The Soulmate Curse

Vision - Part 2

There was that one time when Finn replaced her orange juice with orange powder cheese drink. A disgusting, but stellar prank. A true classic. These pranks had become their secret language. Yet Zhen couldn't find it in her to "talk back". As Finn watched, Zhen stoically threw out the cheese drink and asked Pearl to order a new box of orange juice to be delivered when she came back from work.

"Good morning," said Finn the next morning. There was a tinge of sadness in the words, but Zhen couldn't find it in her to care.

"Morning," said Zhen as she printed her pancakes.

The first pancake came out printed as a penis, Finn's way of letting her know that she was supposedly acting like a dick. But Zhen had long since figured out the code to fix the printer. She stopped the machine and reprogrammed it to print perfectly round pancakes once more as she served herself the orange juice from Pearl's order the previous night. Those one or two word conversations were the longest they'd had in the few days that Zhen had been back. She checked her wrist wrap for a message from housing about a new apartment, but Jed still had nothing for her.

Over time, it was getting harder and harder to stay composed. To stay stoic. Zhen almost completely broke down with the mirror prank. It took her a while to figure out why she had the most eternal booger in existence. It just kept moving around her face with each swipe. Then she saw the bathroom mirror reflection stutter just the tiniest bit. And that's when she recognised the prank. It was genius. She almost flew out of the bathroom laughing and letting Finn know that she was a goner. That this meant war. The most intense, insane prank war ever. She almost did. Almost.

Instead, once she was done changing, she took down the screen impersonating their mirror and placed it against the wall, next to Finn's door. Finn was walking into the hallway just as Zhen placed down the mirror screen. She stopped in her tracks. Zhen saw the pain cross Finn's face, but it went away just as fast. Zhen stood up and walked back into her room, leaving Finn standing at the entrance to the hallway. Zhen gently shut her bedroom door, then slid to the floor against it. She couldn't stay here. She'd lose her mind if she did. Her wrist wrap pinged.

To the person who made Joe a part of this apartment complex, I'd like to thank you. You didn't back down. And now Joe is a part of us. He listens. He helps us. He loves every one of us unconditionally. And he is my friend. Thank you. RA.

Zhen sighed. Great. Even the RA was sucking the fun out of being here. She stood up and packed a back, done with it all. Her insides were churning, her mind a swamp of painful thoughts.

"Zhen," Pearl broke the silence. "I sense that you are in some form of physiological discomfort. May I send the medical data to Dr. Miles?"

Zhen took a deep breath and tried to relax. "It's alright, Pearl. I'm fine."

"Your stress responses are highly elevated, Zhen. I fear you might be..."

"I said I'm fine, Pearl," Zhen huffed as she hauled the back over her shoulder. "I'm going out. Don't wait up."

"But Zhen..."

She was already out of the room before Pearl could start telling her that she might be in danger of a cardiac arrest. She already knew that. Her heart was breaking with every passing moment. And the shards were scattering through her chest, piercing every organ they could find. She needed a drink. Maybe something stronger. How had she let it happen? How had she fallen that hard? That was the one thing she'd promised herself never to do. She was never supposed to let this knock her down. Even though she knew it would hurt, she'd let Finn in. And now she was paying for it. Paying for the expectations. The dreams. The hope.

Tisha opened her door and was surprised to find Zhen on the other side.

"Z? What are you doing here?"

"Where's Richie?"

"I just dropped him off at the forest for play school. Why?"

Zhen answered by pushing into the house, dropping her bags, shutting the door behind them, and kissing her. Hard. Fast. Desperately. Zhen poured all the fire burning through her into that kiss. She quickly undid the buttons off Tisha's shirt and pulled it off her, covering her shoulders in kisses that she trailed along her collar bone and down towards her cleavage. Tisha's throaty moans were gasoline doused on the fire that was Zhen's need. She had Tisha's bra off with a skill that made Tisha gasp. Zhen smiled at the ego boost and gently took Tisha's left nipple into her mouth to elicit another one of those sensual moans. She took her time teasing her, riding her to the edge.

They finally, somehow, made it to the bedroom and Zhen tackled her onto the bed. Tisha was already shaking, ready to blow. Zhen paused, taking the time to sit up, straddle her and then slowly take off her jacket and the T-shirt underneath, all the while enjoying Tisha squirming underneath her, begging for sweet release. Zhen didn't immediately oblige, slowly trailing kisses down her torso and then back up.

"Zhen," Tisha said breathlessly. "Please!"

Zhen continued the slow kisses but moved her hands to Tisha's belt and undid the buckle. She pulled down the zip, slid her fingers inside her pair of panties, found Tisha's bundle of sexy nerves and began stroking nice and slow. It didn't take long before she arched her back and exploded in Zhen's hands, while Zhen still covered her chest and neck with sensual kisses. She lay back onto the bed, panting. Zhen let her be for a moment.

"Holy..." Tisha started, looking at her through glassy eyes.

Zhen cut her off with a kiss. "Shh... I'm not done yet."