2024 Story Collection

Best Friends to Enemies to Arranged Marriage to Soulmates to Lovers V

As she awoke, she felt something around her. She blinked away the last tendrils of sleep and looked up. Hugh was sleeping beside her. She looked down and noticed his arms encircling her, their legs intertwined.

She looked back up at the messy haired man she'd hated for so long. How quickly things changed for them. Their relationship was complex, painful, and filled with memories, both bad and good. One thing was for sure, they were together during all the biggest moments of her life, both good and bad.

She brought her focus back to his face, only to realize his eyes were now open and that he was staring back at her with a face full of as many emotions as she felt.

Her eyes widened, making her jump back. Only problem being, she was far too near the edge of the bed and hadn't realized it.

She hit the floor with a loud thud and groaned, rubbing her back.

A moment later she heard an "Are you okay?" from above her.

She looked up from where she sat on the ground. Hugh was slightly hanging off the bed. She could clearly see his muscular chest and stubble on his handsome face. His hair was an absolute mess, chunks stuck up at odd angles. His eyes shown with life, as they always did, his brows creased in worry. Somehow, his presence calmed her. Maybe it was familiarity?

She could still see a bit of darkness under his eyes, but his face was bright. He looked well rested. Suddenly, she wanted desperately to know how she looked.

"Fine," she groans out as she gives him the most unenergetic thumbs up. "How about you? I thought you were going to catch the place on fire with that fever you had last night."

"I feel fine," he says. "My whole right side hurts, but I feel okay."

She tries to stand up but the left side of her body was still sore and her right foot was asleep. She tries again but fails and then something strange happens.

Instead of Hugh laughing and making fun of her, he offers her a hand. She gives him a wary and confused look.

"What? I can be nice," he says, offended. "Besides, it's the least I can do for someone who took care of the person they hate the most in this entire world all night."

She looks him up and down a few times before finally taking his hand. He easily lifts her off the ground so she's sitting on the edge of the bed beside him.

"Thank you," she says in disbelief that she means it.

He smiles widely at her.

"Also, I don't hate you." She admits, realizing with a shock that she means it.

His face changes. She doesn't quite know how to read it.

"I've blamed you for our mother's decision," she says. "I don't hate you, I just hate what you represent."

"And what is that?" he asks, looking down.

"Not having control over my life-my future, among other things."

"You hate not being in control," he agrees. "You're kind of a control freak."

She smacks him hard on his arm, but instead of pain on impact, she feels this calming, alluring sensation that just makes her want to hold him. She pulls back immediately but realizes that both of them had unconsciously leaned into eachother.

"I should get some breakfast going," she says, changing the subject. "I am in need of an all meat omelet."

"That sounds incredible. I'm starving." He stands up and stretches, slightly wincing when he moves his right arm.

"If you help, I'll make you one?" she offers completely selfishly. With how she was feeling, she'd need all the help she could get.

"Deal." He didn't even hesitate. He offers her a hand for the second time and this time she takes with only a slight pause.

They have to help eachother into the kitchen.

Turns out, to do anything, it takes both of them, but somehow they manage to cook a delicious breakfast.

They decide to break all their rules and eat on the couch.

"I needed this," she says, taking a huge bite.

"You can say that again," he says, before taking an even larger bite.

After a few minutes, they set down their plates.

"We need to talk about this," she says, crossing her legs, facing Hugh, who sits beside her on the couch.

"About what?" He turns to face her.

"Us."

"I didn't realize we were an us."

"We are married," she says. "Pretty sure that makes us an us."

"Right," he says, looking down at his hands.

"What do we do about this?" she gestures towards their soulmate marks.

After what feels like an eternity, he finally speaks. "I think, for one thing, we need to keep it a secret for a while until we figure out...everything."

"I agree, that's obvious," she looks down her left arm. The flowers were slowly opening more.

"I think we should start over," he says. "I think we should give ourselves a real chance. If it doesn't work, fine."

"Are you crazy?" she glares. "How do you just expect me to forget everything?"

"Maybe I am crazy, but do you have any better ideas? We're married after all. Either way, we're going to spend the rest of our lives together."

She stays silent. He has a point.

"Fine," she concedes.

"I'm really sorry," he says, making her look up. His cheeks were pink and his eyes darted away from her, not quite meeting her own as if embarrassed.

"What-" she begins, but he cuts her off.

"-for what happened on the roof that day," he meets her eyes. "I shouldn't have taken it that far. I didn't mean any of it. I was just upset because of something my mom had said about her plan for us and I took it out on you. I want you to know that I regret saying all those dumb things. I've been wanting to apologize for years. I figure this was as good of a time as ever."

"It was both our faults," she says, looking down. "I don't blame you anymore than I blame myself. I shouldn't have let myself get that mad. It was stupid."

"It was," he agrees. She punches his arm, hard. "Ouch!"

"Lets call it even," she says.

He nods.

"It's not going to be that simple, you know," she looks at the flowers on her arm. "It's going to take a long time to get anywhere close to going on a date."

"I'm a patient man," he says, taking her tattooed hand in his matching one. They both let out a sigh as soon as their skin touches. "Maybe we can just start with friends?"

"Woah there buddy," she jokes.

"Okay, how about roommates that don't hate eachother and also just so happen to share a friend group?" he asks with a raised brow and a playful smirk.

"I think I might be able to do that."

"Yeah?" he asks with a giddy smile. She can't help but break out into a smile as well.

"Yeah," she nods in agreement.

The End.

March 10, 2024