Lot finished packing up and went to leave. They took one step outside before having to cover their eyes because the sun was worse than the lights inside. They went back in and immediately went to one of the darkest corners covering their ears and eyes before going into their little ball. Twice they had a sensory overload in the span of three days. The only time it had been worse was… Yeah they don’t talk about it.
Cat stood up with her bag. She didn't notice Lotus at first. When she did she hesitated before walking over.
Lotus heard the creak of the wood just like they could feel the uncontrollable tears running down their face. Or the way their jacket ended up rubbing against their skin, but they thought nothing of it. They had other things to focus on like getting their breathing back under control and ‘fixing’ themselves once more.
Car crouched next to her again. ”Is the idea of me being your soulmate that bad?” she asked half joking. She knew there was more to it but she wasn't sure what.
Lot looked up after hearing that and wiped at their eyes. Everything was still too bright so they kept their eyes on the floor. Their thoughts were a jumbled mess and it made responding difficult, “I, uh, no. It’s, it’s not you it’s the whole idea of having one.”
”Why though?” she asked keeping her voice low. They were about a foot apart. Cat making sure she didn't accidentally touch Lotus.
"I, It's," Lot thought for a moment before letting out a long sigh, "Society puts so much pressure on 'finding the one' that they neglected to ask if people even want to find the one."
”why wouldn't you?” She asked tensing up slightly. ”what's so bad about finding your soulmate? I've been hesitant but even i’m willing to try to make things work.”
"I've known people who's parents were soulmates and they ended up fucking up the kids life with their fighting," Lot responded, "People shouldn't be forced together with strangers they don't really know, that's all I'm saying."
”which is why it's good to find your soulmate young. You get to know them and if it doesn't work you know, ” she said and then rolled her eyes. ”plus my parents weren't soulmates and they still fucked me and my brother up.” she wasn't sure why she said that. She never tells anyone about that plus it won't fit with the story she mare up. Shit she messed up.
Lot blinked a moment as they looked at Cat, "I never said non-soulmate relationships were better. I just said they were more reliable. Besides, do you know any soulmates who ended up not getting married?"
"No but it doesn't mean we have to be the same. You could possibly see in color! the benefits really outweigh the bad." She argued. "I'm probably not even going to be in this town much longer. Why can't we just make the best of it?" She moved closer but still kept her distance.
"Like you said," Lot started to counter, "You'll probably not be in this town much longer, so why bother trying to do anything at all? Better to do nothing and forget, than to do something and having the pain that comes with the knowledge that this was a thing."
Cat shook her head. "We already know. Why not just take the next step," She asked. She didn't want to just forget.
Lot could feel everything grow harsher once more. They took a shaky steadying breath, "I would rather not, okay?"
Cat nodded and stood up. "Ok fine. I'll take the poster in tomorrow," Cat said walking over to the table and picked up the poster. She forced a smile and walked out of the library,
Lot let out a long sigh and went back into their ball. They would have to wait longer for the overload to go away. They didn't feel much sympathy at the moment for Cat more focused on calming down.
once she was home Cat started drawing on her hand. Cut little flowers and clouds and anything else she could think of. All over her left hand and up her arm.
Lot felt their arm tingle and glanced to see the drawing now marking their arm. They let out a long sigh and finally stood up to head home only feeling a slight harshness from both the lights and the sun.
She continued the drawings adding stars and arrows. She stopped after a while. She put the cap on the pen and went to bed early.
Lotus finally made it home and went straight to their room shutting the blinds and the door making it a dark room. They could feel the tingling stop and they laid back on the bed. This is what they didn't want to happen, this is why they didn't want to meet their soulmate because they didn't think anyone could love them. They had a myriad of excuses to go through, but they wouldn't ever accept the bond.
Cat spent the night texting April and Jeff. She came to school the next day with her board smiling. She whent to English 10 minutes early.
Lot arrived at English a little earlier than usual having nothing to really work on in the computer lab. Most of the commissions were done, or couldn't be done on the school computers because it didn't run the program Lotus used for color correction with her greyscale vision.
April and Jeff were with Cat in the room. They were talking to the teacher. Cat holding the poster.
Lot stepped into the room fiddling with their sleeves. They stepped up to the front where Cat, dumb, and dumber were talking. They were silent unsure of what to say or do.
(Sorry. On the road at the moment so expect sporadic responses.)
(Ok)
Cat was silent letting April and Jeff tell the story they came up with. The teacher listened and nodded along. They were telling the teacher how Lotus kept bailing on them when they did the project.
Lot felt their hands ball up into fists. It took everything to keep themselves from growing violent. The nerve of those two. They stepped up in front of Cat not even looking at their soulmate, "They're lying Mister. Those two are the ones that bailed on us. If you look at the writing on the board and my handeriting the two will be identical. Or, or you could ask me to repeat any section and I could do it! Do the same with April and Jeff and they wouldn't be able to do either."
Cat turned and glared at Lotus. "We waited an hour for you! You couldn't even message me saying you couldn't come." Cat hissed ignoring what she just said. She turned to the teacher. "Sir April, Jeff, and I whent to the library yesterday. Lotus was rude to April and Jeff all of Friday and then didnt show up at all!"
"That's not what happened!" Lotus shouted back their vision blurring from their tears that were now slowly rolling down their cheeks. Their fists were white from the force on them and the lights kept growing brighter and brighter while the whole room started to feel suffocating, "I was there at the library yesterday! I worked on the board researching and writing! I have a document that can prove it! You, you, you," Lot took a deep breath as they started to hyperventilate. Getagrip.Getagrip.Getagrip!