Starlight and Soulmates

Chapter Five: 17 years old

It's been exactly three months since the doctor approached me and TJ in the hospital waiting room and told us that Vladdy didn't make it. It's been two months since I stopped crying every waking moment of every day. I finally decided that it was time for me to pick myself back up and actually go to my classes. Not just pick up my work and stay in the library all day.
"Danni, are you sure you want to do this? Mrs. Vanson said she didn't mind if you weren't ready to attend classes again yet." TJ says, looking at me with sadness still prevalent in his eyes. I pull my cousin into a hug, sensing that he needs it.
"I'm sure, TJ. Thank you for your concern, but Dyadya wouldn't want me to keep missing class. He'd tell me, 'Dannika, you are going to get your prikladom out of that bed and to the school. You don't need to miss out on this free education! It will make your future so much brighter, golubka!'" I respond. TJ smiles at my awful impression, a tear rolling down his cheek. I nod at him with a small, reassuring smile. He smiles back and goes to get his keys.
"Well, if you're sure you're ready to go then I am going to be the one that drives you and picks you up today. No arguments." he says sternly.
~Later That Day~
"Danni! You missed so much! There's a new girl at school!" Hazel squeals excitedly. I pull her into a friendly hug.
"Tell me about her, Hazelnut. You can't just tell me there's a new girl without giving me details about her." I laugh. The short brunette nods in agreement.
"She's blonde, she's like 5'2 I think? Also she has super pretty blue eyes and her family is like super heckin' rich. Like seriously. She drove a red Porsche to school on her first day. And on her second, she drove a blue Ferrari. But she's pretty nice and seems down to earth. Except for one thing. She's a cheerleader. Like the captain of the cheer squad. And she's become best friends with Jasperella Johnson." Hazel rambles quickly. I nod at the information, dreading what that could me for me. Almost as if the Universe heard my thoughts, Jasperella and the new girl walk into the cafeteria. Directly to my table. I look at Hazel and Bug and they both get up and walk away.
"Johnson. To what do I owe the pleasure of this little visit of yours?" I ask, a little shaken.
"Reyes. I was simply showing Carter around. Also, I just wanted to say that today I won't do or say anything harmful to you. Out of respect for your loss. But tomorrow, be prepared." the tall, snarky blonde says.
"Thanks, I guess. I'm Danni Reyes, by the way. And you are...?" I say, turning the beautiful blonde beside Jasperella. She smiles at me and I feel something strange happening to my tattoo. I look down and see that it's starting to glow through my sleeve.
"I'm Carter. Carter Cane. It's nice to meet you." she says genuinely. I try to be discreet about looking for her tattoo but Jasperella catches me.
"What the hell do you think you're doing, fag? Checking out my friend? That's disgusting. I know what you're looking for, but she doesn't have one. Come on Carter let's go." I look down shamefully when I feel a piece of paper fall into my lap. I look up and see that Carter is lagging behind her new mentor. Picking up the folded piece of paper, I notice that there's something written on the inside. I open it to find a phone number and a smiley face beside beautiful handwriting that says, 'text me.' I pull my phone out of my pocket and quickly enter her number into my phone and shoot her a text that simply says, 'Hi.'
A few seconds later, my phone vibrates. I unlock it to find a message that reads, 'meet me in the locker-room in five minutes.' I sit in excitement, waiting for those agonizingly long five minutes to be over.
It's finally time for me to meet the new girl in the locker-room and I'm really hoping that this is a legitimate meeting and not some kind of cruel prank. As I make my way down the hall, my thoughts begin to spiral back to the last time a girl asked me to meet her somewhere in the school. I stop dead in my tracks as the anxiety of remembering that horrific event hits me like a truck. Everything begins to feel like it's too much and suddenly I can't breathe. My vision begins to blur when I feel familiar arms wrap around me. "Danni, Danni. It's okay. You're okay. Breathe with me. 1,2,3,4, hold. Release. 1,2,3,4, hold. Release. That's it, Painted Lady. You're doing great." Bug soothes me, gently rubbing circles onto my upper back. I turn to look at him and he smiles sadly. "What happened, Danni?"
"I just...I don't know. Carter wants me to meet her in the locker-room and I just started thinking about what happened with Tina last year and I just..I couldn't move and I couldn't breathe and I-" Bug cuts me off with a hug.
"It's okay, Dan. You don't have to meet up with her, ya know. Tell her to meet you somewhere." he suggests. I shrug.
