The Characters
- Riley Sage - Female (18 years)
Lucas Sage - Male (25 years)
Morgan Bernt - Female (17 years)
Blake Myles - Male (18 years)
Sophie Noar - Female (18 years)
T.J. Carter - Male (15 years)
Ralph Hugo - Male (15 years)
Chapter One
I'm Ordinary
I'm Ordinary
- Soulmates are a touchy subject for a lot of people, and I suppose that's with myself included. Still, I feel pretty strongly about my views on them - Soulmates bring out the best in their other half - or halves - so why not embrace their influence? I've yet to hear a story about a Soulmate who's ruined another's life just for being with them. In my own opinion, they seem pretty awesome.
To clear things up for the ignorent, not everyone has one born into their right timeline, and that's perfectly fine. Any average person will go five life cycles before they have a Soulmate, since there's about a five to million chance of it happening in one of your lifetimes, and this increases as generations pass. Those who are graced with this "gift" of another half find it pretty hard to ignore since every physical sensation is shared between the pair - or multiple persons, in rare cases. Those cases are even fewer, one every billionth person, and are very strong bonds. Tri or Quad Soulmates make great political and revolutionary leaders, since their bonds with one another are so strong. What I mean by physical sensations being shared I mean bruises, scratches, broken bones - that sort of thing. It doesn't actually happen to the partner on the other side, but they can still feel it and wonder just what's going on.
And no, I'm not going to tell you what happens when one of them dies. It's something I shouldn't need to tell you since you seem smart enough to figure it out.
Another falsity I wanna clear up is the fact that Soulmates have to be romantically involved. That's a bunch of bull, and there's plenty of cases of non-romantic Soulmates in our history. I personally find those stories to be the most heart warming, since most people seem to skim over that during Reincarnation History and Soulmate Educational studies.
Ah, but I think that's enough of a lecture for today.
I'm Riley Sage. A highly ordinary High School student and senior of a 2015 graduating class. I've lived in Minnesota my whole life, and soon, I'm going to finally meet the girl who is my Soulmate.
****
- We found out about Soulmates a good three hundred years ago. Before that, our sudden and unexplained pains were written of as "the devil" or something religiously inaccurate like that. Now, our history's full of them. Influential leaders and figureheads are shown side by side their Soulmates as a completed pair ready to take on the world. Our schools teach us from kindergarten and throughout the rest of our education about this mysterious occurrence. In High School we can take classes on this subject, which recalls presidents and other figureheads with Soulmates and how their bonds aided their success. Same with just Soulmates in general, which tells us about how they effect our daily lives and how we can use the bond to both communicate and "slip" into their consciousness though doing either of these things are pretty advanced and need to be practiced regularly.
The halls are nearly dead silent as I walk across their off-white tiles, the faint sound of teachers and students just a murmur behind closed doors. It's an ordinary Wednesday evening, nearing the last twenty minutes of our school day.
I can't say I like school, but I find peace here most days. I swing the hallway pass attached to a lanyard on my pointer finger, humming softly in tune to the song blaring in my ear buds. I guess the reason I hold a little bit of a grudge towards school is the fact that I tend to fall asleep here. A lot. Like, to the point where my grades are probably going to make me repeat the year - or go to summer school... God, that would suck failing my senior year. I guess I have the bond to thank.
I forgot to mention my Soulmate lives in the UK - not sure exactly were, but I fall into her mind a lot when I should be sleeping. My parents tease me sometimes, saying I'm living more over there than I am here since I sleep so much, but I can tell they're worried for my well-being. I wish I could reassure them somehow that I'm fine, but I can't bare to tell them how much pain I feel from my Soulmate every day she wakes up, so intense she wakes me up when I sleep.
She's depressed. Self conscious. Moves around a lot because her parents jobs. Has an irrational fear of heights. Hates horses. And to top it all off, she gets hurt a lot - I can't count the number of broken bones she's had since I was little. I haven't broken a single bone in my life, and my Soulmate makes me never want to ever take a risk that could lead to one. Like, ever. Feeling it from her end's enough for me.
I continued my trek through the school halls, glancing down at my locked iPod screen which I used to check the time. Ten more minutes before Lucas would be here.
"Mite as well go talk to Mr. Thiesn." I muttered, pulling the ear buds from my ears. I paused the music and wrapped the cord around the width of my iPod, tucking it into my sweatshirt pocket before I took a left, finally leaving the hallway. A partially open door greeted me, the smell of wet clay, the sound of scraping chairs and scratching pencils soon following as I entered the classroom labeled "Art, Room 450 - John Thiesn."
Our school's only art teacher Mr. Thiesn sat behind his desk, a round nose and kind steel colored eyes hid behind the rims of thin dark blue spectacles. Long graying hair was neatly pulled back from his face in a ponytail, a few wisps of wiry hair sticking out from where the tie couldn't hold it. I approached him, weaving my way past students of various artistic talents. I guess I'd interrupted his Drawing II class, from the looks of it.
Thiesn was always one of my favorite teachers here. He'd taught my father when he went to school here, and I have had the honor of four long years under his teaching as well.
"Ah Mrs. Sage," His glasses were removed with a smile as he rolled his computer chair away from his current task on his laptop. "Coming to get that clay Sage Senior ordered?"
I smiled in kind and shifted the book bag that rested over my shoulders "Yeah. Dad asked me to pick it up for him since he's got to work late tonight."
Mr. Thiesn nodded in understanding and lifted himself easily out of his chair. For such an old man, he was still pretty spry. Perhaps it was the fact he'd met his Soulmate just a few years ago - of course he knew who they were, but had never really gotten to meet them tell then. Soulmates seemed to make you lives healthier lives, as I learned from my Soulmate Psychology and Education class. I wondered wearily why mine made me feel like I was living a pretty unhealthy life. I hoped that would change in the future...
