The Soulmate Curse

Tenacity - Part 2

They went grocery shopping the next day. To buy real food, not food capsules for the printer. All three of them. It was bizarre, but welcome. Their dad took them to this one store where they only had human attendees, not a single AI presence. It was a Neo-Luddite shop, with EMF barrier paint on all the walls, the ceiling, and the floor to block any wi-fi signals from coming in. There were signal jammers all over the place too just in case any of the customers tried using their wrist wraps. This was a tech-free zone. Incredibly rare. Zhen was surprised her dad even knew about this place.

Zhen broke away from her dad and sister, walking around the store to find something she could buy for Finn. She'd said some pretty messed up things to her and wanted to make up for it in some way. Finn loved cooking. And she was always working with herbs, delighting in her Wiccan faith with small rituals that made her who she was. Her unapologetic acceptance of her traditions swirled in with her academic and scientific persona was an intoxication that Zhen had gotten used to faster than she thought possible. Despite her strange proclivities when it came to some of the choices she made, Finn was an incredible person. It was about time Zhen showed her.

Zhen was thinking of how she would come shop here before she went back home a few days from now when someone suddenly pulled her away to a corner section of a dark isle as she was looking at bottles of cold pressed vegetable oils. It was beautiful Fiona, a bombshell with blond hair and electric blue eyes. A regular visitor to the apartment back in town, although they hadn't met up in a long time now. She smashed her ruby red lips against Zhen's.

"You didn't tell me you were back," said Fiona in that sultry and seductive husky voice that used to get Zhen wet every single time. Used to. Now, Zhen looked into her startingly blue eyes and wished she were staring at Finn's clear green ones instead.

"Hello Fi," said Zhen, her face slightly flushed. She looked around to make sure no one was watching. "It's been a while."

"Well worth the wait to tango in the sheets with you again," came the reply. "My new place is close. Five minutes, tops. Follow me."

Zhen gently slipped her handout of Fiona's. "My dad and sister are waiting for me a couple of isles over."

"That's never stopped you before," said Fiona, a little confused.

"I just... I've got plans today."

"Are you on your period or something?"

"No, I'm not," said Zhen, with a sigh. "I'm just busy today. That's all."

"That's okay, I'll come over tomorrow night," said Fiona. She pulled Zhen in for another full-on kiss. "I can't wait."

"Fiona, I won't be available tomorrow either," said Zhen.

"I don't get it."

"I'll call you, okay?"

"Okay," said Fiona. "You're sure you're alright?"

"I am," said Zhen, giving her a chaste kiss on her cheek. Fiona touched her cheek, surprised. Zhen continued, "I'll see you later, Fi."

She walked away and went to find her dad and sister, still thinking of vivid green eyes and flaming red hair.

It was Zhen's last day home. They decided to go to the park. Zhen's dad had been sober for a whole week. It was incredible. They didn't verbally acknowledge it, lest they tempt fate, but they knew to celebrate it. Akemi had 3D printed a frisbee for them and they tossed it around for a bit. A couple of other people joined, starting a full on ultimate frisbee game on the clearing. Zhen was on the sidelines, keeping score for both teams. Akemi and her dad were on one team, with a couple of acquaintances they'd just met as their teammates. They were kicking the other team's ass. Someone came over to sit next to Zhen.

"Word has it that you might have a girlfriend," said the girl.

Zhen closed her eyes for a moment then took a deep breath. "Is that so?"

"You've been shattering girls' hearts into more pieces than usual lately."

"That wasn't my intention."

"I don't mind. I get to put all the pieces together through sessions of long, steamy lovemaking."

"What do want, Dawn?"

"You," she said. Zhen turned to face her. "It's you that I want, Zhen. Always has been."

"You know my answer."

"Doesn't make me want you less," said Dawn. Her voice broke as she continued. "Why didn't you ever want me? Not once. You've slept with every other available and unavailable girl in the neighbourhood. Why not me?"

"Because you're my friend, Dawn."

And she had been from the time they were in diapers. She'd been like a sister even before Akemi came along to join in the fun. Then they'd grown up. Zhen went to camp and met Finn and had her heart shattered. When she came back, she knew she couldn't ever get that close to anyone ever again. She should have known. Her father was a mess after her mum died. Zhen should have taken that lesson more seriously, but she didn't, and now she was broken too. It was then that she made the choice to keep everyone at arm's length, especially the girls she slept with. That would have been impossible with Dawn, who professed her affection for Zhen after she had come back from camp.

"That's bullshit," said Dawn, the hurt in her voice unmistakeable.

"Think what you may," said Zhen. She added another point onto the scorecard for their team. "But it's the truth."

They sat in silence for a moment. The game ended and the teams came together to celebrate the spirit of the game. Dawn broke the silence between them.

"You really are different," said Dawn.

"So I've been told," said Zhen.

"I hope I can find what you have."

Zhen thought of Finn. Her first. Maybe even her only. The one her heart came back to every time despite how utterly frustrating she was. Damn it. She was hopelessly lost to her and she didn't even mind.

She turned to Dawn. "I hope you can too."