o1.
chapter one
the other end

The morning rush of the college hallways was always the death of me. It was like biting into a crispy, fresh croissant: hard to crunch and be without messing up, but the taste of it enticing your senses at once.

Withdrawing the books for this lazy Wednesday, I shut the locker with a clang. There was a sharp squeal that totally made me forget how to breathe.

"Wah!" May wailed. The brunette was wide-eyed, her pupils darting between me and the locker. She gingerly took a step back, only for her bubble to be elbowed and pushed forward.

"Watch where you're going!" Misty shouted at the girl who had pushed May, taking a clumsy step away from the tumbling May. The girl narrowly caught herself from falling.

I sighed, hearing the shrill whistle of the discipline captain, Aria. Her voice echoed through the sound systems set around the building. "Line up, everybody! Those lingering at lockers to the right, everybody else to the left and to their classes!"

"The hallway is quite the rush today, isn't it?" Misty mumbled, diverting to the left. May and I exchanged a look before quietly falling into step behind her.

This, folks, was how life at Kalos Academy College was. It wasn't brimming with bright, energetic people, but there were a few rude ones around to make up for it. By a few, I mean a lot.

"What classes are you having?" I heard May shout in a hushed tone over the buzzing chatter. I glanced over my shoulder at her, regarding her for a moment before turning back.

"It's been the same timetable for a month, May. We're sharing Design Architecture and Design Planning, aren't we?"

Somehow, I had a vague clue that she had nodded. We continued in silence until she talked again. "Psst, guys."

This time, it was Misty who glanced back at her. "What's it?"

"Dawn's not here yet."

Misty rolled her eyes and disregarded her. I had to bite my lip to stop myself from chuckling out loud and acting impolite.

This, folks, was life with my friends. We weren't perfect yet, but we knew each other as much as you could after spending some time together. By some time, I mean a month.

"We're here!" May cheered as soon as we set foot into our class. The girl's grin grew wide as she took her seat. "Look who decided to show up!"

Misty and I exchanged a look when her soulmate stood up, welcoming her with a red rose and a handsome smirk. "Been a week, hasn't it?"

At once, all the happy cheer drained out of the girl's face. "How's your foot now?"

"As rosy as it could get with all the thorns you've plucked out—"

"You could have—"

I drowned out the rest of their conversation in the growing buzz of the classroom. Misty's chair screeched as she walked to my seat and plopped down in front of me, where Dawn was supposed to sit.

"I suppose this is going to continue throughout the day," she snickered, pointing a thumb at the lovebirds. I nodded, a hint of a smile tugging at my lips at the sight of May tugging at Drew's sleeve like a toddler denied chocolate.

This, folks, was how a go-with-the-flow, carefree person like May played with her soulmate while hopeless romantics like Misty and I were trying to find the end of the endless thread of destiny. Please don't tell Misty I thought that. She'd probably have my head.

"Earth to Serena!"

I flinched back to reality, seeing Dawn now sliding her bag into her seat while Misty returned to hers. "Don't I deserve a hello, or did you find your soulmate too?"

Heat rose to my cheeks, and I stammered to deny. "Of course not! Good morning, Dawn!"

The girl let out a satisfied huff and crossed her arms, leaning against the desk. She opened her mouth to say something, but her eyes widened, and before I knew it, she darted past my place to meet her makeshift soulmate, Kenny. Misty and I exchanged a look again.

This, folks, is Dawn's way of coping with her single-as-a-Pringle syndrome: find a substitute and keep at it until the legal age of twenty to have your soothsayer weave his, her, or their threads of destiny. The tiny problem with this? No touching! Even if your bubble goes slightly inward due to your bond, no means no! By tiny, I meant immense.

Retrieving my binder, I began sketching. A ribbon. For some reason, all I had on my mind ever since May found her soulmate was a ribbon and a gentle twirl of its clumsy black line art. Where would the other, indefinite end lead me to?