Ravi and Xander were hanging out in Grizzly cabin after dinner. Murphy had served spaghetti and meatballs for dinner and Ravi wanted to be sure that he brought Mrs. Kipling the meatballs from his plate.
"Are you excited about tomorrow?" Xander asked as he lounged on his bunk, tossing a football in the air. "Not many people get their soulmate mark while at camp."
Tomorrow was Ravi's eighteenth birthday, the day his soulmate mark would appear. Everyone got a mark near the underside of their left wrist when they turned eighteen. It was supposed to link them to their soulmate, who would have the same shaped mark on their wrist.
"I'm looking forward to it being my birthday, of course. Not the mark so much," Ravi replied from his seat at the small table in the center of the cabin. He raised his eyebrow at Xander. "Besides, I thought you said they didn't mean anything?"
"I never said they don't mean anything."
"But you're dating Emma. And her mark doesn't match yours."
Xander shrugged as he caught the football. "Yeah, so. Lots of people date their non-soulmate. And my parents even got married without being soulmates. And they're totally happy...ish. Dude, the point is it's cool you're getting your mark."
Ravi turned his wrist and looked at the unmarked skin. He hadn't given it much thought before now even though he had always known it would appear one day. He asked, "But haven't there been instances where the mark never appeared?"
Xander stopped tossing the football and thought for a moment. He nodded, "Yeah. And some people are born with a mark that doesn't match anyone else's mark, I've heard. But then again, there are a ton of people in the world. Even with the matching apps and stuff, you could just never meet the person." He stood up from his bunk and stretched. "Which is why it really isn't that big of a deal for some people. But I still think it's cool."
Ravi looked up from his wrist to his friend. He agreed, "I suppose it is cool as a sort of rite of passage or coming of age."
"Exactly!" Xander pointed his thumb over his shoulder. "Want to go grab Jorge and Griff from the campfire? It's almost time for lights out."
Ravi nodded and followed his fellow counselor out the door. They spotted their campers near the picnic table where Emma and Lou were monitoring the s'mores supplies. Jorge was tossing marshmallows from a bag as Griff tried to catch them in his mouth. Most of the fluffy treats were bouncing off the Grizzly camper's nose.
"Your campers are wasting supplies," Emma said as her boyfriend and her brother approached the picnic table.
"Not really. Gladys will just have us pick 'em up and put 'em back in the bag," Lou said as she glanced in the direction of the camp director on the other side of the Great Lawn.
Xander nodded as Emma and Ravi grimaced. Jorge and Griff ended their game by grabbing some chocolate bars and running off to the other campers seated by the firepit. Xander chuckled at his campers before moving closer to Emma. He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and then held her hand. She smiled up at him. Ravi stood across from Lou and waved at her.
"Howdy, birthday boy," Lou grinned at Ravi. She lifted her arm and showed off her wrist. Her mark was shaped like a star with the fifth point missing. "Ready to join the club?"
"Who cares about some silly birthmark? What's important is the…" Emma lowered her voice and continued, "…party I planned for you at the Spot tomorrow."
Ravi rolled his eyes. "You don't even care it's my birthday. You just want an excuse to wear something cute."
"Not true! I always look cute, so I don't need an excuse. And of course I care about your whatever," Emma argued. She smirked at her boyfriend and added, "I do have the perfect outfit, though."
"Awesome," Xander said with a lovesick smile as his girlfriend leaned into his shoulder and rested her head on his chest.
"You two are so stinkin' adorable!" Lou took hold of both of her best friends' wrists, causing the couple to stumble slightly. She turned them over to inspect. "I can't believe your marks don't match. You two are perfect for each other!"
There was a diamond-shaped mark on Emma's wrist. Ravi thought that was fitting for his sister and her expensive taste. Xander's mark was shaped like a pair of angel-like wings, which in Ravi's opinion seemed to fit the counselor's kind manner.
Emma gently pulled her wrist away from Lou's loose grip. She smiled at her bestie and said, "We don't need some random pattern on our arms to prove that we're meant for each other."
"I know," Lou said as she let go of Xander's wrist. She bunched her shoulders and tilted her head to the side slightly. "I just think it's romantic."
"You're so cute," Ravi said absentmindedly with his eyes on her. He blinked and quickly amended, "I meant that's so cute…"
Lou didn't comment on his mistake. She continued cheerfully saying, "I just love the idea of some handsome lumberjack out there waiting for me. But you're right, Emma. Plenty of people fall in love without being soulmates. And it's not like you're guaranteed to meet the person. I'm sure some people never even meet."
"No one at camp has ever met someone with a matching mark," Xander said as he kept one arm balanced on Emma's shoulder and used his free arm to reach for a marshmallow from the picnic table.
"Really?" Ravi asked.
"No one that I know. And I know everyone at camp," Xander said.
"And that hasn't stopped anyone from dating," Emma added.
"Well, duh," Lou said as she started picking up the marshmallows that Jorge and Griff had made a mess of on the grass. "If it didn't happen with you and Emma or to the best counselor to have ever graced the grounds of camp, then what chance do the rest of us have?"
"You think I'm the best counselor," Emma asked brightly as she bounced slightly on her toes and pressed her hands to her heart. "That's so sweet! And it's only my first year not being a CIT."
Lou paused on stuffing a marshmallow back into an empty plastic bag. She bit her lip and then said, "I meant Christina…"
Ravi chuckled. "Like, duh. Even I knew she meant our mom."
Emma glared at her brother as Xander chuckled.
Ravi picked up a few marshmallows that were near his shoes. He put them into the bag that Lou held open and said, "I'm sure the probability of running into your soulmate at a random summer camp in Mooserump, Maine is pretty low anyway. Cosmic connection where there aren't even any stop lights seems unlikely."
"Forget the cosmos, there isn't even a decent coffee shop," Emma added. "Besides, Ravi's been here for like what? Over two years? And he can't even get a second date with that weird girl from Bobcat cabin."
"The one with the chalk habit or the one who dyed her nose hairs pink?" Xander asked casually.
"Isn't that the same girl?" Emma thought out loud.
"Wow, you've got some weird taste in women," Lou commented to Ravi as he glared at his older sister.
"Your point, Emma?" He asked as he crossed his arms.
She replied, "I'm just saying, it's not like his soulmate or true love or whatever is going to magically appear just because he gets a birthmark shaped like a lizard or something equally as dorky tomorrow."
