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Chase has been dreading tomorrow for months. Secretly hoping that everyone just forgets and they can move past it. But knowing Molly, she has already conned someone into baking a cake.
He always thought this whole soulmate thing was a sham. His parents were soulmates and look how they turned out. One was an abusive asshole, the other was an adulterer.
Four months ago, he had woken up on his eighteenth birthday to discover a delicate ivy vine tattooed around his left bicep that curled up over his shoulder and down to his heart. He knew it was coming. For years he heard the stories from his classmates. Upper classmen showing up to practice with fresh tattoos. Speculating what each of the symbols would mean.
He remembers when he first heard about them. So excited he ran home from school so he could ask his mom about the stories he had overheard. He never even stopped to say hello, just blurted out “Is it true that everyone has a soulmate and that we all get matching tattoos?!” His mother laughed and told him that while it was true that everyone got soulmates, there was a little more to it than just matching tattoos.
She went on to explain how on everyone’s 18th birthday you woke up with a tattoo representing the bond you shared with their soulmate and hidden somewhere within that tattoo were their initials. She had confirmed the story by showing him the black hole tattoo that she had on her wrist. A small V.S. tattooed into the surrounding space dust. She had gifted him a book on soulmates not long after. He had been amazed back then.
Now not so much.
He tried spending all day on his birthday alone. Which is incredibly hard to do even for a quiet day in the Hostel. On an ordinary day since they had runaway, he would normally wake up next to Gert. Old Lace sleeping soundly at the end of the bed. They had come to an understanding after a couple late nights during the first week there that they slept better when the other was near. But the night before he turned 18 he spent the night alone for the first time in over a year.
He knew it was wrong the moment he laid down in his bed. He could hear Old Lace whining in the room next door, and Gert trying to console her. It took everything in him not to race over there and pull her close. And it wasn’t like it helped him in any way. He woke up multiple times drenched in sweat from nightmares and having the worst time falling back asleep.
But every time he had the thought to get up and go to the next room, the reminder of the day to come would pull him back down into his own bed. When he finally woke up, he didn’t get out of bed until he could hear the others had left on their usual grocery run before venturing out of his room. When he made it to the kitchen he had found a note stating their whereabouts and instructions to watch Old Lace. But what he hadn’t expected was the p.s. at the bottom. In small letters was a “Happy Birthday Chase” written in what was clearly Gert’s handwriting.
He wasn’t sure what he was scared for more. Finding her initials or finding someone else’s. But when he saw her handwriting he was too anxious not to know. He frantically searched all over the visible skin he could see while wearing shorts and a t-shirt. He noticed a small leaf peeking out of his left shirt sleeve. He became agitated when the whole tattoo still wasn’t revealed by pulling up the sleeve. Stomping over to a mirror he removed his shirt and looked at his reflection.
The fresh tattoo was larger in length than any other he had seen. All of his previous classmates had had small tattoos. This however was nothing in comparison. While the pattern of the leaves and vine weren’t large in size themselves, the vine took up most of his bicep, shoulder blade and left pec. He admired the lifelike detail of the black and white image. Getting lost in it until he remembered what he was really looking for. He searched along the vine to find a small G.Y. curled in right above his heart.
Letting out the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding in, he traced the letters, smiling to himself.
A few moments later he heard commotion come from the other room and he raced to put his shirt back on. Scared to have anyone see and say anything about it.
The first one to see him was Molly. She had run up to him, screamed Happy Birthday and gave him a big hug.
“We got you a surprise!” she exclaimed. “Come on its waiting for you in the kitchen.”
When he reached the kitchen, he saw all of his friends gathered around the counter, where a cupcake with a single candle had been placed.
“We know you don’t want us to sing, none of us are very good. So, go ahead and make your wish!” Karolina explained.
He laughed “That’s kind of a cop out don’t you think, I mean I know for a fact someone in this room is a fantastic singer.”
“Just blow out the candle Chase.” Gert snapped. The rest of the group looked at her.
He just laughed, shook his head and leaned over and blew out the candle. All of them cheering Happy Birthday when they realized he was done.
“So, the big one eight. I see the tattoo has started to show up. Have you gotten a good look at it?” Alex asked.
Chase pulled his shirt sleeve down. Trying to hide the leaves that were poking out. “Eh it’s kind of personal, I don’t really want to talk about it.”
