Platypus

Chapter One

 The faded brown birthmark on Fenton's wrist had begun to itch again. He scratched at it. Most of the time, he ignored it, but it was becoming more and more difficult to do so when it was going wild like this.

"Eczema flaring up again?" Albert asked.

Fenton smiled at his friend as he lied through his teeth. "Yeah, just a little."

Albert's face twisted up. "Did you need some lotion? I think I have some in my bag. My girlfriend is always packing weird things in there." As though he were going out for a weekend vacation instead of his regular classes.

"I'm good," muttered Fenton. "I'll pick up some at a store."

The worry momentary dropped from Albert's face. "You should run there now if you don't want to be late for class." He looked up at their third friend. "Need anything from the store, Rafi? Snacks?"

Rafi had his face buried in his phone. "... Eh?" He looked up when he realized that the other two had stopped talking.

"... Nevermind," muttered Albert. "Need me to go to the store with you, Fen?"

Fenton looked off to the side. "I'm good."

He didn't want to tell Albert that his mark was itching. Albert was the overly cautious type. No doubt that they'll end up skipping class together so Fenton could be put through testing again.

The tests were the worst thing about living in Blue Ginger. They'd put him into therapy and tear apart his personality, attempting to see if he were a good fit for the city. Then there were the physical tests, where he'd have to remember what he ate and even his bowel movements.

All of this for a chance of happiness. That's what the soul marks were about. A quarter of the population had them and they were treated as the elite of society.

They received a free ride through life. Living in one of the chosen cities came with cheap rent, free schooling, job placements, and the promise of true love. That's why they were so careful about who you were as a person, so they could place you in the right city.

Blue Ginger had a population of over two million, with the vast majority of citizens being between the ages of 18 to 30. It was meant to be a hub where young people could find their future love. That's the whole reason why soul marks existed in the first point.

At some point, Fenton's mark was going to wake up. Currently, it was a faded looking platypus, but the moment he met "the one" it was going to change colors spring to life. He had heard it was painful at first, but right now, it just itched.

Rafi's mark, a red hognose snake, began to curl around his neck. "Melissa is about to call me," he whispered with a grin. His phone began to buzz, and he stepped off to the side of the pathway. "Hello, beautiful! I was just thinking about you!"

"Because he was literally just texting her," muttered Albert under his breath. He jabbed Fenton with his elbow and frowned when he failed to get a laugh. "You sure you're good?"

"I am," argued Fenton with a fake grin. "Stop worrying so much."

There were times he really hated being treated like he was the baby of the group. The three of them during their college orientation two years ago. They'd been stuck together ever since, with Albert currently living as Fenton's roommate.

Albert was the big burly guy known for giving great bear hugs. He had a bushy, unkempt beard, and had a large collection of hats. Today was kind of windy, so he settled for a bright pink shelby, but it wasn't unusual to see him wandering about in a feathered tricone or a more conservative derby hat that he had decorated with a small, red paper rose.