Marked By Fate

The Lie

The entire ride to school, my mind spun in circles, chasing the same impossible question: What am I going to tell Sam?

The initials on my stomach felt like a brand—one I couldn't hide from myself, even if I could from everyone else. A.L. Not his initials. Not Sam's. I kept tugging my shirt down, as if somehow that would keep the secret safe a little longer.

"Nova, you okay?" Jazzlyn piped up from the back seat, leaning forward.

"Yeah, totally fine," I said, pasting on the biggest fake smile I could manage.

But I wasn't fine. In less than twenty minutes, I'd have to face Sam. And I had no idea what to tell him. Should I tell him the truth? No, that would break him. Sam was so sure we were soulmates. He'd found my initials on his stomach when it was his birthday—N.M. His face had lit up like it was the happiest day of his life. How could I take that away from him?

I pressed my forehead against the cool window, watching the streets blur by. Maybe I could lie—just for a little while. I could say the initials hadn't shown up yet. That happened sometimes, right? Maybe the universe was still figuring it out, just like my mom said. But the thought made me feel sick.

By the time Dad pulled up to the school, my stomach was in knots. I said a quick goodbye and stepped out of the car, taking a deep breath. Sam was waiting for me at the front steps, just like always. His brown hair fell into his eyes, and he smiled as soon as he saw me, his face full of hope.

"Hey, birthday girl," Sam called, waving me over. His eyes shone with the same excitement from yesterday, like nothing had changed.

Except everything had.

"Hey." I forced my legs to move forward, my heart pounding in my chest. I wasn't ready for this conversation.

Sam stepped closer, wrapping his arms around me in a hug. "I missed you," he whispered against my hair.

"I missed you, too," I said, my voice tight. I pulled back, trying to avoid looking him in the eyes.

He studied my face for a second, frowning slightly. "Are you okay? You seem... off."

I hesitated, my mind racing. What if I just tell him the truth? But then I imagined the hurt on his face, the betrayal, the heartbreak. I couldn't do that to him. Not today.

"No, I'm fine," I lied, trying to sound casual. "I just—uh—I haven't seen my initials yet."

Sam blinked, confused. "Wait, really?"

"Yeah," I said, nodding quickly. "I mean, it happens sometimes, right? The initials can take a few days to appear."

Sam's face softened with understanding. "Oh, yeah. I think I heard that before. No big deal, then."

He smiled, relief washing over him, and I felt a weight lift from my chest. He didn't question it. He wasn't suspicious. Maybe I could keep this going for a little while longer. Maybe I could make it work.

Before I could say anything else, Jenny came running up to us, her face pale. "Nova!" she called, grabbing my arm. "Oh my God, did you see them yet? Did they show up?" Her eyes were wide with concern, her fingers digging into my sleeve.

I flinched, suddenly feeling cornered. "Uh—no, not yet."

Jenny looked horrified, like this was the worst thing that could ever happen. "You don't think something's wrong, do you? I mean, everyone else gets their initials by now!"

"Jenny, relax," Sam said, shooting her an amused glance. "It's only been a day. Nova's fine. Fate works on its own schedule."

Jenny glanced between the two of us, her lips pressing into a thin line. "I just—I don't know. I'd be freaking out."

"Well, Nova's not freaking out," Sam said, pulling me closer. "Right?"

I forced another smile. "Right."

Jenny didn't look convinced, but thankfully, she didn't push it any further. I exhaled a small sigh of relief as she wandered off to class.

"Listen," Sam said, turning back to me, his eyes bright with excitement. "I was thinking—why don't we celebrate? Just the two of us. Let's go out tonight. Dinner, movie, whatever you want. What do you say?"

I hesitated. A date with Sam. Normally, the thought would've filled me with happiness, but now it only made the pit in my stomach grow deeper. How was I supposed to act normal when I knew the truth? When I knew we weren't soulmates?

But Sam was looking at me with so much hope, so much love, that I couldn't bring myself to say no.

"Yeah," I finally said, forcing another smile. "That sounds perfect."