Taking slow, deep breaths, I peered down at the pattern that had been engraved deep into the skin of my wrist, so deep that it was a piece of my DNA. It was painful for me to admit but it was beautiful, a tiny set of piano keys that descended into a...
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Chapter 1 - Coming of age
"You're of age now Sophie, my girl is all grown up! Can't you wait to find the one who was made for you?" My dad cheered as soon as I opened my eyes, making me wish I never had in the first place. My 18th birthday was something I had dreaded since I was introduced to the idea of having a soulmate, someone who was bound to my soul in a deep connection made before I was even born.
"Can't say I'm ecstatic dad." I replied groggily, eyes puffy from lack of sleep as the daunting realisation that I was finally of age kept me from getting a good nights sleep. The entire night I had just laid in bed and stared at my ceiling, wishing that the clocks would turn back and i'd stay 17 forever. Even if it meant that I would be alone forever.
My dad just rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue before pulling my duvet from my legs and taking it with him once he left my room so that I couldn't return to the warm cave of my sheets to hibernate like i had been doing for the past week. Just the thought of going outside and being able to sense that they were near made me sick to my stomach. I didn't want nor need a soulmate, happy and content with being alone and free for the rest of my life. People called me crazy for not wanting to know who my soulmate was but I could've cared less, it was my choice.
"You better be up in the next 5 minutes, your mother sent you a gift, for once." My dad scoffed, picking up the cups that Cole, my 15 year old brother, had left at the top of the stairs during his nightly xbox ritual in which he'd spend around 8 hours just bashing his button until the sun came up. The black rings around his eyes were no joke but he didn't seem to care about them all too much, choosing to give up his precious sleep to play some dumb game.
Shocked that my mum even remembered my birthday, I shot up out of bed and ran downstairs to see what my mother had gotten me. It had been a good couple of years since i'd gotten even so much as a card from her but I figured that she only remembered because it was my 18th birthday, a big day for all teenagers that were coming of age. Dad merely nodded in the direction of the package that was left on the small table next to our door, not wanting to show too much interest even though he was dying to know what she'd gotten me.
The gift itself obviously hadn't had much thought put into it, just a simple golden necklace in the shape of a lock and key, bought from only the best jewellery maker because mother was always materialistic that way. I had never felt casual enough with her to call her mum as she'd never been in my life, even when she had the chance to be. It was the note she'd left slotted in the box which shocked me the most, not believing that my mother had even written it at all.
Dear Sophie,
You've finally come of age, these past 18 years have been preparing you and building you up to be a strong independent woman and that you are. This next year will be that of discovery, filled with twists and turns that will truly test your strengths but it will all be worth it in the end I can assure you. If you are lucky enough and I truly believe that you are so, you will find your intended, the one who is the missing part to your soul, the exact opposite of you that will complete you and make you feel satisfied. The rest of your life will be mapped out, depending on your choices this year and the people you meet, not to put any pressure on you or anything. I haven't been much of a mother to you and I know that but I'm truly rooting for you.
Love, your mother
"Calls herself a mother, what a joke." I chuckled to myself, holding the necklace in one hand and the note in the other as I walked over to my dad who was reading the newspaper with a coffee in his hand, snorting at my remark. I wouldn't ever wear the necklace and I think my mother knew that, I never was one to care about materialistic things, always turning to the sentimental pieces like notes that she sent me.
"Anything you want to do today, grumpy butt? I know that all you want to do is lay around in bed all day, avoiding public at all costs but I at least have to offer. Come on Soph, it's your 18th, live a little! Normal girls your age would be out partying and asking everyone to see their marks." My dad commented whilst folding his paper up and depositing his empty coffee cup into the sink, filling it up so that he could make Cole do the dishes later on. It was something my brother hated doing but me and dad loved seeing him whine and groan like a little baby, yellow marigolds up to his elbow as he defeated you scrubbed away.
It was a major difference to his usual 'i'm big and tough' exterior.
"I'm good, thanks for asking dad but I'm just not the type to party and I haven't even looked at my mark myself, never mind show it to anyone else. But, if you really want to do something, we could always go to that little restaurant in town, i've heard they do great spaghetti bolognese, your favourite!" I explained, willing myself not to look at my wrist, fearful of the mark that would rest there. If anything, I hoped that when I looked there would be nothing there but I knew better, already knowing that a pattern would lay there.
"Yeah we can do that, no problem. Also, there's no point in avoiding it Sophie, it's with you forever and you can't run from it I'm afraid. Even after your mother left me, I still feel that connection with her all the time, it'll never stop. The more you ignore your fate, the more your fate will push to be recognised. Remember that." Dad said before disappearing outside, probably going to water his damn roses like he did every morning. My dad's words always meant the most to me, just one sentence from him had the power to change even my most sure decisions.
Taking slow, deep breaths, I peered down at the pattern that had been engraved deep into the skin of my wrist, so deep that it was a piece of my DNA. It was painful for me to admit but it was beautiful, a tiny set of piano keys that descended into a vine of flowers. The tiny flowers were all different shades of purples which happened to be my favourite colour, the mark matching me perfectly. The vines of the flowers all connected to make my soulmates initials
