Soulmates

2

"So, you're back?" he said as he took the bar stool next to her.

"Yep, looking for my next victim to feed on." She did a once over the entire room and no one stuck out to her. She sipped on her drink and tried to get the attention of the bar tender, who was too busy flirting with another girl to get a better tip.

"So what brings you here on a Tuesday night?" he asked.

"Hold it, you're getting too personal." She finally caught the attention of the bartender and motioned for another drink.

He laughed and let her sit in silence as she tried to plan her next night, who she would go home with or if she would just end up in the bathroom with.

"I still haven't demanded your name, so obviously I'm not as attached as you thought."

Bathroom. Never go to someone's house twice.

"You still don't want to know my name?" he asked as she picked her pants back up.

"Couldn't care less." She didn't wait for him to get dressed before she opened the door and left the men's room. He scrambled to catch it before anyone else could see him, locking it before getting dressed. Someone whistled at her and she hollered, "you're tomorrow, be ready" before leaving.

He left the bathroom and looked for her, but she had already disappeared. And now the bartender expected him to pay her tab.

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"It's weird, but I kind of like it. If one person is busy then the other two can hang out... and don't even get me started on the-"

Hallie cut her off, not wanting to hear the details of her domestic triangle life. "You've been together for three days, I don't need a mental image of that. Mine's different, it's taboo because I'm supposed to be tied down and they just can't contain me."

"Alright, someone's bitter." She knew her friend was upset about not being matched with someone.

"I've been with three different guys in a two-hour timeframe, I'm not bitter I just think that soulmates are considered more off-limits on the kiss and tell spectrum."

"Maybe fate is waiting for the right time to throw ten guys at you simultaneously."

"Now that would be nice."

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"Okay, I'll buy you any drink you want if you just tell me your name."

"See, that's where you're an idiot. If I was desperate for that $2,000 bottle of wine up there, I would just feed you a fake name and take my victory."

"Something tells me that you don't like wine, you seem like more of a liquor type."

"Hey look, you know one thing about me now, congratulations!"

"You like your coffee black and you hate cuddling, so that makes three."

"See, my name would just be useless information in that pool of knowledge. Those are really the only three things that matter."

"Ethan."

She tried to kick it out of her mind, but it was stuck there now and it fit him. "Strike number one," she said to him, getting up and leaving to talk to someone else.

He stopped her for a second, "but we both know this isn't my first time up to bat."

She left him and ignored him the rest of the night, but basically made eye contact with him as she led someone else out of the bar.

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Ethan left alone that night, not wanting to put in much effort. Several girls had gone up to him, but he didn't really care, he could only think about the girl whose name was unknown. That was the thing, no matter how much you liked someone, if fate decided that it wasn't right, then there was nothing you could do. You could try to make things work, but it would either end in a break up because it wasn't meant to be or them finding out that 'yes! there is someone out there for me!' and ultimately leave you. Everyone who had their soulmate thrown at them made it impossible to be optimistic. It was the norm, knowing who they were your entire life and then meeting them by the time you were a teenager. Then you'd be together for the rest of your life.

He needed to clear his head, so he straightened up his apartment and cleaned everything. He needed to learn from her to not get attached to anyone, because that's what leads to disappointment. How she went about her constant one-night stands should be his goal, don't get attached, enjoy yourself, repeat. He moved his furniture around for a fresh perspective and banged his elbow on the wall. It didn't hurt too bad, but it left a light purple bruise.

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Hallie was in yet another stranger's apartment. If all the unwanteds didn't hang out at the same place, she'd probably consider robbing them. That would give her a rush.

She commandeered his bed and forced him to sleep in the guest room. He checked on her, offering to make her something, but mostly wanting another go.

She agreed but refused to move. He started kissing her neck as she laid on her stomach. He didn't linger too long, the position she was in exciting him, but he noticed a speck of purple on her elbow and was slightly worried.

"Hey, did I bump your elbow against the headboard earlier?" he asked as he saw something new on her.

She sat up and inspected the new bruise, it was hardly noticeable and didn't really hurt at all when she put pressure on it. "Yeah, you must of. Don't worry, it doesn't hurt. Keep going."

He promised to be more careful but the two of them knew that that was a lie.