What's a Heart to a Soul

1.2 "L" On Her Forehead

Did you really just think that? Get a hold of yourself Blake! No not Blake...

Before I could even finish fighting with myself my thoughts were rudely interrupted.

"Alright students," a young man wearing tight pants and a tucked in button up called out, his tired brown eyes searching the room for any ounce of acknowledgment that he was now speaking as everyone continued chatting "students!"

The sharpness of his voice came at a surprise, everyone falling into a thick silence. His tan copper toned skin hinted to potentially being of Latino descent but I couldn't be sure.

"I'm going to announce partners for the upcoming project on The Scarlet Letter so please pay close attention." He stated as he peered down at a paper I had not previously noticed him holding.

He listed off names, mine and Devin's still not having been called after pretty much everyone had either given a celebratory 'heck yea' or defiant 'oh c'mon' most commonly accompanied with a long, dutiful sigh. My stomach had turned to an array of twisted up knots as I watched the nerve racking affair take place.

"Devin and Blake." He read off before smiling up at everyone "Alright now please find your partners and come up with a plan on when to meet to work together."

I was unsure why or when it had begun but I was now acutely aware of my palms sweaty like an end of game jersey and my heart beating like the indie 500. She turned back to look at me, a bewildered look on her face, her eyes icier than ever. In turn she had seemingly been able to freeze me in place. Her features were now more mature, her hair longer and styled into a half up half down hairdo. She let out a low irritated sigh and stood before walking over to me, her slim figure snaking through the other students' merged desks until she stood towering over me, myself, and I who was still completely and utterly frozen. She dropped into the seat, slamming her notebook onto the flat surface of the desktop. I could now see the doodles clearly. There were a number of stars mixed in with incomprehensible scribbles leading down to a small oak tree with two figures sitting below.

"Alright Beckett, I guess let's get this over with." She stated with an edge clear cut in her voice that she had seemingly grown into overnight or over forgotten years.

It sent shivers down my spine like the whispers of a thousand forgotten secrets and took the wind right out of my lungs as I stared back at her, too frozen and out of breath to not be stuck in this space and time for at least a few seconds more.

"Beckett?" She questioned, the edge in her voice now dull and doing very little to thaw the layers of ice between us.

"Yes, um," I mumbled out, my voice more recognizable than any of the previous pipe dreams from the last, well, however long "when would work best for you?"

She raised an eyebrow in my direction so as to question the clear stuttering of my words "Well I'm free Sunday, I have practice everyday until five but I'm free after except for tomorrow and Saturday I have games so I can't those days."

"Okay I have book club tonight, piano lessons tomorrow, student government Wednesday, and..." I started rattling off before she interjected.

"Easy there Beckett, I think it might be better to just say when you are free." She smirked slightly, the ice melting for a mere moment before freezing back over "How about we just plan for Sunday afternoon?" For a moment her face faded into itself, like water rippling and then settling once again "So where should we start?"

I looked around and noticed we were now seated in my bedroom. The ocean blue walls lined with bookcases, golden medallions from piano competitions, academic award certificates, and numerous pictures of me and my family. I settled on one picture of me and Devin and her eyes followed mine until they landed on the picture of the two of us. We were smiling as we lay under the shade of the oak tree that had come to be my spot so to speak. We were little, our pudgy faces smiling brightly and my favorite copy of Alice in Wonderland tightly clutched in my tiny arms.