Soulmates

You'll see a different side of me

(Anthony's POV)

I wake up with a text from Aurora:

*Meet me at the cafe where we first met before school*

I put on a black shirt and some gray sweatpants. I hold up 2 chains. One gold, one silver. I choose the thin, gold one, trying to focus on little unimportant details so that I can ignore this mess I made. As I touch up my hair I hear my front door close and my parents talking. Melanie. I hear her run up the stairs to my room. When she's only steps away I make a last-ditch effort and run into my closet. I hear the door open and see her through the crack in the closet door. 

Suddenly she opens the closet door and yanks me out of the closet. "Melanie!" I whine. She sits in my chair near my bed and I sit across from her. I notice somehow we've swapped. Now she looks like a mess. Melanie is wearing a hoodie and shorts. No makeup, no jewelry. This seems to be more stressful for her than for me. 

"I just need you to listen..." she says and sighs. I nod my head in approval. 

"Jordan is your soulmate. It's that simple. Now I understand that she isn't as much of a looker as the other girls but-" 

"Melanie, no. I'm not attracted to her at all." I say with a stern tone. "I would marry either one of them before I ever date that girl," I tell her plainly. 

"Anthony, you're not understanding. This is bigger than you," she tells me. 

This is my life what the hell does she mean? 

"Melanie you really should save your breath," I tell her but stop when I see her start to tear up.

"ANTHONY! If you don't get with that girl, I can't be your reader anymore." 

"What?" I ask her but she just breaks down in front of me. It doesn't matter what we're going through, Melanie will always be my best friend. I quickly get off the bed and hug her. She resists at first but soon she allows herself to cry in my arms. Too many thoughts are running through my mind for me to process what's happening. I just hold her as her cries get softer and softer. My phone buzzes in my pocket and she detangles from the hug as I drop my arms to check the message. 

Text from Aurora:

*Are you close?*  

I text her that I'm on my way and look up at Melanie. Her eyes are puffy but she seems fine for now. "Sorry," she says with a chuckle. "No, you're really fine... but we need to talk about this later. I have to go..." I  say reassuringly. "Is that okay?" I ask her. "It's fine," she says with a fake smile. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to assess her. I hurriedly grab my bag, keys, and run out the door.

***************

I step inside the cafe and scan for Aurora. My hands are starting to sweat and I feel my anxiety rise. Finally, I see her waving to me in the corner. I sit down directly in front of her and try to read her vibe before she speaks. She's wearing a black turtleneck and patterned pants. Shiny gold earrings and rings. Her eyes are focused and steady. Her fingers are rubbing the side of her coffee cup gently. She has a raised eyebrow and pursed lips, she looks like she's trying to make me on edge and it's working. 

"So..." she says with a small matter of fact tone. 

"Hey Aurora," I say with a worried smile.

"I was shocked when the guy that was gracious enough to get my number texted me that he just wanted to be friends... And I was even more shocked to find out that he is my soulmate"