Shy

Kit

College is very monotone compared to the technicolour of my soulmate. The classes are challenging though, which is nice as most days they keep my mind from wandering too much. Today is not one of those days.

Michael has noticed my abstraction and at lunch he finally snaps. A crust of sandwich is thrown my way and I just manage to dodge it.

"What the hell?" I ask, frowning at the forlorn looking piece of bread on the floor.

"Kit, where are you today because you sure as hell aren't here." Michael says.

"I'm here." I mumble, not able to argue my pitiful defence.

He scoffs, not believing me and I sigh. In truth, I don't think he'd understand at all. Mike has always been the sporty athlete, the top dog in many aspects including popularity and looks. He's never quietly pined for a person, he's never had issues with his self worth as far as I know and why would he. He's everything a quintessential young man should be.

I'm not really sure why he's still friends with me. He could have dropped me long ago, but chooses to continue our tradition of eating lunch together. We met at the beginning of high school when we were both scrawny, unattractive teens, sticking together because we didn't know anyone else.

Things soon changed. He has lots of friends, but still he eats lunch with me. I hesitate for a moment, wondering if I should confide in him. I give in, choosing to throw caution to the wind.

"I've met my soulmate." I mutter, watching Michael choke on his sandwich. He makes quite a scene and I rest my chin on my fist, silently wishing that I hadn't said anything.

"What?" He whispers.

"You heard me." I mumble, sinking lower into my chair.

"Wow." He replies, leaning back with a faint stunned expression. He frowns, thinking for a moment.

"Well, is she ugly?" He asks and I recoil.

"No!" I defend fiercely, my eyes glancing up at him in outrage.

He holds up his hands, watching my reaction with amusement. He leans forwards, intrigued now as his expression settles into a sympathetic one.

"I've never seen you react like that before, she must be something huh. So, what's the problem?" He ask, munching his sandwich a little more cautiously.

"I don't know how to speak to her, I don't know how to be with her." I admit, my cheeks warming significantly.

Michael watches me carefully, analysing my expression and trying to understand my dilemma.

"Well, I know you're a bit shy but you've never had trouble getting attention, and besides, people really like you." He shrugs.

"What?" I say slowly, wondering if he's losing his mind, "I only have two friends and one of them is my sister."

Michael scoffs, rolling his eyes.

"Only because you look so intimidating. All my friends think you're really cool, Jamie thinks you're really funny in physics and Caroline has the biggest crush on you." Michael says casually.

I shake my head, frowning.

"Believe me or not, it's up to you, but I've always thought you're a cool guy. She's a lucky lady, man." He says genuinely and I smile slightly, grateful for the reassurance.

I head home with Kia that evening with a renewed confidence in myself. I'm not going to rush anything, baby steps are still steps forwards. We wheel our bikes home in amicable silence, neither of us feeling the desire to ride home today. We pass a noticeboard and a flyer grasps my attention.

I stop and wheel back slightly to look at it properly.

It's a flyer for an orchestra. I look at it carefully, mulling it over in my head. I've never considered music anything other than a hobby, I may not even be good enough to get in.

I snatch the flyer and shove it in my pocket before I can change my mind, consoling my anxiety with the thought that just because I've taken the flyer, it doesn't mean I have to go.

But I want to go. The yearn to see my soulmate is ever present and ingrained in me.

The crinkle of the flyer in my pocket brings a smile to my face, a reason to see her again.

A/N I'm very sorry for the late update, I sense a recurrent theme here. To make up for it, enjoy two uploads instead of one! Make sure to read them in order, and like, comment etc.