"But it'd be amazing if you did, Ravi," Lou said brightly. "And I think a lizard would be cool."
"No, she doesn't," Emma said flatly. "Lou's just being sweet."
"Thank you, sister," Ravi mumbled sarcastically. He gently tugged the bag from Lou's hands. "And to show my appreciation…" He stood on his toes and emptied the bag of reclaimed marshmallows onto Emma's head.
Xander laughed as he backed away from his girlfriend in surprise. Lou put her hand over her mouth to keep from giggling.
"Sorry about the new mess, Lou. But I'd say it was worth it," Ravi smirked triumphantly at his sister as he stepped back and loosely crossed his arms.
"You won't ever see that mark. Cause you're dead," Emma said through her teeth.
Ravi squeaked as his eyes widened.
"You'd better go ahead and run," Lou advised.
"Right," he agreed before taking off across the Great Lawn. Emma shouted as she ran after him.
Ravi woke before the sun. He normally didn't wake up so early, but his wrist was annoyingly itchy. He sleepily scratched at his left wrist as his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the cabin. He scooted over to the edge of his bed and lowered his arm to the low-level light of the nightlight plugged in on the other side of the room. He felt a bit of excitement in his chest as he saw the new mark on his skin. But it was still difficult to make out the shape in the dark room.
"Light," he yawned as he sat up and kicked away his blanket.
He glanced around the quiet room. His fellow Grizzlies were still asleep. Jorge had one leg hanging over the edge of the bed. Xander was snoring. Griff was clutching his pillow as if it were a teddy bear. Mrs. Kipling was hidden in her cage. Stealthily, he tiptoed to the bathroom and slowly closed the door.
"Please be shaped like something cool!" He whispered his wish in the darkness as his hand hovered over the light switch. "Please nothing geeky or I'll never hear the end of it from my sisters…"
He flipped on the switch and eagerly looked at his wrist. His heart stopped. His brain had to restart as he logically tried to place where he had seen this mark before. But somewhere inside himself he knew exactly where he had seen it. His brain ignored his subconscious. Where had he seen this shape?
"Maybe it's too early," he said quietly to himself as he stared at the mark. "Yeah. The sun hasn't even risen yet."
He tore his eyes away and flicked off the switch. He hurriedly returned to his bunk. He tucked himself under his covers. But then he kicked them away again and hopped out of the bed to grab a long-sleeved shirt to replace his short-sleeved pajama shirt. He didn't need anyone to see the mark before it was complete.
"Happy Birthday!"
The shouting startled Ravi out of his slumber. He blinked rapidly at the smiling faces hunched over him. Jorge was holding a soggy slice of chocolate cake on a chipped plate. Griff tossed some green leaves in the air like confetti. Xander blew a whistle that he wore around his neck on lifeguard duty days. Mrs. Kipling had crawled from her cage to the foot of his bunk.
"Thanks, everyone," Ravi said in a groggy tone as he sat up in his bed. He scratched some crust from the corner of his eye and cleared his throat. "How kind," he smiled. "I feel so loved."
"That's cause we love you, big guy," Jorge said cheerily as he flopped down on the opposite end of the bed.
"Eww, speak for yourself," Griff said with his nose scrunched. He dusted away some of the leaves before leaning on the post of Ravi's bed. "I mildly appreciate you, Ronnie."
Ravi rolled his eyes and Xander laughed. Jorge offered the cake slice to Mrs. Kipling, but she hissed and turned away.
"So, let's see the new mark," Griff said, nodding toward Ravi's arm. "I bet Zuri five bucks that it's shaped like something girly. Like a unicorn or flowers or something."
"Yeah!" Jorge laughed. "Or like those chicken feathers on Xander."
Xander frowned as he looked down at his arm. "Do they really look like chicken feathers?"
"Sorta," Griff teased.
Jorge leaned forward to grab Ravi's arm, but the counselor shuffled out of the way. Ravi clutched his arm to his stomach. His long-sleeved shirt still covered the mark. He hadn't had a chance to see the finished mark.
"There's nothing wrong with unicorns or flowers," Ravi chuckled nervously as he slid out of his bed and stepped around Xander. "And no, Xander, your angel wings are more intricate than chicken feathers. Jorge is just teasing." He backed away and added, "Thanks for the cake, fellas. But aren't we supposed to be getting ready for our day at the lake?"
Jorge's and Griff's eyes both lit up. The boys jumped up from Ravi's bunk and shouted, "Water trampoline!" They high fived and then rushed to their side of the cabin to get ready.
"I'm gonna catch so much air! Oh! You think they fixed the water slide?" Griff stopped searching through his trunk of clothes to look over his shoulder at Xander. "Was Lou able to fix it?"
"Forget the slide. I hope they have water blasters again this year," Jorge said excitedly as he searched under his bed for his swim trunks.
"You guys, we have to have breakfast first," Xander said as he stepped out of the way of Jorge tossing dirty clothes from under the bunk. "And, yeah. I'm pretty sure the water slide will be good to go."
"Yes!" Griff clapped his hands. He looked embarrassed and lowered his hands. He shrugged his shoulders and amended, "I mean...cool."
Ravi was grateful for the change in subject. He excused himself to use the communal restrooms near the mess hall. Once there, he quickly locked himself in a stall and lifted his sleeve. There on his lower wrist was the same mark as earlier. He felt time slow down.
"Guess it was complete," he mumbled as he stared at the soulmate mark. He traced the points of the star. There were four of them with the fifth point missing. "Where have I seen this?"
The restroom suddenly sounded with laughter and loud chatter as a group of campers entered to get ready for the day. Ravi nervously rolled his sleeve over his wrist and exited the stall. He tried to look casual as he walked up to the row of sinks.
"Happy B-day, Rav," a CIT from Eagle cabin greeted him. "You're eighteen, right? You get a mark?"
Ravi felt his stomach twist. Would the CIT recognize the mark? Maybe it's a common symbol or something. Surely there must be lots of logos that use misshapen stars. That's probably why he felt he had seen it before.
"I haven't really checked," Ravi lied. He turned on the faucet and got some soap. He wanted to change the subject. "Hey, are you excited about the lake today?"
The Eagle CIT sighed dramatically and tilted back his head. "No! It's freakin' hot out. And my campers are freakin' nuts."
The CIT looked as if he were about to say more, but Ravi interrupted him quickly by saying, "Well, good luck."
