The Bond

Locked Lips

I stared blankly at the mates in a crowded plaza making their way to each other amongst the swell of milling people. They've heard the call, the first and clearest sound a person hears. I followed the subtitles as they continued to call out, slowly getting closer.

The sounds of the crowd are muted and muffled for the newly matched couple, allowing them to find each other dramatically in the middle, complete with a deep kiss. The hand holding my head up trailed an errant finger across my lips in speculation.

Is that what it would be like? You just love and kiss someone you've never met? No tentatively getting to know each other? Seemed wholly unrealistic.

The credits rolled and the teacher got up to flick the lights back on. I stretched my neck in mild irritation at the movie our class chose to watch as a reward for doing well on a test. I think I would have enjoyed the lesson more than an unrealistic romance. Or at least unrealistic for me.

I didn't have any friends in the class to gush about the movie with, and I was grateful I wouldn't have to pretend. Instead I began gathering my things in preparation for the flash of the last bell. The teacher was telling us with strict sweeps of her hands to be prepared for lessons to pick back up tomorrow, but no one really paid her any attention. Myself included. There was just something about that authoritative way of signing that just made my eyes glaze over and my attention focus on anything else.

After class I filed into the hall with all the other students to grab my stuff from my locker. Lost in the flow of the mass exodus, I kept my eyes peeled for Liam. As I'd hoped, he'd been gone by the time I had gotten back home last night and I had somehow managed to avoid him at school all day. That or he was avoiding me too. Like an idiot I was both relieved and troubled by the thought.

A hand shoved me unexpectedly from behind, making my heart freeze in fear. For an irrational second I thought it was Liam confronting me in the hallway, but when I turned to look Emmie was grinning at me impishly.

The top half of her natural hair was pulled into two cute buns on either side while the rest of it lay half down in a dense riot of tight curls. She had bright blue eyeshadow that popped on her complexion and echoed the bohemian flowers patterning the shirt she wore behind a fashionable pair of denim overall shorts.

"Dakota is handing in her English essay that was due yesterday, she said to go on without her.  She has some questions to ask the teacher." Emmie's hands were quick as she signed Dakota's message to me.

"I don't mind waiting." I shrugged as we made our way out the front door.
"Well I do." Emmie puckered her face before continuing, "My Mom is forcing me to attend an end of the week barbecue. You don't want to come, do you?" Emmie's face lit in hopeful anticipation that I would go to the barbecue with her and give her someone to skulk around the edges of the party with.

Once upon a time I would have said yes to the lame invitation to help my friend out of a socially awkward spot. But things were different now. I imagined myself locked in the bathroom in pain or having to rudely leave early and my decision was made.

"Sorry Emmie, I need to hang back to give Dakota a dress she wanted to borrow and after that I promised my Mom I would help her with the garden today." The first half was true but with my black thumb of death, there was no way my Mom would let me tend her precious flower beds. Which honestly suited me just fine.

I stopped in front of a stone bench that was off to the side of the building where I had a good view of students leaving, but was slightly obscured by the manicured bushes and the angle. I was still avoiding Liam and didn't want to be out in the open if he hadn't exited the building yet.

"You suck." Emmie's sighed dramatically as her hands continued, "If you change your mind, the barbeque is at my house." Even as she offered it we both knew I wouldn't go. It was all over our expressions and I felt a stab of guilt. I glommed onto Emmie in an clingy hug and I felt her laughter bubble through her as she quickly forgave me.

That was the best part about Emmie, she was soft-hearted and genuinely kind. Clawing her way playfully out of my embrace she swung her dislodged backpack over her shoulder and waved as she headed for her car.

Shaking away the remnants of my guilt I sat down in the dappled shade and waited for Dakota to get her butt out of the building. I watched the crowd dispersing and thought of the movie from class. If I heard the call right now I would find him just to punch my mate in the throat. No new students had joined our school to my relief, so there was really no chance of that.

My eyes lit on Liam as he exited with a mass of friends from his football team. He was laughing genuinely at something someone said, and I heard not a sound. I would never hear Liam's call.

I slinked down into the bench a bit in the hopes of not attracting his notice. Now that I had kissed him, he felt different to me. The way the light hit his gently waving brown hair and his plush lips that balanced the manly curve of his jawline. I knew just how soft those lips were now. It was like looking at a stranger with a familiar face.

Liam still wasn't male model gorgeous, but I actually prefered his casual good looks. If mates could be chosen...
Liam turned his head my way and I went rigid before realizing he was just adjusting his backpack. He hadn't seen me at all and as he turned the other way with his friends I mentally berated myself for my stupid train of thought.  The romance movie and my unexpected boy drama was making me soft.

Putting a hand to my chest I called up a phantom of the pain my true mate put me through time and time again. I needed to remember that there was no rainbows waiting for me and shake off the romance junk.

Pulling my phone out I looked at the time and decided since Liam was gone I'd go find Dakota myself. I wanted to give her the dress so I could go home before my mate stressed our bond again, as he often did after school. My mind briefly touched on how the pain had suddenly stopped last time as the bond slackened, but I still didn't have an answer for that.

I went against the trickling flow of students and headed towards the back of the school where I knew the English room was. This far back into the school was deserted of students and only held worn faced teachers as they finished up their responsibilities in preparation to go home as well.

I passed by the friendly janitor on my way and gave her a smile and a wave, receiving a warm greeting in return. She was an older woman and I always noticed she never had a wedding band on. I didn't know if she could hear sound or not, but it seemed unlikely that she was still deaf at her age.

Mates always had a way of finding one another. It was more likely that her mate had passed on, but even still my wounded heart couldn't help but wonder if there were others around like me. It was so uncommon to go through my situation, but not impossible.

Sighing heavily I turned down the corner to the English room. It was sequestered in it's own little private cubby and happened to be my favorite class. Reading had become a hobby of mine when I could no longer participate in track or freely hang-out with my friends. It was the perfect escape from my life and with my newfound interest, came an appreciation for English class.

My footsteps echoed through my body as I closed the distance before opening the door. Without paying much attention, I confidently swung the door open. At first my eyes met Dakota's wide blue ones. Then I met the shocked darker blue gaze of the assistant teacher, Mr. Hall.

They stepped away from each other quickly as I stood frozen in the doorway. I stumbled on my own feet as I immediately backed up and left the room.