The Sign Of The Sun

Chapter 26-- Aries

Aries

I'm freaking out. She is like me but better. She reads the same books as I do!! And carries a camera around wherever she goes!!

I take deep breaths, trying not to hyperventilate or something.

Is this what everyone feels like when they meet their soulmate? With Blake it felt different, almost like I was nervous and didn't want to "mess up". But with Soleis, it's like we've known each other forever.

"Aries?" She looks up at me, and I notice how bright blue her eyes are.

"Yes?" It's more of  a question than a statement.

Her cheeks redden and she looks down at her feet.

"Nevermind. . ." She mumbles.

"Oh." I say and absentmindedly rub the spot on my wrists where the names used to be. What was she going to tell me? 

She looks back up at me and she smiles. "I'm going to go pay, but you can keep looking if you want." She starts to walk away.

I watch her, feeling slightly awkward. Um, I guess I should get a book? I find one of my favourites and decide to buy another copy because this one has  different cover art.

I grab it and head towards the checkout, and towards Soleis.

She looks up at me as I walk towards her and she smiles. "Hey, Aries. Did you find anything?"

"Yeah, this is my favourite book. I have like two other copies, but I like to collect copies with different covers. . ." I fade off and look at the ground. She probably thinks this is stupid.

She giggles and I look up. "I do that too. Don't feel weird." My eyes widen.

"Really?!" I whisper-yell.

She smiles. "Yeah. I bought the whole Harry Potter series like 4 times. Just for the different cover art."

"I know! Those are the ones with the most interesting cover designs."

She takes her book from the counter and lets me pay. She continues to talk "I know!! Order of the Phoenix confuses me the most, how there's so many interpretations of the art."

"Yes, it's so pretty. Art in general is so pretty."

She pulls a small drawing pad out of her purse. "I draw all the time!" She opens it and shows me a picture of a bird.

"Wow," I breathed and gently touched the picture with my finger. "It's gorgeous."

She blushes. "Thanks. It's just a rough sketch, but those always turn out better."

"It's sad when a sketch turns out great, then it gets coloured and. . . dies."

She giggles. "I couldn't have worded it better." She looks towards the back of the store. "There's a reading nook back there if you want to read."

"Sure, sounds great."

She smiles and starts walking back there, taking my hand and leading me. She has my hand. I take deep breaths to calm myself and let her lead me

She sits down on a pillow against the wall and pats the spot next to her. I sit next to her then look around.

"It's so cosy here. . . I don't know how I never noticed it before."

She leaned into my side and rested her head against my shoulder. "Yeah, I come here a lot just to get away from the world." She opens her book and starts reading.

I look at her, her head on my shoulder. She is so peaceful, like the inside of a snow globe, before you shake it. But she also has a little fierceness, like she's already been shaken. She was so much different from Blake and one hundred percent better. Blake would have never been here with me, and with him, I would be afraid to even sit near him, not to mention resting my head on his shoulder.

I carefully opened my own book, trying not to disturb her.

Her phone rings, a violent, jarring ringtone. She picks it up and frowns.

"Pixie, I'm in the middle of something," she pauses. "Ugh. Do I really have to come home?" Another pause. "Fine. I'll see you in a few minutes." She turns to me.

"I have to go, my friend is having an emergency."

"Oh, ok then. I guess I'll see you later?"

She smiles. "Sure. I'll text you later when I take care of this."

She gets up, leaving my shoulder feeling cold. I stand up too, grabbing my book, not wanting to stay  without her.

"I guess I'll leave too."

"Okay. Well," she stands awkwardly, not really knowing what to do with herself. "I'll. . . See you around.

"Yeah," I reply and we walk out of the store silently, but still together.

I get on my Vespa and head home. I have a lot to think about. I mean, Soleis is great, she's awesome, but. . . I'm just afraid. This is literally a day after the whole Blake incident, with the  sadness still fresh in my mind.

But still. It's different being with Soleis. More natural. As much as I should be worried, I'm not. I trust her, and I trust that this is going to work out. After all, she's my soulmate.