Lovers From Another Life

I have a secret

Hunter grinned widely as he backed up from me. "Do you remember this morning when you asked to see my soulmate mark?" I nodded softly giving him a confused look. "Are you just trying to show off or something because that's a real jerk move," I muttered annoyed as I gave him a small glare. He laughed softly and shook his head smiling as he tried to hide it behind his hand. "I'm not I promise! I'm just answering your question about fake soulmate marks." I gave him an uneasy unsure look as he tried to hide his laugh. "Okay okay! Before you go and shoot me down or roll your eyes just let me show you what I mean. I promise I'm not tricking you so just trust me." His words sounded sincere and truthful but I wasn't fully buying what he was saying just yet. I mean someone making a fake soulmate mark? That was the dumbest story I heard yet and made absolutely no sense but for some reason his words made me believe he was telling the truth.

I looked into his eyes as he gazed at me trying to find if I was following along. He looked like he was searching for an answer in them as I gave a small node with a sigh. "Right... you've lost me but go on then." I let out a small chuckle as I sat back and watched this magic trick he was gearing to perform for me. He rolled his eyes and smiled as he reached for his backpack pulling out a napkin from the cafeteria and his bottle of water wetting the napkin and taking it to his wrist. I watched as he wiped the words he had shown me earlier today off of his wrist like magic. My mouth dropped open in a gasp as I blinked unable to believe my eyes. How could Hunter not have a soulmate? More questions began to bubble up to the surface of my head but I forced myself to stay grounded. I had a sinking feeling earlier when we spoke in the hallway. Something to be off with him today like he was hiding something but I couldn't put my finger on what. "Juniper? Are you gonna say anything?" He asked me as he watched my expression to figure out what I was thinking then.

I looked him in the eyes as it finally clicked into place. Was he was just worried that I would judge him for not having a soulmate? I mean I just found out mine possibly killed me was the one killed in my past life. I was in no position to be judging him for his lack of a mark honestly. I smiled and brushed the thought off as nothing more than a worry. "Wow...I had no clue...you are a magician then." I said smiling softly as I tried to act like nothing was the matter. He seemed to relax from his tensing position when I spoke only confirming my thought more. "I was worried you were gonna freak out, to be honest. I'm glad you are so open-minded about this." He said with a chuckle himself as he rummaged through his bag once more for something else.

I paused as I watched wondering what more he could have to show me. My smile dropped though when I saw him pull out the concealer. I felt my stomach twist into knots as flashes of images of Hunter covered in deep purple and blue bruises forced their way to the surface of my mind. "Why do you still have that... I thought things had gotten better at home for you?" I asked without thinking about the subject. I was so worried that his mom had gone back to using her son as a realization of her anger I didn't think about the words leaving my mouth. His body seemed to tense only for a moment before relaxing as he shook his head. "No, they're fine now I promise I use this for my mark to help make it more believable. Plus I thought with a few coats and some blending we could cover that awful lineup and make something a bit more fun. What do you say June bug?" he asked me as a wild grin crawled over his face. I could tell he was changing the topic but I didn't press more as I nodded and agreed to go along with his crazy plan.

This seemed to make him happy because once again I was back in his embrace only this time it was a warm hug. "So what kind of mark would you like to get then?" he asked with his hot breath against my ear. I blushed and started to think of all the different marks. Should I go with sight, or writing, the possibilities were endless. "Hunter... has anyone else seen your mark beside me?" I asked once more with the words leaving my mouth before I could process what was being said. He paused still holding me tight in a hug as if he forming his answer carefully. Making a fallback plane in case this didn't workout. I immediately wished I could snatch the words back from the air and swallow them whole but I couldn't. "No... just you June bug? Why?" He asked after a long pause of silence. My heart started to do cartwheels at the sound of those words. No one else had seen it so that meant technically...we could become soulmates! I mean, of course, it would be in a fake sense but still.

I could pretend to be destined to be with my childhood crush. What more could I ask for in life, no on my birthday of all days. I smiled and grew bashful as I struggled to find the words to ask him. "Well... if that's the case...then...what if we...you know...became soulmates..." I asked after struggling for a bit. I glanced at him as he let his grip on me go and tried to gauge his expression a game we had been seeming to play all day without much thought. I knew better than to get my hopes up so I prepared to be shot down but his answer didn't come right away.