Soulmate

Chapter 7: The Third Wheel

    Alexander

     We sat in the back of the theater, and the lights went down as stupid previews played on the rundown screen. For some reason, I really wasn't into watching movies anymore. I'd rather be outside, hiking or doing something productive, but maybe that was because of all my dad's pressuring over the years.

     Danny was talking about how happy he was that all of us could come with him, but I knew after he met his soulmate, he wouldn't even remember tonight. Maybe he'd remember that we had all hung out one last time, but he probably wouldn't remember who was here or what was said. Heck, he probably wouldn't remember what movie we saw, but I probably wouldn't either.

    The door opened and a flood of light came in, but it was instantly closed before I had time to look who walked in. The group was loud, giggling as they all stumbled in, and there was no doubt in my mind that they were high schoolers causing trouble. I rolled my eyes as they walked down the aisle passed us, a big group of them.

    "Ow!" a girl shrieked, even though her voice was pained, it sounded better than any music I had ever heard. "Thanks, Chase." Her voice was barely over a whisper, but I wanted to hear it all day. I didn't hear enough of it, but I could tell I was the only one even paying attention to her outbursts , all of the guys were watching a preview to some stupid action movie. I looked over to where they were all sitting, there were too many of them, and it was too dark to distinguish who was who, not that I would know anyone, and not that I would be able to recognize her.

    "You need to be more careful, Mouse!" a familiar voice exclaimed as the group began to giggle. It was Tyson, our parents had been old friends, and they had always tried to get us to hangout, but we never got along. He was too arrogant, and I didn't appreciate all of his crude jokes. He enjoyed to make people feel bad, but I suppose every person goes through that phase. By the sounds of it, he hasn't grown up all too much.

    He never particularly liked to hangout with me either, but when my parents would try to invite them over for dinner, we'd try to get along. We'd play video games together, and he'd usually beat me because I didn't play them as much as he did. We'd toss a football back and forth, and he'd usually try to make it into a competition, and I let him. I tried to be nice, I tried to tolerate him, but we'd never be best friends. I was glad that I didn't have to see him everyday like I used to at school even though I didn't see him that much because I was a year ahead.

    My hands were shaking and I didn't know why, maybe it was because of the cool air in the theater. I sat back and tried to enjoy the movie, but everything seemed wrong. My life wasn't the way that I wanted it. Everyone in our group of friends had their soulmates, and I was the only one still alone. I was also the only one who always wanted to meet my soulmate. I wasn't like the other guys; I was ready to do something with my life, marry the perfect girl, and start my life with her. They thought I was crazy. They didn't understand why anyone would throw their life away for a girl, but I wasn't throwing my life away, I was planning on living it with her.

    Maybe I shouldn't be thinking about her so much, maybe I should be living in my last moments of the single life like my poor friend Danny. I could see that he was holding onto the past because he wasn't ready to make that jump into the future. I looked at him as he laughed at the movie; he seemed to be enjoying himself, but he was probably trying to hide his fears.

    I closed my eyes because my head was pounding, and I was ready to go home and sleep. My mother was probably making dinner, she'd probably even make me a plate, but then she'd realize that I wasn't going to be home for dinner. My parents would make awkward conversation, and then my dad would retreat to his study while my mom cleaned the kitchen. She'd wait to go to bed until I got home, and ask me how my day was. I wouldn't give her more than a few grumbled words as I stumbled my way to bed. We wouldn't speak of it the next day.