Ravi left the restroom as fast as possible to avoid any more well-meaning birthday wishes. If the circumstances were different, he would love all the attention on his special day. But today he felt self-conscious. He didn't want anyone to ask about or see his mark until he was sure of where he had seen the pattern. His brain was still searching for answers and ignoring the gut feeling that he knew where he had seen it before.
For the rest of the morning, Ravi had successfully avoided any questions about his soulmate mark. All of his friends had been so preoccupied with talk of the lake during breakfast that no one pressed him about what the mark looked like. And he and the other counselors had been so busy setting up the lake with water activities and keeping the campers entertained until the event started that he didn't have to do much changing the subject when his birthday came up.
Now that the first forty minutes of the lake event had begun, Ravi was sure that he had nothing to worry about. Campers were squealing with joy and running around the grassy edge of the lake as CITs sprayed them with water blasters and balloons. Shouting and laughter rang out from the lake as campers and counselors did tricks on the water trampoline. Further out on the water, paddle board lessons were being given.
Ravi had volunteered to help campers down the water slide. It wasn't very big and only one person could climb up to the top at a time, but some of the kids felt better knowing there was someone older there to help them up the stairs and encourage them before they slid into the water.
"Wow! You really got into Lake Day," Lou joked as she walked up to Ravi, who stood by the slide's stairs. Her hair was wet with lake water and the straps of her bathing suit were visible beneath her purple Woodchuck t-shirt.
Ravi chuckled nervously. He glanced down at his attire. He was hoping that no one would notice the wetsuit he was wearing. He wasn't even sure why he had packed a wetsuit because they never went surfing. But he was glad that he did because it covered up enough of his wrist to hide the soulmate mark.
"Yep! Figured I'd dress the part," he responded with an awkward chuckle.
Lou narrowed her eyes slightly and smirked as she shook her head. "You could've just worn a t-shirt and trunks like every other person out here," she said. She shrugged and added brightly, "But, hey, you're the birthday boy."
He worried for a moment that she would ask to see his soulmate mark. Zuri and Tiffany had asked him a few times to see it, but they were easily distracted with talk of the "cute new guy" from Badger cabin. Emma didn't seem to care enough to ask. But he had overheard her several times making sure that all the counselors remembered to sneak out for the party at the Spot later. Xander had seemed to sense Ravi's apprehension, so he had told him that he didn't have to talk about it until he was ready. But this was the first time today that he had been around Lou. She always made herself extra busy whenever they had big events. She probably loved her job more than anyone else there. Except for him, of course.
Ravi crossed his arms behind his back. He hoped Lou didn't detect the nervousness in his voice as he nodded towards the campers running by with water balloons and said, "Looks like the campers are having an awesome time."
"I know!" She lowered her cheery voice and said, "They're going to be so tired at lights out, which is perfect for your bonfire."
"I'm pretty sure it's really Emma's party and not mine."
"True. But I'm still going to play Happy Birthday for you on my washboard!"
Ravi chuckled. "You've done it every year since I've been here, so it wouldn't feel like my birthday without it."
Lou gave him an appreciative smile and for a moment Ravi forgot about being nervous. He uncrossed his arms and wondered if she wanted to walk together to the party later or would Emma want him to arrive fashionably late. His thoughts were interrupted by someone calling out to Lou from the lake.
"Lou! Thanks for fixing the slide," Griff shouted from the water. He had just made his third trip down the slide. Water splashed around him as another camper slid into the water. He laughed loudly and waved both thumbs in the air toward the counselor, who waved to him from her place on the grass.
"You got it!" Lou shouted back happily.
Ravi chuckled brightly at Griff. His gaze shifted to Lou, who was still waving with her left hand. There in the bright sun was her soulmate mark. Ravi's breath caught in his throat. His chuckling quickly turned to coughing.
"Whoa! Are you okay?" Lou asked.
Ravi felt dizzy. His knees gave way, causing him to stumble back and grip the rail of the slide's stairs. His coughing turned to sharp gasps of breath.
"Ravi!" She reached out to steady him.
His arm tensed. He was afraid that she'd somehow move his sleeve and reveal his mark. He felt too weak to run away, so he gently shrugged her hand off his arm. His throat felt dry but he managed to speak. "I... I just need some water. I'm parched."
Lou nodded frantically as she let go of him and took a step back. "Stay here," she instructed. "I'll run and get you water!"
She ran off. Ravi knew he didn't have much time. Lou had used her counselor voice on him, which meant she wasn't playing around. She was as protective as she was bossy. If he didn't get out of there now, she'd be back and watching him like a hawk to make sure that he didn't faint. So, he steadied himself and made his way over to the edge of the lake. He waved his right arm over his head to get Griff's attention, careful to keep his left wrist close to his side.
"Griff!"
"What!" Griff shouted back as he swam over so that the water only reached his kneecaps.
"Tell Lou that I went to my cabin to rest. And make absolutely sure that she stays here at the lake."
"Why?" Griff asked with a raised eyebrow.
Ravi twisted the sleeve of his wetsuit. He stammered, "I don't want her to miss out on the fun just because I don't feel well. And you want her to have a good time too, right? After all, she did fix the slide for you."
"Yeah…" Griff folded his lips and nodded. "That was awesome of her."
Ravi felt bad for manipulating Griff, but he needed to get away from the lake and he didn't want a concerned Lou to follow.
"It certainly was," Ravi said in a rush. "So you'll keep her here? Thanks!"
Without waiting for a response, Ravi turned on his heels and sped away from the lake as fast as he could.
As soon as Ravi got to his cabin, he changed into his normal clothes and plopped down at the small table. He had decided to wear a hoodie even though it was kind of warm inside the room. He shoved Jorge's graphic novels out of the way and rested his forehead against the table. He tried closing his eyes, but there, etched in his memory, was Lou's mark. He leaned away from the table and rolled up his sleeve to look at his own.
"One. Two. Three. Four," he counted quietly as he pressed his finger against each point of the star. He rubbed his thumb where the fifth point was missing.
Defeated, his brain finally accepted what his subconscious had known all along. He had recognized it the moment he saw it on his wrist before the sun rose early that morning. He had seen that mark on Lou's wrist for as long as he'd known her. She had already been eighteen when the Rosses had first come to Camp Kikiwaka, so her mark was already visible. He had seen it more times than he could count. When she waved. When she caught a dodgeball. When she pulled her fingers through her hair.
