Linked By Threads | 3RACHA

Chapter 2

Edit: June 1, 2022

°Chan°

Beep! Beep! Beep!

I rub my eyes as they adjust to the sunlight that bathes the room in a soft warmth. Looking over to my charging phone, I check the current time.

7:15 a.m.

"Shit—I'm going to be late." I cursed under my breath as I frantically got ready for school. In a rush, I threw on a simple shirt as I knew I would be given a uniform once I got there and slung my bag over my back.

7:45 a.m.

"Oh, hey, honey, why are you in such a rush? You do realize it's still the weekend, right?" Before nearly bursting through the doors, Mother's confusion breaks my path as I double check the day to only realize it is, in fact, Saturday. The weekend.

Oh. My. Goodness.

"Oh," I finally let out as I was still in a state of disbelief. I put myself in this much stress this early in the morning. For. Nothing. "Wait. If it's the weekend, why are you awake this early?"

"Oh. I just have to do a few things on the phone earlier."

Feeling the realization set in and sitting down at the table, my mind drifts to new territories as I thought about nothing and anything.

"Hey, Mom, how did you know that you and Dad were soulmates?" I asked out of curiosity (and a bit out of the blue) as my eyes absentmindedly traced the faint red thread from Mother's pinky to Father's office where he was currently working.

"Well, when your Father and I bump into each other at the university's cafe, I felt a tiny and almost unnoticeable spark near my fingertips. The next day we had a lecture together where we, by a miracle or chance, had a project assigned together. The project itself probably took a week to complete, but after the project we spent more time together. Throughout the time I would feel the spark every once in a while, so that's when I knew we were meant to be," Mother's words painted picture after picture in my head as I listened to her recollecting memories. "—Also, I had a distant friend who was able to see red stings the same way you see them, as well, so she confirmed it—"

"Wait. You knew someone else like me and didn't even think to tell me?" I asked as disbelief fell upon me like rain. How can a person take so much shock in a day—no, scratch that, in a few hours.

"Well, I've kinda forgotten about it until you've asked me."

• • •

Once back in my room, I aimlessly threw my bag by my desk and let myself fall into the warmth of my bed. Before the comfort of my bed could even envelop my every being, I heard frantic steps grow louder and nearer.

"Chris! Chris! Christopher!" before I even knew it, Hannah throws herself upon my bed as she excitedly barges through my room. Credits to my reflexes, I quickly caught onto her as she might just bounce off the springy cushion.

"Well, how are you too?" greeting a currently ecstatic sister in my lap before settling beside her, I ask with amusement brimming with every word. Even if she was just as annoying as any other, she was still my amusing sister.

"Hey, can you help me with something?"

"Well, can I know what it is before?"

As she drags every syllable near the end of her question, suspicion and curiosity rises like flooding waters.

"Okay, you know how you are able see people's soulmates by a string. I need you to confirm who my soulmate is when I meet them."

"Okay, so you want me to give you your soulmate?" earning only a pleading and desperate nod, I knew she was not going to get what she wanted. Sure I wanted to help her, but I felt it was best she would need to find her "one" on her own. "Well, it seems like you already know my answer is no. It's only because I know you'll know who the true "one" is by how you'll feel. Even if it sounds cheesy."

"Why? Can't you just confirm it?" whines slip from her lips as I ruffle her hair in amusement. I shake my head in response as she looks up with puppy eyes in hopes I would cave.

"No, I'm not. Plus, when am I going to have time to meet this 'boy of your dreams' when I have so much homework later on." trying to console her, I give my best reasonable excuse as I emphasize with air quotes. However, despite my best efforts, she gives a last pout before leaving my room with the quite opposite emotion as she entered my room.