Soulmate

Chapter 41: Number 2602

Alexander

    I stood there staring at Cassia because her words seemed so ominous. How could they possibly know all of this information from our genes? Was I going to know this much about everyone's lives? Why does she know so much about my soulmate? Was she going research? "How do you know all of this?" I asked even though I was sure I didn't want to know all of the answers to my many questions.

    She hit send and grabbed the Petri dish, placing it back into her folder; she never missed a beat while working. This was obviously her life. "I ask questions. When something interests me, I ask the higher level biologists. This time I asked the ones working on your case. Your dad came and demanded to know, and since he is so loved by this company, they were willing to take time from their busy schedules. They are sending all the information to him today, so you will probably know more later," she explained as she started on the next identification.

    Did I even want to know the rest?

***

    That night I didn't have to go back to work, so I decided to visit Patrick. He needed to know what happened because he keeps texting me without getting a reply. I didn't know how to tell him that I hadn't met my soulmate, but I guess it's as simple as that. I didn't meet my soulmate.

    When I finally got to his apartment, I ran up the stairs because I didn't trust their newly fixed elevator. My feet ached from working all day, but I pushed myself to continue climbing. Work wasn't really hard, I just continued the identification process, but did I want to do that for the rest of my life? The job was tedious and it seemed to be simply routine, would I learn anything new? Maybe I needed to be in a different field.

    I didn't bother knocking on the door because when I had texted Patrick he told me Sharla would still be at school, she was finishing up one last course, and I could just walk in. He barely glanced up and grumbled, "Hey," as I walked in; he was too busy smashing buttons on his controller. I flopped down on the couch next to him and watched as he viciously murdered zombies. Maybe I needed to play video games to get my mind off of everything.

    When the zombies finally outnumbered him and ripped his flesh off, he sighed and leaned back into the couch. "So what are you doing here? I figured you'd be off with your soulmate. That's why you haven't been answering my texts, right?" he asked with a smile. Then, he handed me a controller, so he could start the next round.

    I looked down at my timer as it continued to countdown, unsure of how I should tell him. "Actually, no, I haven't met her yet," I began and instantly his attention was focused on me. He was about to start freaking out. "The time got to zero and then reset. The biology lab has been looking into it because my stupid dad told them to, but it's not a big deal. Mostly they think she wasn't ready yet."

    He let out a breath he must have been holding and started our game. Instantly, we both focused on the TV. "Dude, how are you so calm about this? If I hadn't met Sharla, then I don't know what I would've done," he murmured.

    I bit on my lip as I pressed the buttons; I was so out of practice. "It gives me more time to get my life in order I guess. You know, this interning doesn't give me time for much else, so it's probably better this way. Anyways, speaking of Sharla, how are you two?"" I questioned. Realistically, I didn't care about the details of their personal life, but I didn't want to continue talking about mine.

    "I don't know, things aren't as easy with Sharla as they used to be. Like it's so routine, and something is missing," he rambled, biting down on his lip as his controller vibrated. "Like our sex life just isn't what it used to be, and I don't know how to fix it."

    I rolled my eyes because unfortunately I didn't know how to help him in that department, and I wasn't sure if I really wanted to. "Well, you two need to slow down maybe. Like create some intimacy in your relationship because I know you, and I know you probably aren't trying very hard. Just try to be there for her, like give her a massage, do the dishes, I don't know, just be there for her," I insisted even though I didn't know what I was talking about.

    "Ugh! This game is so stupid!" he shouted as his character laid on the ground bleeding, and I was unable to get to him in time to save him. He placed his controller on the table and watched as the zombies attacked me. "I guess I'll try all of that, again, but I don't know if that's going to help. Girls are too complicated, like I don't even want to try to understand her. Women understand women, and they hate each other," he rambled with a small smile on his face.

    I rolled my eyes again as I died and let my hands loosen around the controller. "Well, try harder, I'm sure she will appreciate the effort. I wish I could help you with this, but all I can really do is destroy zombies," I joked as we started another game.

***

    When I got home, the lights were off, and everyone was fast asleep. I knew I had stayed out too late, and I was going to be tired for work, but I couldn't bring myself to care. It was nice to have a little time to myself without having my condescending dad yelling at me, or my niece and nephew fighting for my attention. Tonight was simple, hanging with an old friend and that's exactly what I needed.

    Then, I saw it. A manila envelope sitting on the table; the exact ones we use at work, and it even had our little stamp of approval on it. I examined it and found my dad's name printed on the right hand corner, it must have been in his file. Why would he just leave it out in the open? Knowing my dad he would've taken it to his office, so no one else would be able to read it. So why would it be sitting here?

    Instead of doing the right thing, going to bed, I sat down at the table, and opened the folder with shaking hands. I pulled out the reports, the statistics of my traits, my target percentages and what they are as of now. Everything looked the way it was supposed to; I was ready to meet my soulmate, so I set the paper down, and looked at the next one. 

    Her name wasn't on there, just the number 2602, but I knew it was her. The statistics on it showed that she still hadn't reached some of her target percentages, but her independence was through the roof, higher than they anticipated. Did she just not want to meet me? I flipped the paper over to see writing on the back. Most of it I didn't understand until I got to the bottom.

    Case 7789 is inclusive. 

    Number 2602, suspected anomaly, will be brought in for further genetic testing.

    An anomaly? What was wrong with my soulmate?