The others had tried to prod him, hoping to get a glimpse of what they had in store. But he wouldn’t give up anything.
“Guys why don’t you just leave him alone. That’s clearly how he wanted to spend this day in the first place. We should all just leave him alone.” Visibly upset now, she walked away towards her room.
“Dude whatever you did, you should fix it. It’s not fun when mom and dad fight.”
“Very funny Karolina.”
“I’m only a little joking. She really did look upset. At you.”
“Okay, okay. I’m going.”
Hesitantly he entered her room, closing the door behind him. “Gert, can we talk.”
“I don’t know, are you capable of having a grown-up conversation.”
“Okay you are clearly mad.”
“Oh yeah? You pick up on that?”
“Call it a hunch. Now can we at least talk about why you are mad, because even though you think I’m an idiot right now. I am smart enough to know that whatever I did has upset you. And instead of telling me what I did wrong, you are insulting my intelligence.”
“Can’t you let me stew for a few more minutes?”
“Nope, not this time. Last time I took your lead, we spent months tiptoeing around each other because of you saying we were a one-time thing. This sharing a bed thing became exponentially better when you admitted you were lying, and it wasn’t just because we got to have sex again, no matter how mind blowing it is. So please can you tell me what is wrong?”
“Fine. But remember I’m not happy about it.”
“Of course.”
“Well, I guess I’m mad because I spent the night alone without any warning, and when I went to go ask you if you were coming to bed, your door was locked. So yeah it made me mad that you didn’t even want to talk to me. Especially since we had worked past all of that nonsense you just previously mentioned.”
He pulled her into a hug. When she laid her head on his chest, he squeezed tighter. “Gert, I never meant to hurt you by doing that. And I now realize that I probably should have given you warning, but I just wanted to be alone on my birthday. It had nothing to do with you. It was all about me not wanting to face my future.”
She looked over to his arm. “So, you really aren’t going to show anyone?”
“Nope. I figure everyone will find out eventually. But right now, I’m still coping with the fact that I even have a soulmate. Especially after hearing your rants on the matter for the past 2 years.”
“Okay, I respect that. Where is it at so I know where to be careful of.”
“The initials are on my chest.”
“Awe damn so that means no more shirtless Chase?”
He laughed. “How ever will you survive?”
“Good thing I have a fantastic memory. But to keep it even, I think no more shirtless Gert will be placed into effect immediately. Which kinda ruins the birthday present I had planned for you.”
“You play dirty Yorkes.”
“Clearly not dirty enough Stein.” She laughed before kissing him. “Now I think it’s time for a nap. Since I know for a fact neither of us got any sleep last night.”
Holding her in his arms then had been a painful reminder of everything he could lose. Usually when Gert ranted about something he had no clue what was going on until she explained it further. But soulmates were something he surprisingly knew more about.
For one he knew that there was no way of knowing for sure that having a soulmate guaranteed you to be with that person. Or be happy with that person. And he felt that his situation was extra tricky since his soulmate wanted no part in having one. Something about forced destiny and taking away our choice in the matter. Plus she felt guilty for people who didn’t have one.
He wished he could just tell her. He hoped that she would feel different knowing he was her soulmate. It was too risky though. He had read stories of couples altering their fate because they told their soulmate before it was time.
So, for the next four months he tried his damnedest not to let it slip, keep it hidden from all of his friends.
This proved to be extremely hard.
Nico was the first one to figure it out. They were at the grocery store just the two of them, it had been their chore for the week, when his sleeve slid up his arm as he grabbed cereal off the top shelf.
“Woah, how big is your tattoo?” she asked as he put the box in the basket.
“Honestly I don’t know. I haven’t looked at my back yet, but if its anything like the front of me, I have a feeling it’s back their too.” Chase explained hoping it was enough information for the questions to stop.
“And Gert hasn’t made any sort of comment that it’s back there?”
“She hasn’t seen it.”
“Oh, come on, we all know you guys are sleeping together. Which I have been meaning to talk to you about, you guys should at least have me put a sound proofing spell on your room. You’re going to scar Molly for life with how paper thin the walls are.”
Chase’s eye went wide as he looked at Nico. He wasn’t surprised she was calling him out, it just hadn’t ever crossed his mind that if he could hear Gert crying in her room from the other side of his wall, then Molly who was on the opposite end of Gert, would definitely be able to hear them as well.