He stared at his wrist as if he could make it disappear with enough concentration. This hadn't been what he had expected. Yes, sometimes when he was watching a particularly mushy romantic comedy, he had thought it might be exciting to have one person out there that was linked to him. And sure, at the occasional dance he had even hoped that a soulmate would solve his singleness problem. But waking up one day to find out that the ethereal being you had created in your dreams was actually the one friend you had that believed she could talk to the spirits of her dead farm animals was definitely unexpected.
Ravi rolled down the sleeve of his hoodie and slouched in his seat. He thought out loud, "What am I going to do?"
He wasn't sure how long he could keep his friends from seeing his mark. He could just keep wearing hoodies, but at some point, he would probably forget and then they'd want to know why he kept it a secret. Especially Lou.
"Oh, no! Lou," he gasped.
What would she think of this? He got up from his chair and paced around the room. He kept his gaze on the hardwood floor. Certainly Lou would be the most surprised of all. And... let down? He frowned.
"But they said it was no big deal," Ravi said out loud as he thought of his conversation with Lou, Emma, and Xander last night at the picnic table. He sighed as he looked up from the floor to the ceiling. "But she said it was 'romantic.'"
He dropped back down to his seat at the table and propped his chin on his palms. "She thinks her soulmate is a handsome lumberjack. Or maybe she was kidding? She had said she 'loved the idea of' that but that didn't mean she had expected it… Oh, I don't know!"
He sighed heavily. He knew that, regardless of how Lou felt about soulmates, she had a right to know. And what kind of friend would he be if he didn't tell her the truth?
"Hey, Lou. Are you enjoying the weather? Oh, by the way, you're my soulmate," Ravi rehearsed with sarcasm to the empty room. He shook his head. Sure, he had to tell Lou the truth. But he wished there was some way to know her real opinions on soulmates beforehand. Then maybe he would know how best to tell her.
A harsh knock at the door broke him out of his thoughts. He barely had a chance to ask who it was before the person burst into the cabin.
"I told you to stay put!" Lou chided him as she waved her hands around. In one she held an opened bottle of water and in the other a damp rag.
Ravi looked like a deer caught in headlights. His heart beat wildly. He awkwardly stood from the table, nearly knocking it over. "Why aren't you at the lake!" he half-stammered, half-shouted.
"I wanted to check on you," she explained in a softer tone. She gave him a small smile as she walked up to him. She used the bottle of water to point at the empty chair. "Now sit and drink this water."
Ravi wondered how much effort Griff had actually put into keeping Lou at the lake. He knew it was his own fault for putting his fate into the hands of a thirteen-year-old preoccupied with water slides. Lou raised both eyebrows at him and indicated for him to sit down again. Ravi knew better than to argue with Lou when she was in counselor mode, so he took the bottle that she handed him and sat at the table. He glanced down at his wrist to make sure it was covered by the hoodie.
"What in the world happened at the lake?" She asked with concern in her voice as she kept her eyes focused on him. "Tell me."
She grabbed a crate near Xander's bunk and placed it at the table. She sat down across from him, but the table was so small that their knees were brushing. Normally he wouldn't have paid much attention to their closeness. Lou had always seemed to be close because she had no regard for personal space. But now he felt sweaty. And his heart still hadn't calmed down. He didn't know if it was guilt or fear or the stupid hoodie in the warm room.
"Uh oh! Your face is all flushed again," Lou gasped. She leaned across the table and tenderly held the damp rag to his forehead. "Better?"
Ravi felt like his face was on fire. She was too close. He swatted her hand away, backed his chair away from the table, and stood.
"What the heck, Ravi?"
"I'm fine, Lou! Go back to the lake!"
"Oh."
Lou's eyes saddened and she clenched her jaw. Ravi internally berated himself for panicking. He hadn't meant to hurt her feelings. He wasn't sure what to do next, so he just stood there. Absentmindedly, he scratched where his hoodie covered his left wrist. The motion caused Lou to glance at his arm. The saddened look disappeared from her eyes. He froze, worried that she had seen the mark.
"I can explain!" The words tumbled out of his mouth as he began to panic again.
"Oh," she drawled. She gave him an understanding look. "I know what this is about."
"You do?" he squeaked as his heart drummed against his ribcage. He couldn't think of a time in his life where he was more afraid of a girl. And with two sisters, that was saying a lot.
"Yes! Ravi, I turned eighteen once. I get what it's like. I freaked out too when my mark appeared."
Ravi folded his lips, worried he would say the wrong thing if he didn't force his heart to calm down and give his brain a moment to think. He studied her face. She was looking at him with a kind, innocent expression that didn't seem to indicate that she had seen his mark. He slowly sat back down, but kept his chair at a distance.
"Trust me. It's not a big deal," Lou continued. She put her arm on the table and turned it over so that her soulmate mark showed. "I've had mine for a while. It's nothing to make yourself sick over."
Ravi thought her statement was ironic because the sight of her mark made his stomach uneasy. There it was. Just like the mark on his own skin. He could see it perfectly well, but he scooted his chair closer to the table anyway. His hand shook as something in his gut made him reach out and trace the pattern on her wrist. Four points of a star-like shape with the fifth point missing.
"Sorry," he said as he realized what he was doing and snatched his hand away from her arm.
Lou looked unbothered and shrugged. "It's such a weird shape, right? At first, I wanted to just draw in another point for it to look like a regular ol' star, but then I had this weird feeling that my soulmate wouldn't recognize me."
Ravi felt his stomach sink. So she did have an interest in finding her soulmate. She would definitely be disappointed. He was no lumberjack. He wasn't even sure if lumberjacks were still a thing. He was certain that most of that type of work was handled by tree removal companies and machinery.
Lou looked over her shoulder and then back at Ravi. "You're staring off into space," she said.
He blinked and then returned his attention to her. He tugged at the sleeve of his hoodie and asked, "So, it's a big deal? I mean...soulmates. To you?"
Lou messed with the ends of her hair, which hadn't dried yet from her time at the lake. "Well… if I'm being honest…" Her eyes lit up. "There could be someone out there in the world that was meant for me. Like we were born with this connection that we won't have with anyone else." She added in a sing-song tone, "That sorta sounds like a big deal."
Ravi scratched at his wrist, careful not to lift the sleeve. "But what about the things you said last night? You said it didn't matter that Emma and Xander weren't soulmates. And that they were perfect for each other. Doesn't that mean their actual soulmates aren't meant for them?"
"Maybe? I mean, like I said, they're perfect for each other already. But at the same time, maybe if you're destined…"
"Destined?"
