Soulmate

Chapter 33: 5...4...3...2...1...

Grace

    Well, this was it. Seven o'clock in the morning, and I would be wasting this beautiful day at work. Something inside me didn't want to go, but maybe that was because I was so exhausted from last night. I had already forgiven Chase because I knew he would never intentionally act that way, but I still didn't want to be around him. If anything, I wanted to avoid him for awhile. Maybe work would be a good distraction for me, but I could feel my whole body reject the idea of going. Maybe this magnetic pull to avoid work was coming from my soulmate.

    I stared at the white ceiling, unable to pull myself out of bed. All my willingness to live was gone. If I just stayed in bed all day, then would my soulmate know to look for me here? Would he feel a magnetic pull? Would his car break down mysteriously in front of my house? Would he knock on the door to ask me to use our phone because his died? Would I answer the door at 12:15 p.m. and see my soulmate standing there? Who would he be?

    Suddenly, my phone starting buzzing next to me and a picture of Becca lit up the screen. I rolled my eyes, but immediately answered. "Hello?" I hesitantly greeted. I know Becca and I know she would never willingly be up this early; something must have happened.

    "Gracie! Tyson and I decided to have a beach day and I think you should come. Please? It'll give you a chance to wear that super cute bikini!" she begged and I could hear the desperation in her voice.

    I searched the ceiling for the answer. There was a nagging feeling in the back of my mind, but going to the beach sounded better than going to work, so I agreed to meet them there at nine. Then, I called my boss to tell him I wasn't feeling well and I wouldn't be coming to work, but I'd clean the diner extra well when I came in tomorrow. He laughed at me and I was sure he knew that today I was meeting my soulmate and I wondered if he had expected me to call in sick.

    As soon as I got off the phone, I threw on my bikini and pulled on a shirt and shorts over top of it just in case my mom was still home. Then, I applied makeup and straightened my blonde hair, so I didn't look as awful as I felt. I wanted my soulmate to be impressed when he saw me. He couldn't just be happy that we finally met, he had to be blown away by me. I wanted to be the most beautiful girl in the world, even if that was only possible through his eyes. Before I left my room, I grabbed my beach towel, stuffed it into my bag, and took one last look at myself in the mirror. I was ready for anything.

    I jogged down the stairs to grab an apple from the kitchen and then I started my walk to the beach. People were already walking around in the warm air, but I focused on the crunch of my apple and the sound of my flip flops slapping against the sidewalk. It didn't matter that I was going to be earlier than the rest of them because I was excited to spend my day in the sun. When I meet my soulmate, I wonder if he'll want to spend his time at the beach, if he'll want to go on the boardwalk, or if he'll want to go get lunch. It was hard to say what he would want, but I'm sure I'll be happy with whatever he decides. I'm sure I'll be happy with him. He'll be perfect.

    When I got to the beach, I wasn't surprised to see people already laying their towels out. But I was surprised to see Becca and Tyson already there setting up a volleyball net. "I thought you said nine!" I yelled. I threw my bag onto the sand and jogged over to help them. I was fully aware that my boobs were moving entirely too much because the bikini provided absolutely no support, but in that blissful moment, I didn't care.

    Quickly, we put up the net, and Tyson and I even made light conversation without getting on each other's last nerves. Both of us could see how Becca's face lit up as we talked, so we tried to keep it going as long as we possibly could. That was all there was to it, at least we were trying to get along, but I hoped we wouldn't have to try our whole lives. I hoped that we would be able to get along for humanity's sake, not for Becca's.