o5.
chapter five
the universe sent
him here

Furrowed eyebrows like two ends of the ribbon that were trying to meet but couldn't; warm brown eyes offering a chocolate pool of glimmering hope, although something deep was swirling within them, deeper than he let on.

I sighed, the sound half-dreamy, half-exasperated. I didn't realise I was smiling until Misty quirked an eyebrow. "What's got you smiling like that?" she prodded, elbowing the air beside me.

I shook my head, sobering up. It wasn't the time to daydream about your soulmate when two of your friends were lying on the wing beds, grappling with their unconsciousness. Most importantly, not when Dawn's boyfriend was expelled from the college for false dating.

"You've been at it all day," Misty pointed out, jabbing her pointer to her mouth. "Smiling as if you saw paradise, and instantly sobering up as if you ain't getting a chance to go there."

"I did see paradise," I confirmed in a hushed tone, more out of insecurity than anything. "But it feels so wrong to have seen it when Dawn and May are suffering hell."

"For the last time!" Misty exclaimed, struggling to keep her voice low. Nurse Joy, who had been meddling with some bottles and vials of medicine, now shot her a tentative, almost apprehensive gaze.

Misty frowned before turning to me again. "You aren't at fault. If any, it was Drew and Kenny who lost their temper! You aren't to be blamed!"

I nodded, although it wasn't truthful. A silent heartbeat passed before Misty spoke up again.

"Say, what's making you smile though—?"

The universe seemed to sense that she was too curious for it to hold. So it decided to provide answers for her questions. How, you ask? By sending the reason for my smile, of course.

"Good afternoon, Nurse Joy!"

O-F-F-C!

I froze, feeling his gaze at my back.

Of freaking course, he had to study here!

My eyes wandered to Misty, who was dreamily looking at something behind me. Sensing my eyes, she looked to me, confusion etched across her face.

"Do you have a fever again, Ser?" she probed, bolting to her feet. I wanted to grab her hand to make her stay, but since I couldn't, I screamed — not on intention, of freaking course.

"NO!"

"Serena?" If I was heating inferno back down, now my system crashed because of weather issues. Oh, sorry, I meant, soulmate issues.

The speed at which I turned could have put Shinkansen to shame. "Oh, hi! Good afternoon! Hope you're having a great day!" I rambled, my fists tightening. An afterthought came running to my tongue to be enunciated, so I gave it a chance, albeit in a low tone. "After ruining my reputation in front of my mom, of freaking course."

The boy quirked an eyebrow, his lips down in a perplexed frown. However, it vanished as soon as Nurse Joy walked in. "Mr. Ketchum? Good afternoon. What can I do?" She smiled kindly, although I could sense a deeper sense of fondness behind her demeanor. One that had me burning in confusion.

"Professor Wulfric needs a saturated bottle of Methylene, ma'am!" he exclaimed, his boyish grin returning in full force.

Nurse Joy nodded and left. Now that she was gone, I became the center of attention. Which, I hate. Of freaking course!

"Serena. You do realize that I am not a short-term memory copy-paste option, don't you?" There was a hint of unmistakable humor in his voice.

Now that I looked at Ketchum, it was hard to tell if he wore an expression of sympathy or masked guilt. All I noted was that he was no longer clenching his knuckles white or wearing an angrily glimmering set of eyes.

He arched an eyebrow, stepping closer. My breath hitched when he leaned closer, his warm breath tickling my earlobe. "What are you staring at?" he exhaled, sending a shiver of warmth down my spine. "Meet me where the road thins into chances today, four."

I flinched when he straightened and moved back as if he hadn't just cursed my existence. Glancing over his shoulder, he sent a wink — the very same devious one that had Mom considering what I was hiding.

For a moment, time stilled. It was just chocolate and beach. Before it passed, that is.

Nurse Joy chose that moment to return. She handed him a vial. Carefully pocketing it, he thanked her, sent a smile to Misty, and flashed a grin that held mischief to me before leaving. The nurse left us to our devices as well, leaving me suffocating under Misty's pissed stare.

"Care to explain what he is to you?" she all but yelled, and that was more frightening than her shouting.

"I—uh—?" I stammered, fiddling with the hem of my skirt. Under her gaze, I felt like even the Roman mutiny would falter. Being unable to keep up with her, I rambled everything.
"He saved me from a run over yesterday by pushing me away. Then he patched my knee up and called my mom his mother-in-law, and I only just saw him today!"

Misty blinked. Heat rose to my cheeks as the clogs in her brain turned to come up with the meaning. When it finished, she let out a high-pitched squeal, earning reprimanding looks from Nurse Joy.

"You found a soulmate too?!" Misty whined, waving her hands awkwardly before she doubled over. I blinked. Her reaction was nearly... vicious. The girl looked up, her hands still supporting her knees. "And he's quite a looker like Drew too. O-M-G! I thought we were the late finders gang, but you, traitor!"

I raised my hands in surrender when the girl threw something from her pocket: a tissue.

This, folks, is how she can react violently without strangling anyone.

The orange-haired girl slumped onto the seat beside me, leaning against the chair. "Save some handsomes for me too."

"Wait." My eyes narrowed at her, a little insecurity threatening to take root. "Don't tell me you like him?"

Misty flushed, not meeting my eye. "I — um — used to pass through the hallways and find him in one of the labs every morning..."

A little sharp thing stung my chest, and I made a poker face, a selfish thought surfacing. "Do you want to see a soothsayer and change your bubble? You know..." I trailed off, hands clasping the thin pink lining of my skirt.

Misty snapped to look at me, her embarrassment completely drained out. "What, of course not!" she exclaimed, pushing the chair behind with a screech when she bolted to her feet.

My eyes met her blazing ones when she stepped forward. The bubble between us flared a little, but she didn't move away.

"Look, Ser," she started, pushing her hair out of her face forcefully. "The universe has destined you both together. Nothing can change that. Nothing should change that! You hear me?"

I nodded, feeling a little weight off my shoulders. With a smile, she retreated. Our bubbles bounced back to normal as she took a seat. "Well now, spill the tea about everything as soon as you reach home," she added, trying to sound nonchalant. "I'm sure May would love to hear it."

I stifled a giggle. Whether May would hear it or not, I was sure Misty would.