Universe of Soulmates

"As If"

"What are you doing?" Kinsley's editor was appalled by her topic for the next article. It was due in a week, and she had the bright idea to take on the story of the famous singer who decided to come back for senior year. "This is not at all what we agreed on."

"But, I've asked at least thirty students and they all agree. The girls are all falling all over him. I'll do a little research before and write a column, then after I can get an interview to fill up the column the week after." It seemed that, despite his reluctance against the idea, the editor caved. Kinsley did have the right idea, and it was one that the entire school was going to be interested in. "I'll have a rough draft on Monday for you in case you want me to go back to the club updates."

"Let's make that our plan, then. I expect a rough draft of your column on my desk at the end of the day Monday." That concluded the meeting between Kinsley and Adam, her editor and ex-boyfriend. They dated once upon a time, but decided they were better off as friends. They're one of the few that could ever pull it off.

"Perfect. I'll see you Monday, then." Kinsley felt over the moon at the idea that she could research a world-famous celebrity and have the entire school pour over her column. If it ended well, she could even start a "Hollywood Drama" column. She had a million ideas, but the column had to work first. Walking out of the office of the editor of Behind the Stripes newspaper, Kinsley couldn't hide her smile. She was happier than she'd ever been.

"So, is it all good?" Kinsley's best friend, Rae, saw the smile on her face and assumed the best.

"Yeah. Step one of my plan is underway." Kinsley's grin evolved from an innocent smile to one that suggests she knew more than she was letting on.

"I'm so happy for you, girl. You're going to slay it. I'm going home to spend some time with my man, but I expect to read your column before you give it to Adam." Rae forced a pinky promise out of her, before heading to her ride. Kinsley headed to her own car, jumpy and excited while she drove home. Well, it was as close to home as she'd ever gotten in the last fifteen years. Being a foster kid, she never considered anywhere a home. Anywhere, but the place she'd been living was the closest it ever got.

"So, Kinsley, how was school?" Her foster parents, Shaina and Jake Fields, truly cared for the girl they'd been raising for three years. She wasn't perfect, but she tried so hard to allow them some piece of her life. Over time, it had gotten better; she even told them about her relationships with boys and friend problems, something she didn't think would ever happen. They were the ones who pushed her to do an extracurricular, and why she was with the school newspaper to begin with.

"Good. I'm doing a piece on Jess M. for the paper since he's coming back to Raines High School." That was what made Kinsley the happiest, although her good grades on her tests were a close second.

"Really? He's that singer you like, right?" Jake, her pseudo-father, remembered the name, since she talked about him almost every day. "Isn't he the one that sings 'I know I'm not perfect/Even if you expected it'?" Jake sang the lyrics so off-key and off-beat that Kinsley could only cringe. She was sure half of the female population would agree.

"He, at least, sings it well. I don't know what all of that was," Kinsley teased. She was happy her eighteenth birthday wasn't for another few months, because there were a lot of questions she wanted answered about where she would live and how she would survive after the day she became a legal adult.

"I'm offended." Kinsley only rolled her eyes in response. "But I'm happy for you. How did your tests end up going?"

"Good. I got an A on my English essay, a B+ on my geography quiz and a B- on my math test." She was proud of herself for getting the grades that she got. Before the Fields' took her in, her grades were C's. On a good day.