“Okay yeah, we will definitely have you do that. Thanks for the heads up.”
“No problem. But seriously Chase, how has she not seen… Unless you don’t want her to see. Which could mean two things. She’s not your soulmate but you’re ignoring it because you love her to much?”
He laughed. He figured at this point he’d almost it rather be that way.
“Okay so not that. So that would mean she is your soulmate and you are worried that she won’t end up being yours.”
“Yup and trust me I wish I could tell her. But everything I read warns against it. So please, please, please don’t say anything.”
“Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me. No come on, let’s check out and go home.” She said as she placed the last item on their list in the basket. He followed her out of the store hoping the others wouldn’t be as perceptive.
It was a week later when Karolina cornered him alone in the living room.
“So, Gert’s your soulmate. I bet your happy about that.”
“I’m going to kill Nico.”
“Oh no please don’t. It’s so hard to find girlfriends when you’re supposed to be on the run. But really, she was only trying to help. She said something about having me help you see how big the tattoo really is?”
“Oh yeah thanks, that would be helpful. Hopefully you can also help me figure out what it means. No one else is here, right?”
She nodded. He stood up, turning so his back was to her and pulled off his shirt.
“Holy shit. Chase this thing is amazing.” She reached out to touch his back. “It starts down here.” She said as she pointed to the bottom of his shoulder blade and traced down his ribs. Hoping that by tracing the vine with her finger, it would help him imagine the magnitude of the tattoo. “And goes all the way up to here. You know I’ve only ever read about tattoos like this one in stories. All the ones I’ve seen have been small and easy to hide.”
“Yeah there is really no hiding this. What did the stories say?”
“I mean they were all mostly works of fiction, at least I thought, but any time there was a tattoo of this size it meant that the connection was stronger than that of a normal bond.”
“Well I don’t feel any different than I did a month ago.”
“You guys have known each other your whole lives though, it could have always been there.”
“Yeah maybe, I just wish I could talk to her about it. It’s been killing me that the one person I have been dying to discuss this with, I can’t.”
“I know Chase, don’t worry though, we aren’t going to say anything.” She said as she handed him back his shirt off of the coffee table. “Wait where are the initials.”
“I’ll show you if you promise not to laugh.”
“Promise.”
Chase turned around fully to face her and pointed to his heart.
“This thing is really not subtle, is it?” She said with a smile. “Now hurry up and get a shirt on before the others wander in here.”
After that he thought he was in the clear. He assumed Alex knew with all of the knowing looks he seemed to be giving him. But for the most part Molly seemed unfazed by it, and Gert was back to pretending nothing ever even happened.
Which is how he ended up here, less than 4 hours until Gert’s birthday, pacing outside of her door.
“Do you think you could pace somewhere else? I really am trying to go to sleep in here.” Molly said as she poked her head out of her room. Stepping out fully she saw how nervous he looked. “This isn’t about her 18th birthday, is it? About you guys being soulmates?”
He looked at her stunned. He ran over to her, shushing her into her room and shutting the door once they were both in side. “Okay who told you. And have you said anything to Gert.”
“It’s hurtful that you don’t think I would have been able to work that out on my own, and no I haven’t told her. I don’t want to ruin it for you guys.”
“Wait what do you mean you worked it out.”
‘“Well so I may have heard Karolina and Nico describing the tattoo. “
“Of course you did. They are seriously the worst secret keepers.”
“But I know what it means! At least I think I do. Ivy’s grow in the hardest environments, and while it has a ton of meanings the most common have a theme around strength, friendship and love. It would be dumb if it was anyone but Gert’s initials in your tattoo.”
“Yeah I guess that makes sense.”
“Plus, she is currently pacing inside of her room right now too. How you two didn’t figure it out sooner with the weird pull you have on either other is beyond me.” She laughed. “What are you doing, don’t sit down go to her.” She pushed him off her bed and out of her room.
“Okay, okay. Geez I’m going.”
He stared at her door. Contemplating about whether he should knock when it opened and Gert ran right into him.
“Oh good, I was just coming to find you.” She took his hand and dragged him into her room and sitting down on the edge of her bed. “I know you were weird about your birthday, but I really don’t want to be alone tonight. I’m anxious enough as it is. Any way that we can just pretend we don’t know what tomorrow is and we can go to sleep?” she looked up at him, hoping he would understand.
