Words Have Two Meanings

VI

Lydia never cancelled on Mila. She tried, she really did, but the idea of telling Mila no, of saying that she didn't want to go for dinner with one of the most intoxicating people she's ever met, it all felt like too big of a lie to tell. Every word she typed felt like a cinch around her heart, squeezing until she gave in and erased them.

Sure, Julian wouldn't be happy with her, but on the bright side, her inability further supports Lydia's theory that Mila quite possibly could be her soulmate. The very thought of not seeing her aches and burns in the worst way.

At least it's something.

Lydia's just finishing up with her shift when the bell above the door dings and Mila comes into sight. She's dressed far more casually than Lydia had been expecting - she herself brought a change of clothes so she wouldn't stick out at dinner - but really, Mila would make a bin bag look great.

Mila looks around wide-eyed for a second before her line of sight fixes on Lydia, and she's wearing an effortless yet endlessly charming grin on her face.

Lydia has to force herself to focus on her short line of customers before she can let one of her co-workers take over the register. It isn't usually such a difficult task, but with Mila wandering the aisles of the books store, her fingers dancing across the spines of novels that Lydia herself has spent hours upon hours falling in love with, she's very distracted.

As Lydia clocks out, she slips into the back office and changes out of her uniform - foregoing the heels so as not to appear to be trying too hard with Mila - before she heads back out to find her date.

Mila's standing in the highly-favored soulmate section when Lydia finds her. Even the slightest possibility of Mila's soul being forever linked to Lydia's own suddenly becomes the most important thing in her life.

"Find anything you like?"

Mila jumps at the sound of Lydia's voice and fumbles the book in her hand. "You could say that."

Lydia can't help the smile that dances across her face in the wake of Mila's line. Her cheeks are slowly warming and the moment is altogether an ephemeral beauty.

"So what are you doing in the soulmate section?" Lydia asks because she doesn't know how to be subtle. "Anything you're looking for?"

Mila looks down at the book in her hand, but Lydia can't quite read the title of it. The word 'music' stands out, but as it's about soulmates, it's not a surprise. "Are you still on the clock?"

"I'm always on the clock. Great literature never takes a break." Lydia's shift is technically over but she'd restock a million books if it meant getting to enjoy such an intimate space with just herself and Mila.

"Well in that case, I'm not looking for anything specific." Behind herself, Mila puts the book back on the shelf. Her body is keeping Lydia from reading the title, and Lydia suspects that was her intention. "I just know that soulmate fiction has the best stories."

"Non-fiction."

"Sorry?"

"Soulmate nonfiction has the best stories," Lydia clarifies her correction.

Mila's head is tilted and she looks genuinely interested in Lydia's nonsense literature jargon. "What's the difference?"

Lydia doesn't answer at first. She gives himself time to think her words over, wanting to phrase it correctly. "Fiction is what you see in the movies. The over translated, repetitive tropes used to reel in young viewership. Things like the main character lying about their favorite song because they don't think they're good enough for their soulmate, and menial fights that threaten an entire relationship. That kind of stuff."