Marks // Prinxiety and Logicality \\ Soulmate AU

Chapter 14: Roman

     I stopped in front of Virgil's first class, my hand still clutching his. He turned to face me, and I brushed a stray strand of hair from his face. I couldn't help but inhale sharply every time I saw him. Complete with a smile, Virgil was quite the looker. He had a fair complexion and a strong jawline. His eyes, sharp and cat-like, were bright when they weren't weighed down by his past.

     I caught people staring at him and felt a pang of jealousy and a bit of anger. These people, who previously ignored his existence, now looked on with curiosity. The nonsensical part of me wanted to bark at them, tell them he was mine and only mine. 

     But that was only the Soulmate Effect talking. I would never do something like that... At least, not in public. I shook the thought out of my head entirely, as if its very presence was embarrassing. Virgil's eyes were on me currently, and I prayed that was where they would stay. If he gazed elsewhere, even for a second, I was certain it would kill me.

     God, I sound crazy! How long did they say this stupid effect lasted?!

     My conversation with Logan resurfaced and I recalled what he'd said. What if I didn't like Virgil as much when it faded? What if all this was just extreme infatuation, and not the beginning of a wonderful romance novel? 

     Virgil touched my arm, his hand slipping out of mine, and I snapped to attention. My soulmate offered me a kind smile and said, " You're going to be late if you don't get going. I'll see you at lunch?"

     The tension fell from my shoulders and I returned his smile. " Yes, I would," I responded dreamily. He raised an eyebrow. I blinked. " I mean- I will! I'll see you at lunch!" With a slight chuckle, he turned and walked into his classroom. 

     I watched him go and sighed happily. No, these feelings weren't going anywhere. Maybe it wasn't love yet, but we were still strangers. Albeit, strangers connected by fate. It was normal for new couples to take it slow. I turned and headed to my own class.

     In front of the door of my math class, I skidded to a stop. Did I just think of us as a couple?! A blush broke out on my face and I had to refrain from curling up in a ball on the spot. Sure, we'd kissed once. But Virgil had said he'd wanted to take it slow, not to mention we'd only met a few days prior. 

     For years, I've hated that trope in books and movies. Oh, you may not have had a conversation about your relationship, but you've gone through all the motions, just say you're together! It was ironic that I was now having that exact struggle. In the middle of the school hallway, no less. 

     " Hey, move it! I'm gonna be late," someone growled from behind me. I apologized and quickly jumped out of the way. " Oh, you're the dude that was with the new kid!" Th stranger pointed out.

     " Um," I stammered. They stared at me as if expecting something. " Sure, yeah, that was me."

     " He's cute, he your soulmate?" They raised an eyebrow and I felt another pang of protectiveness. 

     " Yes, he's mine," I said. They snorted and I realized the words that had left my mouth. " I mean - Yes, he's my soulmate."

     They rolled their eyes and walked into class. I followed sheepishly, glad to find my seat was nowhere near them. Class started and ended the same way it always did. I'd doodled on my paper all class and hardly paid attention at all. 

     When I snapped out of my doodling daze, I realized I'd drawn a tiny Virgil. My first reaction was to erase it so the teacher wouldn't think I wasn't paying attention. But the moment I turned the eraser to my paper, I regretted thinking that. Instead, I set the eraser down and tore the picture out. Now, I walked to my next class clutching the slip of paper inside of my pocket.