"...destined to find your soulmate…"
"Well, I don't know about…"
"Then maybe the mark is something that helps? Your connection. Like it makes it more likely that you'll fall in love with each other?"
"Love?" Ravi squeaked.
"Love," Lou nodded.
"Oh, boy…" Ravi hoped his expression wasn't as distressed as his tone when he heard himself ask, "You want to fall in love with your soulmate?"
Lou looked embarrassed as she shyly poked at one of Xander's forgotten guitar picks that was on the table. "I know it sounds cheesy…" Her eyelashes fluttered as she gave him a tiny smile. "But I like cheese. We have a lot of dairy cows back home… So, yeah. I do."
Guilt weighed heavy on Ravi's heart. He knew it wasn't his fault. He hadn't made that mark appear on his arm today. All he had wanted was a cool pattern that his siblings and bunkmates couldn't make fun of. But now he felt like he was the worst person in the world because Lou was the sweetest person that he knew and he was about to ruin her dreams of falling in love with her soulmate. He should have known she'd want to fall in love. He had always thought she was completely lovable and often wondered how it was possible that she always seemed to be single. How could he tell her the truth? She was too kind-hearted to let down. And she had access to a chainsaw. He wasn't sure if he was brave enough to face that.
"But like you guys said yesterday. What are the chances of actually finding the person?" Ravi asked, fidgeting with his sleeve.
Lou's brow furrowed in thought. She tapped the guitar pick against the table for a moment before flinging it away. "What if we're like magnets…" She leaned closer to him and grinned. "What if we're drawn to each other?"
Ravi's heart flipped in his chest as he clutched his arm and held tight to the sleeve of his hoodie. He leaned away from her, nearly falling out of his chair. He regained his balance and stammered, "Possibly."
"But why are we talking 'bout me? It's your birthday!" Lou held out her hands and wiggled her fingers. "Let's see your mark!"
Dread took over and Ravi held tighter to his arm. He frantically shook his head. "No, I don't think that's such a good idea."
"It's just us," she pouted as she waved around the empty Grizzly cabin. "And I promise not to tell anyone if it's shaped girly. I didn't even make that bet with Zuri and Griff."
"Good to know," he said flatly. If his sister and bunkmate were already planning on making fun of the shape of his soulmate mark, then how much more would they pick on him for it matching Lou's? He frowned. He didn't want Lou to be picked on. It was bad enough she wasn't getting her lumberjack to fall in love with.
Lou glanced at the time on the clock near the back of the room. She stood up from her seat and said, "I better get back to the lake now that I know you feel better." She swooped down and hugged him tight. Her breath was warm on his ear as she said, "See you at the party later."
His face heated. Logically, Ravi knew Lou's actions were perfectly normal and in character. She was a hugger. She didn't believe in personal space. She was an affectionate person. Emotionally, Ravi was a wreck. What if she was unwittingly drawn to him and didn't realize it yet? Just a day or two ago when she had hugged him in the cafeteria, he had enthusiastically matched her embrace. Today, he let his arms hang awkwardly at his sides until she let go. She didn't seem to notice.
"Later," he said before she walked out the cabin.
He decided at that moment that maybe he would arrive fashionably late and alone to the bonfire after all.
Late that night, Ravi stood alone by the abandoned pickup truck at the Spot with an orange soda in his hand. On the hood of the truck, Xander had set up a bucket with ice and drinks. A guy from Eagle cabin grabbed a drink and mumbled a happy birthday to Ravi before rejoining his friends by the large tree that Lou had strung with lights. By the fire, Xander played his guitar as some people swayed to the music. Mostly counselors and a few popular CITs stood around chatting and laughing. The largest group had circled around Emma, giving her compliments on her outfit.
Ravi sighed as he looked down at his unopened can of soda. At the start of the party, he had been the center of attention because everyone was curious to see what his mark looked like. Xander had been right. Not a lot of people had turned eighteen while at camp, so people were interested when they found out that he had gotten marked while there. But Ravi was quick to disappoint everyone by politely denying their request to see his soulmate mark. After that, he had gotten a few casual greetings and mumbled birthday wishes.
He glanced around and spotted his younger sister and his best friend seated on a log not too far from him. He walked over and asked in a bossy tone, "What are you two doing here? Campers are supposed to be in bed by now."
Zuri reached forward and snatched away his soda. "Did you really think I'd miss my big brother's birthday party?" She cracked open the can and took a drink.
Ravi gave them a disbelieving look.
"Zuri said Jason from Badger cabin would be impressed if we snuck out to a counselor party," Tiffany explained. She sighed dreamily and gazed up at the stars. "Jason's so awesome."
"For sure," Zuri sighed just as dreamily as she nodded in agreement.
"Zuri, that is not how you get a boy's attention. And Tiffany, you should know better than to submit to peer pressure," Ravi reprimanded them.
Zuri took another drink of soda. Her eyes were shining with laughter but her facial expression was neutral as she replied in a bored tone, "What do you know about getting anyone's attention? You had to take Emma as your junior prom date."
Tiffany chuckled behind her hand as she leaned her shoulder against Zuri's to keep from falling over on the log.
"My date had caught a cold before the dance! And Emma and I had a great time, thank you," Ravi huffed.
Tiffany let a few more chuckles slip before saying, "And you're one to talk about peer pressure. You hate sneaking out. You only did it because Emma and Xander made you."
Ravi knew that they both had a point. But he wasn't about to admit that to them. He stuck his nose in the air and said, "Shouldn't you two be nice to the guest of honor?"
"You're such a drama king," Zuri said as she placed the soda on the ground beside the log. She sat up straight and grabbed his left arm.
Ravi was thrown off by the motion, so he wasn't able to stop her in time from lifting his sleeve just barely. He felt his stomach drop to his toes. If the girls saw his soulmate mark, they would surely tell Lou. Maybe if he cried then they would give him a chance to talk to her first. He still hadn't found the courage to tell Lou the truth yet, but he wanted to be the one to actually tell her the news.
"Told you that rumor wasn't true," Zuri said as she inspected the small section of his wrist. Only two points of the star were visible. The rest was still covered by the sleeve of his hoodie. But she didn't seem interested in the rest. She released his arm and explained, "People were saying you were being weird about your mark cause you don't have one."
"Too bad," Tiffany said. "My dad says that it's super rare for someone not to have a mark. You could've been special. Now you're just like everyone else."
