"L is for the way you look at me!", were the words that faded onto my wrist. It's known that once you turn 16, the very first words your soulmate will say to you are 'printed' into your skin. And my soulmate apparently felt obliged to serenade me by the looks of it.
See, now I don't mind this kind of thing but when your miserable friends start mocking and making fun of you for it, it's rather embarrassing. "O is for the only one I see~!", they would sing whenever they saw me and I have to resist the urge to not punch theirs faces in. I was almost 21 now and I still haven't run into my soulmate and honestly, I prayed to God It wouldn't be in a public place because God forbid, I hate PDA and I always get second-hand embarrassment whenever I see it.
I currently sat in my favorite cafe near my university with my best 'friend', trying to study for the finals when I heard the miserable lyrics again. "V, is very very extraordinary~", My friend quietly murmured with a mischievous smirk dancing on his lips. "I swear to God, Françis, if you dare sing that song again, I'll bloody impale you!", I hissed through gritted teeth, trying not to get anybody's attention. Françis only chuckled and his smirk turned into an amused smile and I wanted to rip his hair out of his skull.
"Now now, mon petit lapin. No need to get so violent, it's just a song.", He replied playfully. "Besides, it's your soulmate who decided to serenade you! Don't you think it would be a rather romantic first meeting?", I rolled my eyes at him and just decided to focus on my text book.
"Hey! Arthur~! Don't ignore me~!", he whined as he kept poking my cheek and I had to remind myself that it is rather rude to slam your best friend's face on a table in a crowded cafe so I bit my lips instead. "Arthur~!", he whined again before suddenly sitting back and going suspiciously quiet but I refused to look at him anyway. After five minutes of him staring at me in silence, he suddenly sang, "E is even more than anyone that you adore can", and I slammed my book shut. "For fuck's sake, Françis!", I yelled before I remembered where we were and my cheeks burned in embarrassment. I could hear him trying to stiffle his laughter and at this point I was too tired to continue arguing with him. "Please, my finals are next week, I'm trying to focus!", I dragged my palm across my face as I prayed my friend would finally decide to have mercy on me and leave already.
I heard him hum a little as he drummed his fingers on the table. "Alright, alright. I'll stop for now.", he finally said as he held his hands up in surrender and relaxed back in his chair, signalling he wasn't going to leave anytime soon. I groaned quietly but decided to go back to my studying anyway.
Thankfully, keeping to his word, Françis didn't bother me for almost 30 minutes now (a record!) and instead distracted himself on his phone, but I knew it wouldn't be long before he got bored of it and decided to pick on me again. I noticed that the cafe was getting crowded and was about to suggest to leave when my eyes landed on someone walking into the cafe and I stopped whatever I was about to do. A handsome young man, who looked roughly around my age walked in with, what I assumed, a group of his friends.
"Yes?", I suddenly heard Françis beside me and turned to him. "Huh?", I asked confused.
"You're tugging at my shirt, what is it?", he stated with a raised brow, and when I looked down, I was indeed tugging his shirt. I let go quickly as I shook my head. "Ah, I was, um...", I trailed off as my eyes wandered back to the entrance, trying to spot the guy I just saw but he wasn't there. "Art?", I heard Françis again, his voice laced with concern and I whipped my head back to him. "Yeah! Tea! I wanted you to get me another cup of tea!", I quickly replied and Françis looked a little skeptical but nodded as he got up.
"With milk?", I merely nodded back as I quickly resumed scanning around the room when I finally spotted them sitting near one of the windows not too far away and my eyes immediately locked on the guy from earlier. He was rather tall and you could tell he was strong, not too muscly but toned enough and his skin was nicely tanned. His hair was honey blonde and his eyes were an electric blue hidden behind thin wire glasses. The smile he was wearing was easygoing and friendly and I was hypnotized by him. I didn't realize I was staring until a hand suddenly shock my shoulder and I was immediately snapped out of whatever trance I was in. "Arthur? Are you ok?", I heard Françis say and all I did was stare back and nod dumbly and Françis was growing both concerned and confused. "What's wrong with you? And what's with that look on your face?", Françis gave me a look as he sat down with a frown. I just shock my head and waved him off as I took my cup of tea. "It's nothing..", my eyes trailed back to the guy who was know laughing and I could literally feel butterflies in my stomach.
"Ah-ha!", Françis suddenly exclaimed. "I thought you looked a little lovestruck.", he chuckled a little. "That fella is quite handsome indeed, hm?", he purred playfully and I smacked his arm. "Mind your own business!", I chided him and he only laughed more. "Yes yes, just don't stare too much or you'll scare the poor fella.", and I smacked his head. "I wasn't starting! And keep it down!", I whispered harshly and once again turned to the guy but found he wasn't sitting on his table and my eyes scanned the room wildly only to find him ordering drinks. How on earth could somebody look so perfect? I could feel Françis eyeing me with amuse but I chose to ignore him.
The guy finally walked away with a tray full of drinks but when he turned around, we locked eyes and I could see him tense for a moment. Embarrassed for getting caught, I coughed and looked away quickly while Françis chuckled quietly. 'He must think I'm a weirdo.', was the first thought that came to my head. I sighed as I crossed my arms on the table and rested my chin on them. "You're hopeless."
