.” Aaliyah made a face at her. “Fine, this must have been just that, but nothing or nowhere else?”
    “Not really. I’ve been here for a few years and I still haven’t been to Point State Park. I don’t care really about travelling.”
    “That hurts!” Aaliyah just shrugged, so Madeline continued. “If I ever have the money, I’m so going to Japan. I might even drag your ass with me.”
    Aaliyah weakly protested as she chomped down another bow tie, fighting the sticky treat.
    Soon, they had watched their fill of Empire and Aaliyah was yawning with sleepy eyes. “Wanna sleep over?” Madeline asked through a yawn of her own.
    Aaliyah finally finished her yawn. “I have a place. I—”
    “A place I’d rather you not go to alone so late at night. You can leave early tomorrow morning, do the walk of shame to get ready, or you can find something of mine to wear.” Aaliyah attempted to say something, but Madeline interrupted. “Please? Come on, I won’t see you until after your date, so do me the honour of sharing my bed.”
    She laughed at her. “Fine, but only because I am dead tired. You’d just have to borrow me a shirt.”
    “You can sleep naked. It is—”
    “It is not happening. You do weird things when you sleep. I don’t trust sleepy you.”
    Madeline pretended to check her out, and they both began to chuckle. She checked her watch. “So one more episode before bed?”
    Aaliyah grabbed the TV remote and eagerly got the next episode ready.
    Madeline smiled. “I’m glad you decided to stay in the US.” Aaliyah hugged her friend’s side, wordlessly agreeing, but the dead giveaway that she thought of Tristan showed in her eyes. It only caused Madeline one concern…which one of them was going to get hurt the most?

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Five
     
     
    Tristan
     
    Tristan couldn’t believe how long the last few days felt, as his thoughts were constantly set on the idea of seeing Aaliyah again. He would hopefully get to know her better and see if the mythical connection he felt toward her was in fact really there and not just his loneliness teasing him. He was blessed by some unexplainable force to have gotten the opportunity to actually meet The Marked One —not that the portrait was the only reason he wanted to get to know her. He knew that it meant something greater was in store for him. Since he had gotten the chance to speak to her, he was certain that he wanted to be with her, as the sweetness in her eyes drew him in like a drug.
    He walked into Gerardo Labs with a prominent smile on his face.
    “Mr. Gerardo, we weren’t expecting you.” Stephen’s tone was shrill, as he all but jumped up behind the reception desk.
    “Good day, Stephen, no problem. I’m here to see Ms. Labuschagne,” he told the man in the reception area, who looked a little distraught at the unexpected visit.
    He punched in the master code to enter the lab area, and Stephen just waved at him. Tristan walked down the long hallway and nodded a greeting in the direction of the few scientists and lab techs who