"I-I'll be fine. B-but if I need someone..c-could I maybe call you?" I ask sheepishly.
"Always, Painted Lady." he replies warmly. I take a deep breath and continue my journey to the locker room. Once I get there I am surprised to actually find Carter standing there, seemingly alone. I cautiously take a step forward and flinch when she turns to look at me.
"Are you okay?" she asks, concern evident in her voice. I slowly nod and continue walking towards the pretty blonde. "I'm sure you're wondering why I asked you to meet me here and trust me, it's for a really good reason. I saw your tattoo glowing when we first met earlier. And I just wanted to tell you that mine did too. I know it did because I could feel it. And the reason you couldn't see it is because it's in a place that definitely would not be visible to the public. Like ever. Well okay maybe in the summer at the beach. I'm rambling. Anyways, I wanted to show you my tattoo. If that's okay at least." Carter blurts out. Staying silent, I nod my okay, still skeptical of the situation. She begins to lift her shirt and that's when I finally decide to say something.
"Woah, woah, woah! At least let me buy you dinner or something first. Shit man, I literally just met you today." I blurt out. Carter starts laughing and shakes her head.
"I'm sorry but I promise I'm not stripping completely. I have a sports bra on under this." she smiles. I smile back sheepishly and allow her to continue. She lifts her shirt and bra enough for me to catch a small glimpse of the round underside of her left breast. I notice a small butterfly - made out of a constellation. "I don't know what the connection is but I felt - something - when you I first saw you and that's when I knew. Don't get me wrong, I was a little taken aback when I saw that my soulmate was a girl. But I figured that we're just platonic soulmates. Right?"
"C-Carter, I don't know if Jasperella told you or not but I'm bisexual. So, I think we're romantic soulmates because I've had this gut feeling of wanting to take you out on dates and make a life together. I don't think that's the type of feeling you get when you meet a platonic soulmate." I stutter nervously.
"Oh, well..then I guess maybe we're not soulmates. My mistake. I'm sorry to have dragged you into this." she says with a neutral expression on her face.
"Well, the butterfly makes me think we are soulmates. I don't see what the problem is. The Universe doesn't make mistakes. I used to love butterflies. I wanted to be a lepidopterist when I grew up." I explain. "Here look," I show her my wrist, "I have a constellation of a rose. D-Does that mean anything to you?"
"Roses are my favourite flower." she deadpans.
"So that means we are soulmates." I try to reason. She looks at me with cold eyes, nothing like the sweet girl from a few moments before.
"I think I know why our tattoos are constellations." she mutters. I nod in encouragement for her to continue her thoughts. "We must be star-crossed lovers or something to that effect because this," she motions between us, " will never work out." Her words hit me like a brick. I suddenly feel everything and nothing all at once.
"W-what do you mean? Why won't 'this' work out? We're soulmates! Our tattoos coincide with each other. Obviously that means something." I argue, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill.
"Listen, Danni. You seem cool, but it's not possible for me to be your soulmate. I'm not gay. Therefore my soulmate could never be a woman. I don't know what to tell you. Maybe the Universe did make a mistake this time. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get to cheer practice." she says emptily. My entire world suddenly feels like it's been ripped out from under me. I numbly walk to my next class, not knowing what to do with this newfounded information. I finally find my soulmate and she doesn't even like girls. What kind of twisted fate is that? I've waited my entire life to find her. This is what the Universe does? First, you take away my uncle and now you give me a soulmate that won't even accept the possibility of being my soulmate. I think to myself as the rest of the day goes by in a blur.
I get home and the first thing I do is collapse onto the couch. TJ peeks his head into the living room and gives me a questioning look. "Uhhh, Danni? Everything okay?" he asks.
"Not really." I grumble. He shuffles in and sits next to me.
"Well, what happened?" he prods. I lean my head against his arm and sigh.
"Met my soulmate today." TJ perks up at the mention of my soulmate.
"Really?! That's great! Who is it? Are they nice? What are they like?" he rambles on excitedly. I try to contain the tears I feel welling up.
"She told me the Universe probably made a mistake, making us soulmates. She said that there was no way we could be soulmates because she's not gay." my voice cracks. TJ wraps his arm around me and kisses the top of my head.
"Hey, hey, hey. It'll be okay. Maybe you just thought she was your soulmate. Ya know, I'm 22 and I still haven't met my soulmate. Maybe it was just you hoping you had found them already." he tries his best to comfort me.
"Yeah..maybe." I whisper.