Universally Stringed

Chapter Two

“Ainsley!”

“Earth to Ainsley!” I was brought back to reality when I saw a hand waving in front of my face, making me swat it away. Glaring at the girl, I turned around and started walking away, ignoring her.

“Ainsley McKenzie Davis!” My full name was now called, making me stop and turn around.

“What do you possibly want from a girl who doesn’t have a soulmate?!” I asked, my tone was angry.

All eyes turned my way, which would’ve had made me cower in embarrassment, wishing that the Earth would just swallow me whole if it were any other day, but this wasn’t one of those days. “What?!” I asked with pure hostility in my voice, “Haven’t seen an eighteen-year old girl screaming in frustration because she doesn’t have a soulmate?!” I asked with a hint of sarcasm coating every word I was letting go, which made everyone turn their gaze away from me, then I turned towards Collin and Zeke. “Now, if you’re going to tell me that my soulmate is somewhere out in a different Universe, then I would have known their name by now.” I explained.

Dad was somehow right, it’s impossible that they’re in a different Universe. “Come on Eyns, maybe this person has a soulmate who is on the verge of dying.” She argued, making me glare at her.

“Nobody is dying just because I don’t have a soulmate.” I snapped at her.

“That’s not what I meant, Genius.” She argued, making me roll my eyes, “I meant, she has an incurable disease or she’s in a coma and might have a little chance of waking up, those types of dying.” She corrected.

“Whatever, I’m going home.” I said, no longer wanting to argue with the blue-haired girl in front of me. Maybe it was the tiredness catching up to me, maybe from the classes and lectures that I attended or from what I heard from Mr. Anniston, then I started my walk back home.

♤♤♤♤♤

I arrived to an empty house, which was expected, because my Dad had to report to his superiors, which wasn’t really new to me, since both my parents are part of the military. Sometimes, I end up being home alone—as to why he’s required to report to his superiors when he’s supposed to raise me, I have no idea—so I just went upstairs, towards my room, and changed into a pair of shorts and an oversized t-shirt, then I laid down on my bed.

I was about to accept the darkness wholeheartedly and with open arms, when suddenly, my phone started ringing, making me look sharply at the device, hoping that it would suddenly disappear or for the caller to suddenly get tired of making her listen to her ringtone, which was playing Radioactive by Dragons—which reminded her to make a mental note about changing the ringtone to something else that would encourage her to answering the call—then the ringing stopped, “Finally,” I sighed, “Peace and—" then the ringing started again, making me glare at the device next to me, which had been responsible for ruining the peace.

“May I help you?” I asked after answering the call, not even bothering to hide the annoyance in my voice.

“I’m sorry to bother you, but I found your dog.” The other line answered apologetically.

Those words made me sit up right, first of all, I don’t remember buying a dog or adopting one, second of all, my Dad had a rule about keeping a dog, “If you can’t take care of it, don’t get one.” Those were his exact words. “A dog…” I answered, not sure if the person on the other end of the line would think that it was a question.

“Uh, that’s what I just said.” The caller confirmed, “It’s a white Pom, and it’s a male.” They described.

“Where are you?” I asked, maybe the real owners forgot to update the information or something.