"Oh well," Zuri shrugged. She turned to Tiffany and said excitedly, "Let's find Stephan. I bet he can tell us stuff about Jason."
"Good idea!"
"Happy birthday, nerd!"
"Happy birthday, Ravi!"
The two girls linked arms and stepped around Ravi. He had been so stricken with fear that Zuri and Tiffany had seen his mark that he hadn't paid much attention after that. Eventually he blinked and realized that his friends had left him alone at the log. He let out a sigh of relief and dropped down to sit.
"Happy Birthday!"
At the sound of Lou's voice, Ravi panicked. He shuffled from one side of the log to the other, trying to decide if he had enough time to retreat before Lou approached him. He didn't. She sat down beside him on the log and affectionately hugged him.
"You already told me happy birthday...several times," Ravi replied uneasily. He wanted to melt into the hug, because Lou's hugs were the best hugs, but he was too stressed about his secret.
She let go and replied, "I know. I just love any reason to celebrate." She nudged his shoulder with her own and added, "And to hug."
He thought that was adorable. And he hated that he thought that was adorable. Adorable deserved the truth, but he was still too chicken to tell her. So, he just hummed in response.
"You look nice by the way," Lou complimented him.
Ravi didn't have to glance down at his outfit. He was still wearing the Reptile Club hoodie that he had on earlier. "Um, thanks," he replied.
"Sup, Ravi. Happy birthday!"
Ravi and Lou looked up to see two CITs from the entomology workshop that he led on Wednesdays. Oddly, he couldn't decide if he was happy or unhappy to have his time alone with Lou interrupted. But he hoped he'd be able to keep the conversation on insects and camp instead of his soulmate mark. However, in the back of his mind, he knew he wouldn't be fully attentive to any conversation they had because every other thought was about Lou.
Conversation and laughter slowed as time went by until the only group left at the bonfire was made of Grizzlies and Woodchucks. Emma was nestled into Xander's shoulder as they relaxed on a picnic blanket. Adjacent from them, Zuri and Tiffany sat on either side of Ravi on a log. And Lou sat on a stump on the opposite side of the firepit, directly across from Ravi.
Zuri swatted a flying insect away and frowned. She complained, "I hate bugs. Why can't nature have less nature in it?" She lifted her feet onto the log and wrapped her arms around her knees.
"That's what you get for sneaking out of the cabin," Emma said with a pointed look. "Now you two have to wait until Lou and I walk you back."
Zuri stuck her tongue out at her sister but didn't say anything else. She sniffled a bit and then lightly leaned her head on Ravi's shoulder.
Tiffany let out a drowsy yawn and shivered. "Does getting older make you less sleepy? How are you all still awake?"
Lou smiled fondly at her Woodchucks. She shrugged off her sweater as she said, "I don't think our Chucks are going to make it much longer, Emma." She tossed her sweater over to Xander, who stood and wrapped it around Tiffany's shoulders.
Tiffany gave Xander a grateful, sleepy smile. She yawned again and then shifted her attention to Lou. The Woodchuck counselor's soulmate mark was visible in the firelight.
"Hey," Tiffany began as she studied Lou's mark from the opposite side of the firepit. "Your mark has points like Ravi's."
Ravi tensed. He was sure his heart was beating loud enough for everyone to hear. He hoped that if he let the moment pass without saying anything or looking at anyone, they'd continue to let it go as they had done all day. So, he focused on the flames of the fire and not on the five pairs of eyes fixed on him.
"No fair!" Lou complained good-naturedly. She loosely crossed her arms as she feigned a glare in Ravi's direction. "You let Zuri and Tiffany see the mark when they were placing bets against you, but not me?"
"You thought it'd be girly, too?" Xander asked Tiffany as he settled back into his place beside Emma.
"No," Tiffany replied honestly. She gave Ravi an apologetic look. "I bet it'd be tacky. Like something an old person would wear as a brooch... But I would've split the money with you!"
Xander snorted with laughter. Ravi was still tense, so he just gave Tiffany a light laugh and fought the urge to guiltily look in Lou's direction.
"Remember that diamond brooch Grandma wore to mom and dad's gala last fall?" Emma smirked in Zuri's direction.
"The one Luke got tiramisu all over!" Zuri laughed at the memory as she dropped her feet back to the ground.
"Hmm, tiramisu," Xander hummed as he rubbed his stomach.
Ravi's shoulders relaxed. He exhaled through his nose. Relief washed over him as it seemed that his friends had moved on from the subject of his soulmate mark. He watched the fireflies blink around his group of family and friends. Even with all the stress of his new mark, it had been a pretty nice birthday. His eyes wandered over to Lou, who to his surprise was already smiling softly at him. He felt a flutter in his chest. The thought crossed his mind that she looked nice tonight in her jeans and counselor t-shirt. He quickly broke eye contact.
Emma flipped her hair over her shoulder before shifting her attention back to Ravi. "Does your mark really have points? Do you think it's a Ross thing? Cause my diamond has points! And Luke's lightning bolt! Zuri, I bet you'll have something pointy, too."
Ravi felt nervousness creep up his spine. He had to get out of there. He stammered, "That's an interesting take. Hey, didn't you say it was time to get the girls back to the cabin, Lou? In fact, we should all really get going. Great party, Emma."
Tiffany ignored him and said nonchalantly, "You're not genetically related. And I don't think that's how it works." Emma gave her a look, so Tiffany added more sweetly, "Or maybe it could be a Ross thing? I guess."
"The fire is fading," Ravi said.
Zuri and Lou glanced at the healthy campfire, but didn't say anything. Emma snuggled closer to Xander as she stifled a sleepy yawn.
"But Lou's is pointy and she's not a Ross," Xander chimed in.
"Exactly!" Tiffany agreed, giving Xander a thumbs up while Emma nudged her boyfriend with her elbow for going against her theory.
Ravi's brain was screaming for his legs to move, but his butt remained glued to the log between his sister and his best friend. He felt almost as dizzy as he had earlier that day at the lake. At least if he passed out, Zuri and Tiffany could keep him from falling into the campfire. He cautiously lifted his gaze from the flames. All eyes were on him.
"Does yours really have points, Ravi?" Lou asked brightly. "If you tell me it's an arrow, I'm gonna be so jealous! I've always thought an arrow would be so cool."
"Nah, I bet it's still shaped like something stupid," Zuri quipped.
For the second time that night, Zuri was able to capture her brother's arm and pull up his sleeve without him being able to stop her. Except this time she tugged the sleeve all the way to elbow, revealing his soulmate mark to everyone seated around the fire.
