Divine Complement

14 - Electric Girl

I ran. I don't know where to, but I ran. He just told me he had that mark, and I ran. After I told him we had to be soul mates, I ran. I ran until my legs gave out.

Well, I thought I ran far. I wasn't even close to the entrance of the trail. Were my legs that weak or did Grant and I really walk that far? I leaned against a tree and tried to catch my breath. I heard distant footsteps coming so I tried to run again. But I couldn't.

"Wait, Jesus Aubrey," Brennen struggled.

"Jesus's last name, isn't Aubrey." I tried to say through huffs. He managed to breathe out a chuckle. He was hunched over with his hands on his knees. I decided to try to run again.

And then my legs gave out. Of course they did. Of all times for them to give out they give out now! I groaned when I hit the ground, scraping my elbow up. I heard Brennen shuffle to me and just laid there. He held his hand out and I hesitantly took it.

There was that shock again. But it was so intense this time, it made us gasp and he released my hand. I hit the ground with another thud, but I started laughing.

"Holy shit, I'm so sorry Aubrey! It's just t-"

"The shock." I finished for him. He sheepishly nodded and I helped myself up.

"So, er, I have the mark. And I realized it's for you." I felt tingly at the statement. Then my body shut down. I remembered what my mom told me, her finally confessing to me about my real dad.

I felt like a wall immediately went up. I stared at his expression, searching for anything. I started choking. I couldn't breathe. Was this really what my fear was doing to me?

"Whoa, whoa. Aubrey, shit are you okay?" Oh yeah, just peachy while I'm coughing to death. I finally caught my breath, but managed to walk away from him. "Aubrey! Where are you going?" I could almost visualize him running his hand through his hair out of frustration.

I started to walk faster, but he caught up with me in an instant. Fucking long legs. He grabbed my arm, and I felt the shock again. My body was basically shutting down because he had the mark for me, yet it still managed to feel like this? He turned me around to face him.

"Aubrey..." He breathed out, "what's the matter?"

"Y-you, I can't d-do this," I choked out. I felt like my chest was closing. This is what having a soul mate was doing to me.

"What?" He questioned. "You basically tore my head off when I said I wasn't your soul mate, that we weren't compatible to be. And now you're shutting me out?" He stated in disbelief.

I tried to steady my breathing, but it wasn't working. It was like he still managed to fuck with my system. After all, he is the cause for my mark. I'm experiencing this unbelievable ache because I'm scared. I'm so fucking scared that I physically and emotionally can't do this. That and my body is giving me mixed signals.

Him being in my presence is still sending shocks through my system. I can feel my mark slowly increasing, even as my body is having this attack.

"I know the effect I have on you, Aubrey." He claimed as he lifted my chin so I was staring up at him. "Stop doing this; let me know what's wrong." He put his hand through the neck hole in my shirt and felt my mark. It felt like there were billions of shocks going through me at a time.

"Stop touching me," I squeaked. "You're making this harder for me, Bren, please." He didn't remove his hand. He stared me right in my eyes. I watched his pupils dilate as I reached for his mark. I touched it, and he closed his eyes.

Then, I pulled my hand back. I leaned against a tree and put my head in my hands. He wrapped his arms around me. I enjoyed his gentle, relaxing embrace before I shrugged him away. My body began to shake before he spoke again.

"Why are you so... afraid? You were so ecstatic for me to be your soul mate. I open up, and you're scared! Why?"

I felt the tears threatening to fall. I looked down at the ground and couldn't help but clench my fists. The anger was seeping its way out of me. I had no intentions of revealing my fears of having a soul mate.

"It's nothing Brennen; you didn't want me as a soul mate anyway. When you mentioned the mark, I couldn't help but feel like you didn't want it. It's fine, I'll burn it off and hope all feelings for you turn to dust like the mark will." I was breathing heavily by then.

He stepped closer to me and I backed away. I was pushed against a tree and his arms held me in place. Typical.

"Tell me why you're so scared. Then I'll leave. I'll let you sort this out on your own." Part of me dropped knowing he would leave if I told him.

"Fine," I breathed out, dropping to the ground. I squinted as I looked at the sun, dropping below the trees. "So, do you know the tale of the unhappy man who committed suicide because he was unhappy?" Brennen had a puzzled expression. Then he nodded. Of course he knew, everyone did. "How he was so unhappy, afraid, alone, terrified? That was my dad." Brennen's breath was caught in his throat.

"What?" He managed to let out.

"Yeah, funny story, really." I cringed at how brittle my voice sounded. "He was so unhappy and he couldn't do anything about it. All he could do is kill himself to even feel remotely happy again. He left my mom alone. She tells me that they were happy, but why did he kill himself? I never knew him; he did it before I was born. God, he must've been so fucking scared, upset, angry. He couldn't get away from his soul mate; his future was already taken from him. Do you see why I'm so scared now? I'm scared I'll end up helpless like my dad. Or alone like my mom. What if you get sick of me, and decide to kill yourself? Or leave? I couldn't handle that, I'm so fucking fragile." I was crying now. I couldn't stop.

Brennen wrapped his arms around me.

"You know what's even better? My mom hid this from me. I had to find out on my own, and interrogate her for so long. How could she hide this from me? 'It was for the better,' she would say. I found out on the night of my birthday, actually. That's mostly why I was so fucked up when you picked me up. Oh God, Brennen, I'm so scared. I never even pictured a life like this, so scared and empty and emotionless. I don't want to be lonely. I don't want to end up like my mom, unhappy with someone else. What if she kills herself, huh? What am I left with? A stranger I don't even know? I know the odds are small, as my dad was probably the first one to ever leave... and of course it had to be my blood line.

"I never understood the looks my mom got. They were ruthless, accusing, and cold. She tried her best to ignore them, she did. But sometimes she would cry. And I would try to comfort her. But she would shut me out. Brennen, please." I squeaked out the last part.

He was hugging me so tight. But I didn't mind. I squeezed him back.

I enjoyed him listening to me, not judging me based on my fears. If anything, he was sort of encouraging and understanding. I got that vibe from the energy of his mark. He didn't say anything. We just clung on to each other like our lives depended on it.

"Let me take you home," he whispered. I breathed a little before nodding. He helped me up and I couldn't help but smile at least a little at the sparks I felt.

The car ride wasn't completely silent, but there were moments where we didn't speak. He would crack corny jokes, or just talk about anything.

He pulled up at my house. Just as I was about to get out, he grabbed my arm. He had the most serious expression on his face. It had me worried.

"Can I call you 'electric girl'? You are technically my electric girl." This dork. I laughed. I laughed so hard I started coughing.

"Did you really just quote Electric Feel by MGMT? You really are my soul mate, man. That song is my life." He stiffened a little, but quickly covered it with a smile.

"Goodnight, Electric Girl." He called out of his window. I waved back to him as he drove off.

Brennen Myers would literally be the death of me.

//

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