Connected

Chapter 6 ~ Echo

Michael Clifford. MC. Michael Clifford. Oh my god, this can't be happening. I've only been 18 for 8 hours. 8 hours! It takes more time than this right? At least a month? He can't have found me this quickly, it's not possible! In all the locations scattered around the globe he's in the exact same one as me...on my birthday. Why couldn't he be in Russia?! It's taken Ash 3 months to even cross some countries off the list of where his soulmate lives and mine just comes walcing up to me with one my best friend the day that my brand activates?! This is not happening; it's got to be some sort of fucked up dream. That's it... it's a dream, that's the only explanation to how this is happening right now. Oh god where is Ash when I need him?

"Breathe Echo. Breathe. Take a deep breath and calm down." My subconscious whispers as my lungs start to collapse under the underlying pressure that had formed due to the lack of air entering them. Huh, I didn't realise that I was holding my breath.

I close my eyes for a few seconds, welcoming the darkness as I struggle to get control of my body and let the oxygen enter my body again. In and out... In and out... In and out... A sudden rush of air enters my lungs, making them both desperately grab for the oxygen like I had placed a starving man at an all you can eat buffet. My body goes through the same process for the next 10 seconds, taking in ragged breaths that get caught in my throat from time to time and expelling it once my lungs got their fill. My body started to slowly relax, my shoulders becoming unhunched and my heartbeat slowing slightly even though it still felt like it was trying to burst from my chest. The sound of the world around me started to come back into focus as I opened my eyes to be met with the most beautiful eyes that have plagued me for hours. Except they weren't filled with panic, or pain, but concern.

"Hey, are you okay?" He asks, his voice sounding like the sweetest melody that had ever graced my ears.

"Sweetest melody? Really Echo?" The little voice whispered into my ear, while shaking its invisible head in disappointment. Great even my own subconscious is judging me now.

"Echo?" Luke's eyes widen in panic as he steps towards me, his body tensed as if it was preparing me to snap at him. I automatically took a step backwards, my feet nearly tripping over themselves as my body went onto auto piolet. Calum's arms wrapped around me as I crashed into his front and nearly tumbled to the ground due to my body doing whatever the hell it wanted and not listening to my brain like it was supposed to. His sleeve rose up, causing the bold A.S of his brand to stare me in the face as his arms began to settle. He'd been searching for his soulmate for 2 months and still no luck, he even had Luke helping him out and that was saying something of how bad he wanted to find her. Lucky bastard.

I look over Luke's shoulder and immediately my eyes are locked with his again. The forest green no longer swirling with concern but some other emotion I couldn't place. His shoulders had tensed up as his breathing increased to an even faster pace than mine. His pale hands started to twitch by his side, as if he was trying to reach out to something. His whole body screamed tense, making my brand light up again, as if it could sense he was going through some sort of emotional turmoil.

"Screw his turmoil! What about yours!"

Oh shut up!

"I-I'm fine... Perfectly fine. Absolutely, definitely fine." I croak. The air still catching in my throat, as much as I tried to stop it.

"I'd believe that if you weren't as white as a sheet right now and didn't sound like you had been smoking for 30 years." Cal murmered, as he slowly lifted me back on my feet, hesitating slightly when he let go of my arm to make sure I didn't collapse again.

"I'm fine!" I snapped, guilt immediately setting in as I saw both Cal and Luke's eyes widen in shock. Crap, now I've done it.

"I'm sorry, I just-" my eyes drift to Michael again, his body seemed more relaxed than before, the unidentified emotion was now gone as his hands settled by his side. I quickly picked up on how he was scanning me the same way I was him. Trying to take in every detail. His dark red hair, a warning for danger, or approaching love? His forest green eyes hiding so many secrets, his ruby red lips...STOP IT ECHO VIOLET BLARE!