The Soulmate System

9. Your Glow Colour is Complementary With Your Soulmate's

With the dishwasher broken, Bryce washed his bowl silently in the sink. Katie and Theo finished the Friends episode before whispering their goodnights and retired to their respective rooms. But Bryce lingered, the cereal sitting uncomfortably in his stomach before turning out the lights and lying on the couch in thought.

Desperate for water, Katie returned to the kitchen close to midnight to retrieve a cup to keep on her bedside table. She shut her eyes for a moment, letting them adjust to the lights still on, to find Bryce standing at the kitchen sink, his hands submerged in slightly soapy water and its owner lost in contemplation.

"What is wrong with you?"

Bryce jolted forward, hitting his forehead on the cabinets and splashing water onto the floor. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

Katie raised an eyebrow. "I probably slammed my door loud enough to wake up Theo. I have no idea why it didn't break you out of your..." She reached for a cup from the cabinets. "...concentration of washing..." Katie glanced down into the soapy concoction, which was more water than soap, to find no dishes or silverware underneath. "...your...hands."

Bryce withdrew his wrinkled hands from the water, stepping slowly over the wet tile floor for a tea towel. "I was thinking."

"Obviously," she said, plunging her right hand into the sink to pull the plug away. "Why're you wasting water? Go take a shower, waste water, and think there."

"No."

Katie put her cup to the faucet. "Why?"

Bryce couldn't think of a logical reason that didn't involve Dylan, so he spluttered back, "Because."

Katie turned back, taking a sip of water. "Dylan's your Soulmate, right?"

Bryce immediately slipped on the floor, banging his head on the oven's handle. "God, fuck," he whispered, another red mark prominent on his forehead.

"Jesus Christ, can you not be such a spaz?"

"H-h, h-how! How do you know?!" Bryce asked, frantic. He stood and steadied himself on the wet floor.

"Do you want some help?"

"No! I want to know how you know!"

"...wait, I was right?!"

"What?"

"Dude, I was joking!"

"Wh–why–why–why–why–why would you suggest that?" spluttered Bryce.

"He's the first person from work you've ever brought home!"

Bryce froze. "...is there...any chance for you to forget this conversation?"

Katie's eyes widened. Placing the glass on the counter, she squealed. "No! Oh my God! Bryce!" Then she gasped and smacked him in the arm. "You made fun of his Glow." Something clicked in her head, and she stood up straighter. "Y'know, he's not someone I'd really peg for a 'False Alarm'er."

Bryce got to his knees. "Please, Kate, I've been trying to make up for it since we started working late. Don't tell him you know."

"Why?"

Bryce glanced away for a moment before looking back to her, his hands pressed together. "No, Katie. You don't get it. I already fucked up our first date; I don't want to fuck this up now. I – " He wanted to add that he was growing to like his Soulmate, but couldn't find the right way to say it. "Just, please. Don't tell anyone. I can't fuck this up."