"Shut it, froggy.", I sighed once more when my eyes trailed back to the guy who was chatting amicably with his group and I unconsciously let out a rather dreamy sigh. "It's really weird to see you like that.", Françis quibbed again and I merely glared at him before turning back to the guy but immediately tensed up when our eyes met again. This time, however, he smiled awkwardly at me and I could practically feel my face burning up so I quickly hid it in my arms and screamed internally. "I'm doomed.", I murmured to myself and lightly banged my head on my forearms repeatedly. "You look like a high school girl seeing her crush.", this time, I snapped up and glared daggers at Françis as I pulled his collar in my fist. " I swear if you don't pip it, I'll shove that cup down your throat!", I hissed as quietly as I could at him and finally let go of his shirt. When I turned back to the guy however, I realized two things: one, I was still frowning so I was literally glaring at him. Two, he might have seen what I did because he had an amused expression on as he stared at us. My face was literally on fire and I couldn't help but bang my head on the table. "Let's just get out of here..", I sighed miserably. "Not until I finish my cup of coffee.", he replied with an unmistakable amusement in his voice, the prick. "Well, hurry then!".
Françis took his sweet time with his coffee while I was caught one too many times staring by the guy himself and every time, he would either smirk with amusement or wink and I've never been more embarrassed in my life. "Are you done yet?", I hissed quietly at Françis. I heard him hum before he finally put down his cup and stuffed his phone in his pants. "Oui~ a shame though, it was rather amusing.", had he not gotten out of the chair, I would have punched him right there. Quickly, though, I gathered my stuff and we both headed to get our jackets from the 'keeper' but as we were putting them on, I felt shuffling from behind us. Once I turned around, I was mortified to see that the group also seemed to be done and are also leaving. Of course instead of just turning around and leaving, I stood there like a dumbass staring at the guy among them and internally punched myself when he spotted me. As they neared, the guy suddenly stopped and squinted his eyes and seemed like he was listening to something. Suddenly he started tapping his feet along to the melody playing on the radio and his friends and I looked at him confused. "Al?", one of the girls within the group asked but that 'Al' only grinned and looked at me as he cleared his throat.
"L is for the way you look at me~!", he suddenly sang playfully and my jaw dropped as I immediately recognized the melody playing on the radio. While his friends stared at him in confusion, I could literally feel Françis gaping at him just like I was. "Oh, bloody hell, it is you!", I said without even realizing what just left my mouth but this time it was his friends that were shocked and the 'Al' guy also dropped his grin into a similar gaping expression. After what felt like eternity of us silently staring at each other in shock, a huge grin suddenly bloomed on his face. "Oh my god, you're my soul mate!!", he exclaimed on the top of his lungs and I blushed in embarrassment at the stares we were getting. Before I could even say or do anything, he suddenly moved and I felt warm, strong arms wrapping tightly around me. "Holy crap, dude, it really is you!", I could practically feel the enthusiasm oozing off him and just as suddenly I was wrapped in his embrace, he suddenly pushed me away and held both my shoulders tightly as he looked me in the eyes. "But oh man, I thought you'll hate me or something", he laughed sheepishly and I was confused. "What made you think that?", I finally spoke for the first time since this whole scene began. Before answering me, 'Al' stilled for a moment as he eyed me before smiling again. "Well, the words on my wrist didn't sound all that friendly and holy heck, your accent is hot.", he blabbered and I felt my cheeks burning up again. "O-oh.", was the only reply I could muster up right now. "Ah, dang, I didn't introduce myself, did I? Sorry, I was a little entranced by your eyes, haha. I'm Alfred by the way. Alfred F Jones!", he replied as he shock my hand enthusiastically and my brain was a jumbled mess. "A-Arthur Kirkland. And please, stop saying such embarrassing things.", I glared half heartedly at him but he only grinned back at me. "Ah, so the handsome fella is your soulmate after all!", Françis suddenly quibbed again and Alfred's friends were whistling at him, "Way to go, Al!", and the like. Alfred merely scratched the back of his neck sheepishly and looked back at me. "Sorry about them. Oh! You should take me number and we should totally go on a date tomorrow or something! Or today! Why don't we go now??", he, again, started rambling on and I wasn't sure how I was going to keep up with his enthusiastic and energetic personality. "I'm afraid I can't go on any dates currently.", I finally decided and his face immediately fell and looked at me with big, sad puppy eyes. "What, whyyy? Do you not like me after all? Am I not up to your expectations?", my heart broke at the beaten down look on his face. "No, no, of course not! I just have my finals next week and I need to study for them, but after I'm done, we could go wherever you like!", I quickly corrected him and relief broke through his face. I could hear Françis and Alfred's friends snickering behind us and at this point, I was beyond embarrassed. "Speaking of finals, weren't we heading to the library, Al? Hurry up!", one of the guys in Alfred's group suddenly said and Alfred gasped. "Oh, shoot, I totally forgot!", he exclaimed as he fished out his phone from the bag he was carrying before shoving it onto my chest. "They're right, I really need to go but give me your number first!", he grinned from ear to ear as he held the phone in front of me. I merely sighed but smiled gently as I took the phone from him, quickly typing my number in. "Sweet! I'll text cha when I could, cool? See ya, Artie!", he said as he retrieved his phone and before I realize it, he suddenly leaned in and kissed my cheek before catching up with his friends. "Oh! And good luck with your finals!", he added before waving enthusiastically and I nodded dumbly, still trying to process what just happened. I suddenly heard a whistle beside me and remembered that Françis was still there. "Well, that sure is an energetic one, hm?", he said as he drapped his arm over my shoulder. "Well, at least he might be able to losen you up?", he piched my cheek and I elbowed him in the stomach. As Françis hunched over in pain and threw half hearted, French insults at me, I looked at the direction Alfred had just disappeared to and couldn't help the smile that came to my lips as I remembered his enthusiasm.
My soulmate felt obligated to serenade me on our first meeting, and maybe that wasn't so bad after all.
~The End~