Soul mates

8 year old Phil sat in his desk, not really paying attention to what his teacher was saying. He knew he might get in trouble for it later, but he had other important things on his mind. Like his soulmate. He had celebrated his 8th birthday yesterday, and his only wish was to meet his soul mate soon. Some people met their soul mates as early as 4 years old, but didn't know that they were soul mates until they reached 18. Others waited over a hundred years for their true love to come along, their yellow bracelets old with time. Phil looked at his own purple bracelet. It indicated that he was not 18 yet, and didn't know his soulmate. He had to wait ten years to take it off. He hoped he wouldn't have to wait too long as an 18 year old. It seemed like a very strange age to be for him. He much preferred being 8.

3 years later:
Phil walked through the front door of his house. He had just seen a girl in a yellow bracelet being made fun of by two other girls with green bracelets, the ones that only people who had found their soul mates wore.  They were saying "look at poor Marzia! So lonely for 54 years while we found each other after only 9 days" they said and laughed "Marzia, maybe you should wear better clothes and put on some make up. Then your soulmate might want to appear"  they walked away giggling. Phil knew Marzia. He had seen her around sometimes. She was always kind to everyone but also quite shy. After the girls left, he could see her wipe her eyes and run home. He wished he could do something nice for her, after all she didn't deserve what she had gotten. After that day, Phil was more observant. He noticed that people who had gotten their green bracelets after only a few months or days often mocked people that still hadn't received them after ten years. Phil felt so sorry for those people. It want their fault that their soulmate was born at a different time than them. That was something nobody could control. However, Phil hoped he wouldn't have to go through more than five years without a soul mate.

2 years later:
Phil quickly checked the mail and pulled out a cream envelope. It had pretty designs on it in pink, blue and green. He knew immediately what it was. A wedding invitation. He rushed into his house and opened it carefully. The wedding was going to be Marzia's. She had met her soul mate the year before, a Swedish guy named Felix. Phil liked him. He was incredibly funny and looked at Marzia like she was his entire world. He was also very happy for Marzia, who had a new light in her eyes and a more confident tone. He showed the letter to his parents, who smiled and said "we're definitely attending" Phil smiled too and headed upstairs to read a book and not do homework. He would never admit it, but he now wanted a soul mate more than ever. He wanted to feel happier than he had ever been before, with someone else that felt the same way. He flopped down onto his colourful bed and closed his eyes.

5 years later
Phil blew out the candles at the top of his cake and smiled as everyone cheered and clapped. He was finally eighteen. His mum had thrown a small celebration and now after everything else, he would take off his now small purple bracelet and put on a brand-new yellow one. He tried to pry the small bracelet of his wrist but couldn't, and eventually his mum came to cut it with special ceremonial scissors. Phil turned slightly red and everyone laughed as his mum snipped it off. Phil held up the yellow bracelet and slid it onto his wrist. He tightened it and everyone cheered again. The rest of the night was a blur, but Phil was excited for the events that were to come. He was still kind of nervous that his soulmate hadn't even been born yet, but for that night, everything was completely fine and full of happiness.