SOUL DORM

40

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CHAPTER 40:

ADVENTEROUS

"Blue!" Ursa exclaimed.

I heard what I assumed was Diego's gasp of surprise. Helene and Lark simultaneously turned their heads in the same direction. When I spun around, I froze. Standing at the entrance of the workshop were two faces I never expected to see tonight.

"We heard there's a great celebration going on," said Blue cheerfully.

The concert must have just wrapped up; Blue was still in her stage-ready sparkly skirt and leather jacket, her eyes adorned with glittering stars. Behind her stood Mars, her fellow rock star, also clad in a leather jacket. His outfit was understated beyond that—a plain t-shirt and simple pants. Hands in his pockets, his hair tousled wildly around his head. Blue's arrival was unexpected enough, but Mars's presence at my surprise party... it left me overwhelmed with a mix of emotions.

"Too bad, darling," Tarben said. "You are late, the celebration is over. Now it's time to work. Grab an apron there and come help."

It seemed as if he deliberately ignored Mars, but Mars didn't appear too bothered. He wandered into the workshop, examining the lights and decorations. Meanwhile, Blue came over and hugged me tightly, celebrating my return from the dead. Following her soulmate's instructions, she quickly found a spot at the table and began working on the flowers. Her immediate choice to sit next to Diego made me chuckle.

Unlike Blue, Mars wandered around on his own for a while, looking around and shuffling through the shelves. When he finally deigned to join us at the table, he kept his hands in his pockets and didn't attempt to help, choosing instead to be annoying. He made snide remarks about Ursa and Diego's vase, found Lark's arrangement grim, and called Blue clumsy. Naturally, I was next in line for his sweet talk. Sneaking up behind me, he peered over my shoulder at the vase I was preparing.

"If I knew you called us here to work, I wouldn't have come."

"You can still leave," I said without turning to him.

He chuckled in my ear. "No girl has ever kicked me out of her party before."

This time I turned to face him. "You'd better get used to it because this girl is probably going to keep disappointing you."

His smile widened, revealing dimples I couldn't ignore. He was so close, his gaze locked onto mine, attentive and probing, as if trying to unravel all my secrets.

"You're right," he said. "She probably will."

I opened my mouth to retort, but no words came out, and there wasn't time for them to. A loud crash echoed through the room. I turned my head and locked eyes with Tarben. The vase we had prepared lay shattered on the floor, flowers scattered among the glass shards. I crouched down to gather them, just as he did.

"I'm sorry," he said, not looking at me but trying to pick up the pieces.

"Don't be silly," I said, stopping him. "It doesn't matter, Tarben. We can easily make another one. I remember the flowers you picked. The Dorm will take care of the shards anyway."

I didn't tell him how I knew this, how the Dorm had mysteriously cleaned up the pots I had shattered during my last fit of rage. Tarben looked up at me hopefully. By then, Blue had also knelt beside us, and the others had gathered around.

"Congratulations," Blue chuckled. "You've proven once again that we are soulmates in clumsiness."

I smiled along with her, recognizing her attempt to lighten the mood. However, Tarben's expression remained troubled, as if the cheerful man from moments ago had vanished. Despite my reassurances, he continued gathering the fragments, with Blue trying to assist him. Then...