tw: self harm, swearing
ages: 13-17
words: 3334
you and your soulmate share the same injuries and scars, cuts and bruises. phil desperately wants to be soulmates with his best friend dan, but he also doesn't.
PHIL'S POV
Ever since I was a little kid I'd always loved the idea of soulmates. As soon as we're old enough to learn everyone is taught about the soulmate system and from then on most of our life revolves around it, whether it be on the tv or in school, it's everywhere. You share the same marks as your soulmate, however if it's their injury then it doesn't cause pain to you, it simply appears on your body as soon as it does on theirs.
As a child, I'd often find bruises on my legs or scrapes on my elbows like any normal kid would have. I'd always be fascinated by any injuries that weren't my own, wanting to know who else had the exact same marks as me.
On my first day of year 9, there was a new boy at school, and his name was Dan. I remember seeing him for the first time and going pink at how cute I thought he was, his brown hair in a fringe like mine. The teacher had sat him next to me.
"Hello, my names Phil!"
I'd introduced myself, hoping to come across as friendly but not too friendly. However as soon as I saw that dimpled smile all my anxiety seemed to wash away.
"Hi, my names Dan."
I'd shown him around for the rest of the day, and I was pleased to find out that we had similar interests. He was funny and I couldn't help but find him adorable, the way his brown eyes glistened when he spoke about something he liked and his hair always seemed to flop in his face. I remember thinking about how much I hoped I was Dan's soulmate, but I definitely didn't mind him being my best friend either.
-
Dan had been at my school for a few months, and even though he was my best friend and I thought he was the best person in the world, not everyone seemed to think that. People didn't like him very much, and they made sure to tell him that. He'd get picked on every day, and as much as I tried to step in and tell them to leave him be, that didn't stop them from leaving horrible notes in his locker and throwing paper balls at him in lessons. I felt terrible for Dan, why would anyone be mean to someone so kind and wonderful? They didn't even know him, they just labelled him as a 'freak' and decided to bully him for it.
I'd woken up one Saturday morning and gone straight downstairs, only in my underwear. My mum wouldn't care.
I'd walked into the kitchen, yawning and waving sleepily to my mum as I went to make some cereal. A few moments later my mum came to join me, screaming and making me spill milk everywhere.
"Phillip! What the bloody hell have you done?"
I rubbed my eyes.
"Huh?"
I saw her staring at my legs, so I looked down, my eyes widening as I saw a few cuts poking out from under my black boxers. I lifted up my shorts to reveal several more, my mum gasping loudly as she saw.
"Well?!"
I looked up, gulping and replying in a small voice as tears filled my eyes.
"I didn't do them mum."
We were in silence for a few moments before I started crying, her face softened and she hugged me. I knew what they were, I just didn't want to believe my soulmate would do something like that. She had explained that day that whoever my soulmate was, they were hurting. They were hurting on the inside and they thought that hurting on the outside too would make it better. I already knew what it was, but I just nodded. Knowing she was upset by all this too.
