Soul Bound

Chapter 1

The morning started early as always. I was up and running by 05:30 o' clock. Literally running - morning workouts had been part of my routine ever since I turned 20 and had been ridden with so much anxiety, I couldn't sleep. The routine and the relief that came with sweet physical exhaustion helped to calm me down enough, that I was no longer a restless young woman, but managed to function in everyday life.

My feet pounded the ground as I tried to go as fast as I could for the last 400m of my run.

Suddenly the earth shook.

I stumbled and fell, scratching my knees and hands through my running gear. The ground had been littered with grit and the small stones bit through the material. I cursed under my breath. The tights had been somewhat new. The gloves were old, I didn't care about them. But the tights? I had bought them in a deal - half price because they were last season's. A dark green with reflective material on the sides. I reminded myself that it didn't really matter. As it was dark most of the times I used them.

I pushed myself off the ground and lightly jogged the remaining 250m to my front door. The air was biting cold and I didn't want to grow sick.

After working through the rest of my morning routine, I left for work at the library of the law faculty at the local university.

Sometimes I felt weird being surrounded by so many smart and ambitious students, not being so much older myself. But most of the time I loved my job, the quiet hustle brought calm and relaxation to my busy mind. Even though the law faculty had a reputation of being somewhat snobbish, the majority of the students smiled at me when they came through the door. Even the occasional lawyers from town were always well behaved and nice.

The library was in fact how I met Adam. He was in his final year of university, preparing for the bar exam. He came in every morning at 08:00 o'clock on the dot and never left before it was already dark out. I once jokingly asked him if he had a life outside the library, to which he just gazed at me and responded: "Why would I want to, when you are here?"

I was 24 and smitten.

We started to date and the first year was bliss - even though Adam was under high pressure to pass the bar. He studied all day, we spent his coffee breaks and lunch together and at night we went home to me to cook and make sweet love afterwards.

After the bar, things started to crumble. We didn't see each other as regularly as before. I started to slip from Adam's list of priorities. Forgotten anniversaries and lame excuses why he couldn't make time for me. Finally, I broke up with him after two and a half years of dating. I was crushed. I really thought I loved him.

I cried myself to sleep for weeks until I met Charly. Charly was the most confident woman I had ever met. She had chosen to study business after an apprenticeship at bank and came to the law faculty for "the peace and quiet". It really was quiet there. If you even dared to cough, people would try to stab you with their gazes. But ... it was our happy place.

Charly said she had noticed my red rimmed eyes for weeks and couldn't stand to see me so down anymore. That's how she became my new coffee buddy. We hit it off right from the start. She confided in me, that she had a hard time really connecting to her fellow students, as she was a good few years older herself. She didn't like to party as the others did, instead preferred spending her Friday and Saturday nights with me or her flatmate Emerson on the couch. What we watched depended on our mood. On a good and a usual day, we would watch true crime documentaries or thriller series. On days where we felt down, we would watch Friends or Seinfeld.

I was doing fine - until one day Adam called again, saying he really missed me and I gave in.

While Charly was the best friend one could ever hope for, I was longing for a romantic connection. With Adam I knew what I got. And I had to admit - even though he had treated me badly - I still cared for him. So we started dating again. Much to Charly's dismay.

"He's just using you, Linnie. You make it too easy for him to use you when he's feeling horny or lonely." And I would tell her that I was lonely and horny, too. To which she just sighed. "You know there are always vibrators, babe. You deserve so much better than a man who picks you up, when he is in the mood for some canoodling and lets you fall again as soon as he has to put in any effort."

We've had this conversation many many times. Every time my smiles weren't as bright on our coffee dates, Charly had known that Adam had stood my up again. Until one day, when I really had enough.

"I am so done, Charly." I told her. "We were supposed to spend the day up at the coast, we even booked treatments at a spa. Adam was supposed to pick me up at 08:00 o'clock. But guess what? He never showed." I had texted Adam repeatedly.

First asking him to let me know, when he was leaving. He replied "Sure, I should be on my way in about 30 minutes. Can't wait to see you."

Then I wrote "Are you on your way?" No reply. Two hours later I texted: "I am getting worried, are you okay?" I didn't get a sign of life until late in the evening, when I saw him hanging out with his friends on social media.

I didn't even cry. I just deleted every sign we ever were involved and send one final message: "You are an asshole. We are so done."

He didn't reply, of course. Not until three days later, when I got a simple "I am sorry ..." No explanation, nothing showing true remorse.

So, I was done. And I was moving on once again, with the affirmed believe, that all that men were good for were stress and heartbreak.

That was a month ago. Now I was sitting at my desk at the library waiting for Charly to finish up before lunch.

I hadn't yet told her about my run in with Adam and the handsome stranger , yet, but Charly was a sneaky genius and had deduced that I had taken a taxi, by the time it took me to get from the pub to my home. An irregularity that I had promised to explain over lunch the following Monday. Which was today.

"Sooo." She drawled while raising an eyebrow. "Care to tell me why you took a taxi home on Friday?"

I let out a huff of air. "I ran into Adam at the pub after you left. Or rather, he ran into me."

Charly chocked on her water "So you went home with dickhead again? Babe, you told me..."

"God no!" I hurried to interrupt her. "I'm done with mister asshole!"

I took a sip of my juice and continued. "Adam tried to get into my good graces again on Friday. But I wouldn't let him. He got a bit a bit handsy when I tried to leave and held me by my arms, so that I couldn't."

"Asshole." Charly blurted. "But that does not explain the taxi."

I chuckled. "Patience, Char. I was wasn't done explaining."

"Go on then." Charly encouraged. "I want to know everything."

"After Adam would not leave, a stranger stepped in, telling him to let me go." "A stranger? What's his name?" Charly sounded sceptic. "I don't know him. Stranger, remember?"

Charly snorted, "True. And how come you ended up in a taxi?"

"The stranger told - well honestly threatened - Adam to leave. Which he then did, leaving me alone with the stranger, who offered to drive me home." My best friends' eyebrows shot up. "Of course, I declined." I assured her. "I turned to leave and the stranger followed. When we stood outside on the pavement, he informed me that he had called me a taxi and had already paid for it, so I better get in."

Charly stared at me incredulously. "Bossy bastard."

I laughed out loud. "You don't know half of it."