A Splash of Color

four [edited]

Amber

The next day and all throughout the night, I kept thinking about what Mrs. Crivello said. The answer to everything happening was right there, but I still had a hard time figuring it out. It didn't make sense to me. Why did all those things have to happen just cause someone was connected to someone else by a soulmate bond?

Last night, I went home after having dinner with the Westbury's, per Shanti's request. On the way home was when I actually started processing the information Mrs. Crivello gave me. She had explained a few of the things that were happening to me thoroughly. Like when I had intense headaches, it was because my soulmate is far away from me. The less painful they are, the closer my soulmate is. She also explained if my soulmate happened to be even closer I would experience other weird things. When I got home I had all the information lodged into my brain, but I still couldn't process it. I guess the real question to this was 'why?'. Why did this suddenly happen? Why is it necessary? Why me? Mrs. Crivello kind of explained the second question, but I wouldn't know the full answer until I met my soulmate.

The next morning I woke to a knock at my door. I got up and walked over to open it to see Shanti. "Hey, I hope I didn't wake you up."

"No, I was up already." I opened the door wider to let her in and she closed it behind her. I walked into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee and took out some food to make for breakfast. "Have you ever gone through this, Shanti?"

"No, I haven't yet."

"Oh." I dropped the subject and focused on cooking. Shanti got out plates and poured us each a cup of coffee. I served our food and we both sat down at the table.

After our breakfast, Shanti offered to wash the dishes while I got ready for our shift at the library. The whole time I just thought about what could happen when I meet my soulmate. What would he or she look like? What would our reactions be?

I walked out of my room with my bag and saw Shanti waiting for me. "You ready, Amber?"

"Yeah, let's go." We both left my place and I locked the door behind me. We walked the path I usually took when I walk to work.

Upon arriving, the library seemed to be a bit packed today. When we walked in our boss immediately came up to us. "Amber, Shanti, I'm glad you guys came early. I decided to have a book sale, and a company was willing to donate some more books for the sale. It will be lasting for a while depending on if we keep getting customers to come in."

"That's great, Melvin. For once the library will be packed." Shanti answered.

"Yeah, I'm excited, but I don't want to get too excited if it doesn't go as planned," he looked towards me and a slightly worried look overtook his features. "You'll be alright, Amber, to work the counter for check out?"

"Yeah, it's no problem."

"Okay, but let me know if it gets too much for you."

"Yeah, I'll help you out, Amber, if you need me to." Shanti offered.

"Thanks, guys."

"Alright, well I'm gonna make sure everything is going okay. Good luck, girls." We both nodded and Shanti pulled me into the back so we could put our bags away. After we had clocked in and left our bags in the staff room we both went to work immediately. As I was manning the register, it felt strange being in contact with so many people. I've only ever had close relationships with Shanti, her parents, her grandmother, and Melvin. But I have to say it was kind of a nice change to meet so many people, even if we all were living in the same town.

I was checking out a stack of books for a woman when she happened to start a short conversation with me. "My, you look very beautiful."

"Oh, uh..thanks, ma'am," I said a bit startled by the sudden compliment.

"Oh hon, no need to be so formal, my name is Mary."

"Oh, well, thank you, Mary."

"You're very welcome, you have such beautiful eyes."

"Thank you."

"Hmhm, they're a nice light shade of brown."

"Oh, really?" It was too late to fix my mistake, I just hope she didn't catch it.

"Yeah, it's quite nice." I relaxed as I realized she didn't catch on. I scanned her last book, got a bag, and put everything in there for her. I told her the price and she paid, then I gave her the change and she smiled. "Have a nice day, Amber."

"Huh?"

"Your name tag, sweetie." She said with a small laugh.

"Oh right, you too, Mary." She nodded and walked out of the store and I couldn't help but sense a weird vibe from her.

I had just got done with the last customer as they walked out the door, Melvin and Shanti came over to the counter and plopped down in the chairs behind it. "Man, that was hectic," Melvin said, exasperated. Shanti could only sigh and nod in response. I closed the cash register after organizing it from when I just tossed the money in. I turned around to greet the tired duo and Melvin looked up after laying his head back. "How were you, Amber? Was everything okay up here?"

"Yeah, it was fine, lots of people to handle, but manageable."

"Glad to hear, I know it might have been hard for you."

"It's fine, sir, really." He smiled and nodded as if he knew that I was sincere with my answer. He stood from his seat and clapped his hands together. "Well, girls, since we did so well today, I'll give you both a raise and a few days off."

"Really?!" Shanti yelled, immediately sitting up in her seat.

"Yes, so please enjoy your vacation, don't come to work." He said, but then turned serious when he said the last part directed towards me.

"Don't worry, Melvin, I'll make sure she doesn't," Shanti said. He nodded and turned to his office. "C'mon, Amber, let's get our bags and head out."

"Alright."

On our way home, which is my place for tonight, Shanti asked me about how the day went for me. "It was good, I guess," I answered.

"How was it seeing so many people?"

"It was a bit overwhelming, but it's something I'll have to get used to."

"Meet anyone strange? I find a few people around here who are."

"Well, there was this one lady, I think her name was Mary."

"What was she like?"

"I just felt a weird vibe from her, but it's probably because she was so nice to me." Shanti only nodded and we continued our walk home, but I still can't get that woman out of my head.