Soul Watch

Chapter 6

The party was in full swing, but I was sitting on the sidelines with Poppy, drinking fruit punch and pointedly eating meatballs. We glanced around, feeling a tad out of place in a roomful of Crysta's and Carwyn's relatives. Our other friends on the other hand, were happily mingling around or stuffing their faces (mostly Torrey, really). Leah and Monique were chatting about merrily with Carwyn's twin cousins. We did a pretty good job. The house was well decorated, the food was scrumptious, and everyone was having a good time. I spotted a banner over the entrance of the living room reading "Happy Founding, Carwyn and Crysta!" with pink painted hearts surrounding the words. I couldn't help but spot that there were black hearts before the pink went over the black paint. Poppy saw me squinting at the banner.

"I made the banner, but Monique painted over the black hearts. She just had to," Poppy grumbled, looking at the banner too. "The black hearts were nicer," she said under her breath.

The sound of Crysta's laughter drew me in, and I spied her and Carwyn. His hand snaked around her waist, and she leaned close to him. The way they stood, no gap or space in between them, Crysta just coming up to his shoulder and his hands were just long enough to hold her waist firmly. They reminded me of a jigsaw puzzle, those that I used to do incessantly when I was little. I loved it especially when I reached the final piece, and you just knew that it was going to fit perfectly into the slanting sides and angles because that was what it was, the final piece. And when I placed it in, it was always a perfect fit, no struggles, no forcing it in because that what it was: perfect. That's exactly what they were like, puzzle pieces, finally fitting together and forming a coherent picture for all to see.

Carwyn's mother was chatting to both of them animatedly, a wine glass poised in her hand. I could see where Carwyn got his icy blue eyes. His mother was beautiful, to say the least. She looked so angelic with golden hair woven into waves that spilled to her chest and perfect almond-shaped eyes that held those aquamarine eyes. Her lips were rouged a bright red that stained the wine glass as she took another sip. The color of her lips seemed to pull the fairness of her skin together with her whole face. Carwyn's father, on the other hand, wasn't with us. Carwyn shared with us that his father died in a car accident two years ago. I could only imagine how his mother felt when she learned about his death.

Crysta said something to her, and both of them threw back their heads in laughter. Carwyn was pushing his shaggy hair back from his forehead when he caught my eye, and I smiled at him, toasting him with my meatball on a toothpick. Carwyn gave me that grin of his that he always wore whenever he was amused at something. It was funny how quickly all of us became close friends with him; it was almost as we are all friends to begin with. Perhaps, it was just the fact he was Crysta's soul mate that somehow, we clicked with him as well as we first did with Crysta.

He used his free hand to beckon me over. I nudged Poppy and nodded at Carwyn. "I'm too lazy to move," was all she said. Alone, I got up from the sofa and went over to where they were.

Carwyn's mom stopped talking and smiled at me. "Mom, I would like to introduce you to Crysta's best friend, Pandora."

As soon as he introduced me, she leaned over to kiss my cheek. "Pleasure to meet you, sweetie!" She gave me a dazzling smile, and as she pulled back, I could smell a faint hint of vanilla; sweet just like the person wearing it.

"Nice to meet you too, Mrs. Robertson," I inaudibly mumbled as I was dumbstruck by how she looked even more beautiful up close.

"Oh, tush, just call me Helia," she said, dismissing what I called her with a flick of her wrist.

"Helia has been telling us to head up to Silverview. They have a beach house up there!" Crysta's eyes twinkled with excitement. She had a pure passion for the beach and the sun. It was always her dream to own a beach house one day. Funny how that wish came true once she met Carwyn. Maybe this was indeed the power of soul mates. Slowly, your wishes, dreams, and life would just fall into place like smaller puzzle pieces fitting together around them.