Soulmarks

Chapter 8: Innocent

The line at the movie theater seemed at least a mile long, and I was still freaking out internally at the fact that I was about to watch a horror movie. "Oh, don't worry about it!" Aven had told me. "You'll be so adorable, being all afraid. It'll just give me an excuse to cuddle you!"

He seemed so excited, so there was no way I was going to try to convince him to change his mind about the movie. I didn't think that things could get any worse until I hear a gasp from behind me. "Oh my god, Noa? Is that you?" I turn around and realize that Mackenzie and Riley, my old friends from Idaho, were standing behind us in line.

"Mackenzie? Riley? What the heck are you two doing in Vegas?" I ask.

"We should ask you the same thing!" Mackenzie exclaims. "We were here for the AvenCallister concert, and from the looks of it, you were too! How'd you snag a date with this hottie?" she asks. I laugh nervously.

"It's, uh, kind of a long story," I say.

"We've got time," Riley says, gesturing to the long line in front of us. I sigh.

"Well, I was-"

"Oh my god, sorry to interrupt, but did you hear about the girl that got mauled for pretending to be Aven's soulmate?" Mackenzie exclaims.

"Um, yeah, that was me," I say.

"Really? Totally didn't recognize you in the video. But why would you do that?" she asks.

"Mack, do you not remember? My soul mark is a star. It always has been," I say, feeling a bit hurt. She couldn't even remember my soul mark? That was one thing she was always jealous of. She felt like her infinity symbol was plain compared to my star.

"Oh, right. But the same star as AvenCallister? Really?" she asks. Aven rolls down his sleeve to show the girls that they were indeed the same.

"Wow, you're one lucky girl. After everything that's happened, I never thought you'd catch a break. I'm sorry you have to deal with everything she's going through, Aven. It must suck with how busy you are," Mackenzie says, leaving me to gape at her. How could she say something like that to him?

"I don't have to deal with anything. Noa is an amazing girlfriend. Just because you guys treat her differently doesn't mean that everyone will," Aven says. My face feels hot with embarrassment. He's standing up for me, which is sweet, but I wish I'd be able to do it myself.

"If you knew the girl she used to be, you'd feel the same, trust me. She isn't the same. Plus, how are you guys supposed to do anything romantic when she can't even walk?" Mackenzie sneers. My face falls. She's right. Being in a wheelchair has created some obstacles already, and the obstacles will only increase as we start to explore ourselves as a couple.

"Just because her legs don't work doesn't mean that her lips don't," he says, making me choke on my own spit. While I knew he meant it innocently, it surely didn't sound that way to the two girls, who gaped at him with disgust.

"We really didn't need that much of a visual," Riley says, cringing.

"Then stop trying to get into our business. Noa was right, you guys were awful friends. You only liked her when she was useful to you," Aven says. Mackenzie glares at him.

"I can't believe I ever liked your music. Come on Riley, I don't want to be here, especially when they're probably going to watch the same thing we were," she says, storming off. Riley just shrugs and follows behind her.

"You really didn't have to do that," I say, still blushing.

"Yes I did," he says.

"Why?" I ask.