Marks // Prinxiety and Logicality \\ Soulmate AU

Chapter 4: Logan

     I was unaffected by the new student's arrival. It was a childish idea to be stimulated by the arrival of something new. As they say, my fellow students were acting like 'children at Christmas'.

     I continued on as usual. I had a healthy lunch and sat at a table by a window to absorb the needed Vitamin D. Right on time, I left and made my way to Math class; Arguably on of the best classes offered by this particular school. None of that icky imagination needed, only brains. So refreshingly barren of emotion.

     Usually.

     Patton somehow found his way into the advanced Math class. Perhaps he was a better mathematician than I had pegged him for. He brought a whole annoying ray of sunshine with him. Always full of happiness and whatnot.

     I spent the first majority of the class time correcting the teacher's petty mistake. Taking into account his unhappy expression throughout the day, I would say his spike in performance errors rest mainly on a happening outside of his career. Perhaps his wife left him, or something silly like that.

     " You really SCHOOLED him, Logan."

     I shot a look in Patton's general direction. So immature with all those terrible 'dad jokes'. I did not see the appeal.

     " Be quiet, Patton. You're acting childish." I retorted.

     " I'm not a child! I've completely committed myself to adultery!" He seemed a bit too proud of that statement. I was able to plug in the word he was trying to use, but his innocent smile made it worse.

     " That's. . . Not. . . Oh my goodness." I adjusted my glasses and turned my attention away from Patton. If I had been watching, I'm sure I would've seen his smile falter.

     I let Patton fade from my mind. I scanned the lesson plan the teacher had prepared for us. I frowned. What are the chances that he would assign the 40 pages I had already completed for self-given homework the night before.

     It seemed I was gifted with free time. My eyes moved to the thick book I was currently reading. I reached for it, and my eyes latched onto my mark. It covered my entire palm. I snatched my hand back and held it to my chest as if it hurt. I shut my eyes.

     No matter what I previously said about emotions, I did experience them occasionally. One such moment happened right then. Worry and sorrow filled me as I thought of all the possible ways I could find my soulmate. Would I slap them? Pat them on the back? High five them? The first of the options was the most likely, unfortunately.

     That always caused me to wish for a different mark. I didn't want my first experience with my soulmate to be a slap. I didn't want to harm the person I would feel feelings with for the rest of my life.

     I suppose I was just lucky people avoided me. If other humans really cared about my mark, I could be harassed. I have witnessed it happening to others. A terrible thing, indeed.

     Yet, no one cared about what the future of my soulmate would be. One could even say they doubted there would be anyone for me. Someone who has never felt love would never be able to let anyone into their stone heart. I would agree completely. The idea of spending the rest of my mortality with a single being was a thought that did not rest peacefully in my mind.

     My only purpose on this physical plain would be repopulation and death. Until then, I had to make sure to stay health to achieve the longest life span possible. On top of that, gaining the most knowledge would be my entertainment until the end.

     I will admit, having another human to converse and share debts with wouldn't be too terrible. That didn't make me any more fond of my mark and what meeting my soulmate could possibly be like. At least my marking was so visible that it would be impossible not to notice when I had found 'The One' as others called it.

     I still didn't enjoy emotions.

     The day rolled past too quickly. I found myself in my humble abode with the rare disease of boredom nipping at my mind. I stared at my messages. All zero of them. I had never talked on my cellular device with anyone before until that day. I didn't remember swapping numbers with Patton, but it must've happened at some point, because my phone buzzed with a message from him.

     " An invitation. . . To a party? This must be a mistake. However, I will agree to—! I am talking to nothing again." I quickly replied with an answer the the invite.

     It was hard to contain my excitement for the following day, in which it was taking place. I had never been asked to attend such events. It was hard to imagine what it might be like.

     While I was thinking, my phone began to vibrate. It startled me slightly. The caller ID read 'PATTON'.

     I scrambled to pick up. My head was racing with thoughts on what this could be about. My answer to the invitation was sufficient, wasn't it?! " Yes, Patton?" That was a good enough greeting, right?

     I could practically picture him on the other end of the line, smiling that contagious smile of his. " Logan! You're eager!"

     I turned a bit red at his sudden declaration. Perhaps I had been a bit pleasantly surprised by my first phone call in ages. A response fell forward before I could think over it," I don't like the sound of the phone ringing." Why did I lie?

     " Uh-huh, sure." He seemed to be skeptical of my false truth as well. What does one do in this situation? It was uncomfortable, foreign territory for me.

     " Was there a point for this?" I was sure the panic showed in my voice. I winced and waited for him to speak.

     " Oh, not really." If there was not a reason for this phone call, why was he doing this? Why was he talking to me? Pity? I was the ignorant one in this area, and I did not like it. I felt I was trespassing onto Patton's ground. He was always surrounded by great friends. Surely he got texts, party invitations, and phone calls every day!

     " So, about that party?" Did he not get my message? Was he going to un-invite me? No, I couldn't let that happen. I was going to my first high school party.

     " I already said I'd be there." I tried to sound calm and collected.

     " Do you have anything to talk about?" His voice came through the cellular device's speaker softly. He sounded young and innocent. Frankly, this proved to make me more flustered than ever.

     I attempted a normal answer, but the only thing that came out was anything but, ". . . What?"

     He paused and I checked if he had hung up on me. " Um, I was wondering if you wanted to talk." Patton's voice tickled my eardrums pleasantly. He was going to drive me crazy, and we hadn't even begun speaking of anything!

     " Talk? About what?" I choked out.

     " That's the thin-" And then he hung up. I stared at the screen in utter confusion. What happened? Did I upset him?

     Patton occupied my thoughts for approximately 10 minutes following our conversation. I couldn't have done something wrong! I'm always right! Yet, here I was, overthinking it. We had talked for 2 minutes and 34 seconds before he left. I replayed the exchange again and again.

     Some part of my brain finally realized the time and how necessary sleep was. As I slid under my functionally warm comforter, I tried to push away the tireless thoughts.

     " I will discuss this issue with him at the gathering tomorrow night."