It didn't take long before I had a heavy box of clay in my hands - ordered through Thiesn since he got the best discount on the stuff and was paid by my dad for it. I left the room after saying my good byes to my teacher and headed towards the front of the school where the parking lots where. Lucas - my brother - had promised to pick me up ten minutes before school ended, and that would be pretty damn close to what time it was now. Knowing him, he'd already be waiting out there for me.
I took a detour to my locker, setting the box of clay down with a huff before slipping my grey down jacket over my frame. I wound a white scarf my mother made me for Christmas around my neck before shutting my locker and heaving the box of clay into my arms once again. It took a bit of adjusting before I felt confident lifting the box, leaving the section of senior lockers for the front entrance.
Luckily, our school was a small one and most of us had grown up together here. The guard at the door smiled pleasantly at me and I exchanged small talk with her as she signed me out on the release form, finding myself in high spirits. I'd known her since freshman year. A quick good bye was said before I left the warmth of the school and joined bitter cold winter air. January was a pretty cold year usually, so I was glad to see my brother's rusty Ford Taurus idle in the student parking lot.
I was greeted with a honk, his ginger hair mirroring mine in the same tousled sort of way over sharp brown eyes. He waved and I answered with one of my own, skirting around a patch of ice before climbing into the passenger side of his car - which he opened for me, seeing as my hands were full. The moment I closed the door I was engulfed in the warmth his car created. I sighed and relaxed into the velvety seats.
"Alrighty," he grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes "Dad's working late today and Mom's out with her gaggle of girlfriends so we're on our own for dinner - wanna get some burgers and watch Netflix?"
"Sounds like a plan," I grinned and heaved the clay as well as my backpack over my shoulder and onto the back seat - surprisingly the bench was clean, but the floors bellow were littered with wrappers and empty pop cans.
His engine purred mechanically as we left the school parking lot, Lucas's large hands turning the wheel with ease. Without meaning to, my eyes shut themselves. The rhythmic sound of the blowing air vents and tires on road lulled me into a a familiar place like the snapping of a taught rubber band, only this existed .
I was in my soulmate's head again for what felt like the hundredth time. Her eyes were mine, and her body was mine as well though I had no control of either. It was dark and very early. We blinked at the sudden brightness of the room, which was decorated with various movie posters and band names. Only a pair of boxer shorts and a thin white t-shirt covered our thin frame and a warm fondness I felt for my soulmate settled in my heart somewhere distant from this moment.
"Morgan," Our father called from the door way, arms crossed over his bear-like chest. A small mustache, dark skin and curly black hair completed his looks. He was someone she barely knew, despite being her father.
An anxious feeling flooded me - us - through the bond and I willed her mentally to relax. Not that my thoughts would ever reach her, but I guess the sentiment was good enough.
"We're moving to the Americas next week. Make sure to pack your things and say your good byes. Relatives in Minnesota'll be talking care of us for a while." he held up a hand as we tried to get a word out, something about the look on his face and hand his gesture making us halt what we wanted to say "We can talk about this tomorrow, but it's decided and won't be changed. Goodnight, Morgan."
With that, he left us. I could feel her emotion turmoil through the bond and immediately flinched. However, she didn't seem sad like all the other times she'd been told they would be leaving. No this... She was happy. It was slow at first, but once I recognized her thoughts, I almost wept.
She was thinking about me. All these years I hadn't the slightest thought that she'd ever slipped into my mind but... It seemed to all pop up at this moment.
I was jolted out of my daydream by Lucas shoving my shoulder. It was a rude awakening and a bit painful, but his eyes seemed to understand what had just progressed. Sometimes I wondered if my brother understood what I was thinking, and I'd probably be right saying he did judging by his expression.
"I took the liberty of ordering for you since you were off in your spiritual la la land, but we're home now." he let me get out of the car and handed me my back, hoisting the clay box onto a muscular shoulder before slamming his car door shut with his knee.
The walk to the house wasn't long and the sound of dogs barking made me smile. Once the smile was on my lips, it didn't go away.
Morgan was coming here. I could see Morgan one day. What if that happened? What would I say?
"Oi," Lucas called, setting down the box of clay with a huff "What are you so giddy about? You look stupid."
I stuck my tongue out at him and set my bag down at the entry way, slipping my boots off as I spoke.
"It's Morgan," I said slowly, which peeked his interest.
"Hoh? And?" He imitated, busing himself with the greasy bag of fast food burgers and fries.
"And she's coming here. To Minnesota."
He almost dropped the bag, laughing after a moment. "Wait, seriously? Doesn't she like, live in Europe?"
"Yeah." I replied, snatching a burger from the bag. I snaked an arm around his middle and he did the same with me, giving me a squeeze. We stayed like that for a while before going to our living room to eat our food.
"Let me know when she gets here - I'll drive you to hell and back just so you can see her." he vowed, ketchup smeared on the corner of his lips. I covered my face and laughed, feeling a hundred times lighter.
"You don't have to."
Lucas scoffed, a faked hurt crossing his face "I'm your big bro, of course I have to. It's my duty as an older brother to make you happy." he smirked "And I like to see you smile sometimes."
It was my time to scoff "You're being awfully nice today Lucas. You sure you're feeling alright?"
"Of course." However, a blush seemed to creep over his cheeks and I knew better than to ask for anything else regarding the subject. Maybe he had a date with a lady and was just happy about it.
A dopey smile made a home on my lips as Lucas pulled up Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood on Netflix, my teeth sinking into my burger with gusto.
One week.
One week and Morgan would be here.
Maybe I'd finally get a good night's rest with her around.
This chapter is complete!
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