"See!"
Zuri's eyes widened as she looked down at her brother's arm. She let it go as if his arm had suddenly caught fire in her hand. She leaned away from him. So did Tiffany. Emma gasped and slapped her hands over her mouth. Xander's eyebrows shot up so high that it looked as if they'd reach his hairline. They had all seen Lou wave enough, high-five enough, and bossily point enough to recognize that misshapen-star.
Ravi was too afraid to even chance a look at Lou's reaction.
For a full minute the only sound around the campfire was crickets sounding off in the surrounding nighttime forest.
Finally, Lou cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. Ravi reluctantly shifted his gaze in her direction. Her eyes were still clouded with shock, but the rest of her expression was calm. Her voice wavered slightly as she said, "Isn't it annoying that it's like not an entire star?" She brushed her thumb across her own wrist and added, "Guess that's what makes it special...or something..."
More silence lingered for a few moments until Zuri spoke up.
"That's it?" Zuri scooted closer to her brother and waved his arm around. "The guy's your soulmate!" She dropped his arm and looked at him with an impressed expression, "You're finally going to have a real date to prom! And you won't have to marry Mrs. Kipling!"
"Hey, we had a great time at the prom," Emma murmured. She still looked stunned as she glanced from the mark on her bestie's wrist to the one on her brother's wrist. "My dress was amazing. I designed it myself. Huh..."
Ravi was still so taken aback by the entire situation that he couldn't respond to Zuri.
Tiffany reached over to grab Ravi's arm and stare at his wrist. "Wow...I can't believe it," she looked up at him. Her eyes were shining with wonder. "I know I made fun of the marks, but… this is actually amazing! I've never met a real-life pair of soulmates before."
"Me either," Xander said excitedly. He flashed a huge smile at Lou, but it faded slightly when he saw her nervously twisting her wrist.
Zuri leaned over her brother's shoulder to inspect his mark. "See, Tiff. I told you something interesting would happen at this party," she said. She looked up to give Lou a thumbs up. "Welcome to the family, Lou! I mean you were already like a sister to me, but I guess in a few years you will be legally too!" She whispered to her brother, "Get a good lawyer to protect your share of the inheritance. This one's related to a lot of hillbillies who are sure to come out of the woodwork."
"I can still hear you, Zuri!" Lou huffed. She stopped twisting her wrist and added, "And they're not all hillbillies...Well, no actually you may have a point."
"I have so many questions," Tiffany exclaimed as she released her friend's arm. The tiredness in her voice had been replaced with enthusiasm. "Were you able to know or like sense that you were soulmates before the mark? Is that why you two are always hanging out? Did you feel something when you first met? Do you feel different now? Are you two going to start dating? Do the marks hurt or feel different when you're apart? What about when you're near each other?"
"Whoa, Tiffany, take a breath," Emma said as she held up her hand. Her shock had worn off and she was more observant of the uncomfortable looks on Lou and Ravi's faces.
Emma took her boyfriend's hand as she started to stand from her spot on the picnic blanket. Xander helped keep her steady before standing up beside her.
"Girls, we better get back to the cabin," Emma said, not leaving any room for argument in her voice. She squeezed her boyfriend's hand and said, "Xander will walk us back."
"Uh, totally," Xander agreed. He waved for the girls to stand up from the log. When Tiffany shuffled over to stand beside him, he leaned over and whispered, "I had all the same questions."
Tiffany nodded. Emma rolled her eyes at both of them and motioned for them to move along. She looked over her shoulder at Lou and Ravi, giving them a sympathetic smile and nod.
Ravi watched helplessly as the group walked away, leaving him to face his fear. This was not the way he had wanted his friend to find out, but he knew that was his fault for not telling her sooner. Secrets didn't last too long at summer camp.
"So…" Lou began as she poked the campfire with a stick. "...this is awkward. Huh?"
Ravi couldn't stand the guilt anymore. He willed his feet to move as he stood and went to sit on the stump beside her stump. He focused his gaze on her, but she was still staring at the campfire.
He sighed and said, "Lou, I am so sorry to disappoint you."
She dropped the stick and slowly lifted her gaze from the flames. She looked over at him. "Disappoint me?"
"For not telling you the truth," he held out his wrist and brushed his thumb across his soulmate mark. "I've known all day what this looked like. I should've told you that we were, um, connected." He looked back up at her with sad, honest eyes. "I just didn't want to ruin your dreams of falling in love with a handsome lumberjack whose mark matched your own."
Lou held her own wrist in her hand and stared down at her mark. Her silence lingered and it made Ravi feel the stillness of the night intensify. He would have rather her threaten him with the chainsaw or yell or something. Lou was such a chatty and opinionated person that watching her quietly stare at her arm was unnerving.
"I feel terrible," he continued when it was clear that she wasn't going to speak. "I had plenty of opportunity to tell you when we were alone in the cabin, instead of embarrassing you in front of our friends." He threw his hands in the air dramatically and exclaimed, "Not to mention that I've dashed the hopes you've built up for yourself over the years. I mean, you told me in confidence that you wished to fall in love!"
"Calm down, Ravi!" Lou pressed her hand on his shoulder to keep him from hopping off the stump. "Sheep and quackers, man. You're gonna give yourself a heart attack!"
Ravi nodded as he held his hand to his chest and inhaled deeply. "Sorry," he apologized.
Lou gave his shoulder a friendly pat and then removed her hand. She fidgeted with the friendship bracelet that Tiffany had made for her a few weeks ago. Her eyes were no longer clouded with shock, but she wouldn't hold eye contact with him for more than a few seconds.
"I kinda wished everyone would've stayed," Lou said with her eyes on the colorful beads of the bracelet on her unmarked wrist. "It was weird, but their input was interesting."
Ravi narrowed his eyes at her and shook his head slightly. "Zuri called your family hillbillies and she said I was going to have to marry Mrs. Kipling," he replied.
Lou chuckled slightly. "I said interesting, not helpful."
She suddenly looked him in the eye and Ravi felt a rush of emotions. Less fear this time. But guilt, anxiousness, and affection. He cared about his friend and her happiness.
"Lou, you're wonderful. I'm sure you'll have no problem finding the handsome lumberjack of your dreams, even without a soulmate mark," he said sweetly. He held out his arm and added quietly, "And if it helps, I could have this removed. Even though I've heard it's possible for the mark to simply reappear...I've also heard it was painful." He frowned at the thought of a painful surgery. But he added with less confidence, "But I could do that for you..."