“Sounds like a plan to me.” He placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head before sitting down next to her. “We can deal with whatever tomorrow brings tomorrow.”
He woke up in the morning feeling calmer. He wasn’t as worried now that the day was finally here. When he rolled over he noticed Gert sitting up in bed looking at him. “Well this is a weird change of pace. You are normally dead to the world when I wake up in the morning.”
She shook her head. “Chase what if I don’t have a tattoo. What if all this talk about not wanting one back fired and now I don’t get one. Or even worse what if its someone I hate. Or maybe its worse that it would just be some random person. Or even worse, what if its Old Lace, I mean we are telepathically connected. Or what if I have no way of knowing what the tattoo even means. I mean I don’t see it anywhere. Chase this is serious, this is no time to try and seduce me.”
He stopped kissing her neck and laughed. “Baby have you even looked for the tattoo yet?”
“Well no, but I don’t see it anywhere yet.”
“Gert, you are wearing leggings and long sleeves. You have a tattoo. Just look for it.”
“Yeah says you I bet yours is perfect, and your soulmate is probably gorgeous and funny and you guys will have a super special bond. While I’m going to be stuck with my soulmate probably being a dinosaur.”
“I thought you didn’t even want a soulmate?” He asked her, thinking this day was looking up as long as the mark on her was the same as his.
“Well I don’t know, if it was the right person I wouldn’t mind. I mean I wish I could just choose.”
“But that’s not the point. Fate has already chosen for us. But if you could choose who would it be?”
“Oh like you don’t already know.”
“Humor me.”
“Fine, I’d pick you. I’d have always picked you.”
He smiled at her. Leaning forward he kissed her once. Then another time, and another. He found himself getting lost in the kiss not wanting to pull away. “As much as I want to continue this, I really think you should find your tattoo. It made me feel better when I found mine.”
“Okay I guess so. But I don’t want to look. Will you do it for me?”
“Are you sure?”
She nodded.
“Okay I’ll look. Hopefully we get to remove some of these layers. I miss shirtless Gert time.” He laughed.
“You brought that on yourself bud. It was only fair. Now get to looking.”
Chase pulled up her left sleeve then her right. When he saw nothing on them he started to get nervous. His next stop he pulled up her right pant leg, the defeatedly moved to her left.
She watched him smile as he carefully pushed her leggings. “Did you find it?”
“Some of it. But I’m thinking we may need to get rid of these pants.”
“You’re joking. I thought they were all small.”
“Mine isn’t.” he replied without thinking.
She looked down at her left leg more closely and noticed a vine that started at her ankle, wrapped around her leg and continued up it until it disappeared beneath her leggings. “Woah. Wait you said yours isn’t small? Can I see it now?”
“Will that make this easier for you?”
She nodded. He went to remove his shirt. “Wooo! Shirtless Chase is back.”
He laughed and decided to just roll up his sleeve. She noticed how similar their tattoos were. “I can’t show you the whole thing. Not yet anyway. Before I can I need you to do something. I need you to look at yours. Please. I’m pretty sure it wont change now that you have it, but I can’t know for sure until you actually look.”
Her face softened. “Chase you’re kind of scaring me.”
He reached up and put his hand on her face. “Baby I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere. But please just look.”
She nodded. She peeled off her leggings, searching her leg for an end to the tattoo.
“I think you may need to take off your shirt.”
She laughed. “You would think that.”
“While yes, the thought crosses my mind a lot, that’s not why. Look, follow the vine.” He slowly traced the vine, starting at her ankle, occasionally pulling it up in the air to trace the back and emphasize how much area it took up, till he reached where it crossed over her hip. “See it keeps going, and no initials yet.”
“wow. I always thought these things were small.” She said before taking off her shirt. Before she looked down she noticed tears in his eyes. “Chase. Honey, why are you crying?”
He wiped his eyes. “I hadn’t even realized I was. But don’t worry, they’re happy tears. Look.” He pointed to her chest.
She looked down and saw a small upside down C.S. right above her heart. “Wait does this mean…” She grabbed at the hem of his shirt, frantically pulled it over his head. “Oh my god.” Tears welled in her eyes as she touched the small G.Y. on his chest. “G.Y. Gert Yorkes. I’m your soulmate, were soulmates.”
He nodded before placing his hands on her face and pulling her into a kiss. It was slow and sweet. And he couldn’t stop thinking I love this girl so much.