soulmates ;; phan

O n e

-Dan's pov-

My feet patter against the pavement, the steady breeze of the early Autumn season rustling through the dark fringe laid over my chilled forehead. The familiar path before me hadn't changed a bit along with the change of season, the same cracks in the old cement were as prominent as ever. The trees surrounding me were also the same, other than the way their leaves had changed from lush green to orangey reds before scattering over the path. Yet the air felt different, and not just because of the obvious change in weather, but because of a certain feeling I couldn't quite pinpoint.

The change grows more obvious as I near closer to the crowded school I wasn't looking forward to entering, the sound of clamoring voices filling the thick air. The previous change I had picked up on proving to be the certain excitement I immediately recognized from everyone's seemingly giddy moods.

A sigh of relief can't help but slip from my lips as I notice my best friend standing near the doors of the school. The pink ends of her blonde hair curled to perfection, the yellow dress she was wearing immediately catching my attention, making me wonder what had her so dressed up for a normal school day.

The sound of my shoes slapping against the pavement is lost in the sea of voices around me as I near closer to her. After about a minute of weaving through students, I reach Louise. Taking in the way she was leaning so effortlessly against the wall of the school, her blue eyes cast downwards towards her feet.

She quickly notices me stood before her, a smile slipping onto her pink tinted lips as she greets me happily with a cheery "Hello Dan"

I shift so I'm stood leaning against the worn brick wall beside her, wasting no time in asking why everyone was so riled up. Not even realizing how rude I was being, not even saying a quick hello in response.

"What's all the damn fuss about?"

Louise's eyebrows furrow at my question, and I knew it wasn't directed at the way I had so rudely dismissed her "hello" as she was used to my moody behavior. But rather towards the words I had spoken.

I raise my eyebrows slightly at her, growing impatient at her lack of response, and she immediately blinks, realizing that she had zoned out a bit.

"Have you seriously forgotten?" She finally asks, and I wrack my brain in wonder of what I could have forgotten about. In the end coming out with nothing but a confused look as in answer to her question.

She sighs as she realizes I obviously had forgotten whatever it was she was talking about, so she clarifies with an excited tone.

"Today is the matching!"

As soon as the words escape her lips I groan. The matching had been something I hadn't been looking forward to since I was young. The annual event was something I thought was pure bullshit. I had simply let it slip from my mind without much detailed thought.

"That's today?" I ask, despite knowing that it full on was, recalling the date that had been drilled into my head as "the annual day of matching" for as long as I could remember.

I instinctively pull the arms of my pastel sweater further down over my hands, the cold weather finally catching up to me. Or maybe it was just the excitement I lacked, Louise often made the joke that I had a "cold heart." I wasn't sure if that was even just a joke anymore.