"No, you couldn't," Lou said with a small smile. "You have like zero tolerance for pain, Ravi. But I appreciate what you're saying." She held out her arm beside his and looked at their matching marks. "Besides, why would I want you to get rid of it?"
Ravi blinked in surprise. "What?"
"It's special. I mean, like Tiffany said, I've never met a pair of real-life soulmates either. And like you said yesterday, the chances of meeting each other in some little town in Maine were probably next to impossible. That means we did the impossible, Ravi!"
Her eyes were bright with excitement now and it erased the guilt Ravi had felt but increased his affection for her. He couldn't help but smile at her even though the entire situation was unfamiliar and unexpected.
"Well, when you put it that way, I suppose you're right," he agreed. "Maybe we should buy lottery tickets tomorrow," he joked.
"Oh, I'm heading to town first thing in the morning to buy some scratchers," she laughed.
Ravi scratched the back of his neck and cleared his throat. "Um, all jokes aside...tomorrow. Should I continue wearing hoodies and long-sleeved shirts?"
"What? Why?" Lou suddenly realized what he was asking and gasped, "Oh!" She loosely folded her arms across her tummy and leaned slightly forward. "Guess your big secret today won't be so secret tomorrow when we show up to breakfast with matching wrist wear, huh."
"I don't want the campers to tease you or cause any gossip amongst the counselors and CITs," Ravi said.
"Oh, that's gonna happen regardless," Lou said knowingly. "You can't wear long-sleeves forever. It's summer! And when people see the mark, which they will, it's gonna be a huge deal. I mean, we'll be the first soulmates to ever be at Camp Kikiwaka. I mean, even though I count Emma and Xander and Christina and Morgan as unofficial soulmates, because come on! They're perfect for each other!"
Ravi's heart felt lighter. He could deal with the teasing and questions if he knew Lou would be okay. And Zuri and Tiffany had surprisingly seemed to be supportive of their soulmate situation, so he could count on them to squash much of the teasing from the campers. Besides, Lou was so well-liked by everyone that things probably wouldn't get too bad.
"I can't believe I've been passing out mail and canoeing with my soulmate for years," Lou said, breaking Ravi out of his thoughts. She lightly scratched at her soulmate mark. "You'd think this thing would itch or glow or something to let me know it was the guy I was scrubbing dishes with last weekend during kitchen duty."
"Yes, last month when you were using all of that colorful language when I was removing those leeches from your back, I don't recall you mentioning anything about wanting to fall in love with me," he joked. He shuddered. "Thank goodness those leeches were in that creek and not the lake."
"Tell me about it," Lou muttered as she reached behind her and swept a hand over the middle of her back at the memory.
The fire was actually now dying down. It was late and Ravi knew that they needed to return to their cabins. Morning would arrive soon enough and he didn't want to be drowsy during his counselor duties. He saw her stand from her stump and realized she must have been thinking the same thing. Silently, he helped her put out the fire and gather the last of the party materials into two large bags. But this time it was a comfortable silence.
They walked back to the cabins, letting the sounds of the forest at night be their soundtrack. Every now and then one of them would let out a tired yawn or sniffle. Ravi thought about rolling the sleeves of his hoodie down, but decided that he liked having the summer breeze against his arms when he had been so adamant about keeping them covered all day. When they finally arrived at camp, Lou walked Ravi to the door of his cabin.
"I hope you had a good birthday, Ravi," Lou said with a sleepy smile.
"Thanks. I'll certainly remember it."
Lou gave him a friendly wave, showing off her mark. She turned and began to slowly walk away. Ravi thought about letting her go. He argued to himself that he should be satisfied with the results of the day. Lou wasn't angry with him. He didn't have to hide his mark anymore. He should be content. But there was one thing that he couldn't shake even though for hours he had tried to ignore the wondering. It had been lingering in his being ever since she had first mentioned it in his cabin that afternoon, and logically he couldn't figure out why. But deep down in his subconscious again, he knew why.
So, he stopped her by calling out, "Lou, wait!"
She stopped and turned to face his direction. She raised her eyebrows at him and suppressed another yawn. Ravi took three large strides to stand in front of her. His heart was beating against his chest. He was close to her. Much closer than he usually allowed himself to stand to her. He wasn't one to invade someone's personal space.
"Yeah?" Lou asked, tilting her head slightly.
"Um, uh. Earlier you mentioned...things. And I was sort of curious about… the things," Ravi said. He scrunched his nose in frustration. "That came out wrong. Why is this so hard to say?"
"I think I know what you're trying to say," she said. Her face flushed and she bit her lip.
"Are you sure? Because it's something we haven't really discussed before. I mean, you've offered me dating advice, which I've always appreciated. And we've talked about guys you've liked in the past. But, uh, we haven't, you know, really talked about...us, per se. And maybe your thoughts on soulmates destined to, uh, fall in love have changed now. Or maybe they haven't and we should, um, well…"
"They haven't changed," Lou whispered in a rush.
She took a step closer to him and he could feel the nervousness radiating off of her. That was new to him, because she always seemed so bubbly and confident. But there was a look in her eyes that he wasn't used to seeing that made his stomach do flips.
"We could see what happens?" She asked breathy and unsure.
The tension was a bit overwhelming for him. His heart was threatening to overload and he was burning up. So, he forced himself to let out a casual chuckle and joke, "Like I'm going to say no. According to Zuri, my only dating option is a giant lizard. And Mrs. Kipling is more like a mother figure."
The look disappeared from Lou's eyes and was replaced by one he was more used to seeing: amusement. She stepped away from him and started to turn, saying over her shoulder, "Exactly what every girl wants to hear, Ravi." She shook her head and turned her back fully to him as she walked toward her cabin.
"I didn't mean that the way it sounded," he called out, worried he had messed things up so quickly. "I was just nervous! Please, go out with me?"
Lou turned to face his direction but continued to walk backward. She threw up her left arm to show off her mark and shouted, "See ya at breakfast, soulmate!"
"Is that a yes?" He shouted, hopeful and not at all concerned if he woke up any of the other campers because he needed a clear answer.
Lou winked. Ravi was sure his heart stopped. He gave her a dopey grin before she disappeared around the corner to her cabin. He looked down at his wrist at the soulmate mark. He no longer felt guilty or afraid when he gazed at it. Instead, he felt elated.