Two weeks later finds me sitting at my desk without a word from Rufus. The doodles have stopped showing up on my arms and he hasn't made a single attempt to call me or anything. I've come to three possible conclusions. The first is that Rufus is suddenly very self-conscious that someone knows about all the doodles all over his arms. I have a feeling Rufus is the type of person that doesn't really care what others think, so I've ruled that one out. My second conclusion is that Rufus is suddenly not interested in anything to do with me, and to prove his point he's making a conscious effort to not show me any sign of his existence; the most likely option. My third conclusion is that he is dead and no one has told me.

I want to believe he's dead because that would make my life a whole lot easier, but I'm sure I would have heard word of it by now. At least I would hope so.

I stare into the cup of coffee I have on my desk. My reflection looks back at me, dark and distorted. I sigh and decide to stare at the open web browser on my computer screen so I won't have to look at my pathetic face.

I honestly don't know what I was expecting from Rufus. Just because something strange happens and he makes a singular attempt to reach out to me doesn't mean we're actually romantically connected. I mean the universe can't just decide that for me! That's not fair at all! Besides, all the stuff Reno said about soulmates is pure crap. I never believed in that sort of thing. True love? No such thing. Love at first sight? Definitely not. It's just infatuation. I should know, I've had a crush on Tseng since the moment I saw him and it is definitely not love.

Honestly, the whole situation is just stupid and confusing and infuriating and… AGH!

I got up from my desk quickly, frustrated by my own thoughts. I needed some fresh air.

I walked down the hall past the many empty offices on the Turk's floor to the balcony. The second I opened the door I could smell the cigarette smoke. I took a step out and looked to my right. Sure enough, there was Reno, leaning over the balcony ledge with a cigarette in his hand.

"Hey," I said stepping out onto the balcony. I was going to ask if I could join him but I figured that would imply I wanted his company which I really didn't.

Reno looked over at me and turned around so his back was resting on the railing. "Hey to you too," he said with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes at him, ignoring the sickening smell of his cigarette. "You know those things aren't good for you," I replied.

"Says you and Rude and Tseng. Trust me, I've heard it a million times and I still don't care." To further his point, he took another drag of the cigarette and at least had the courtesy to not blow the smoke in my direction. "What's got you down? Things not working out with your soulmate?"

"Shut up," I squeak in a way too defensive manner, "You don't know anything!"

"Maybe not, but I think you're upset because Rufus isn't paying you any attention. Did you ever talk to him?"

Well damn, Reno's got me pegged… I wish I was that good at reading people. Or maybe I'm just an open book…

I stare at Reno for a moment then look back out towards the city. "Yeah…" I sigh.

"And?"

"And he was just as confused as I was and he reached out to me that night but I haven't heard from him since. Honestly it shouldn't even upset me that much because I never thought of Rufus as obtainable in any way, shape, or form. And I don't even believe in soulmates so there's no way that's what this is. Maybe it's just some weird… something else?"

Reno chuckled, no doubt amused by my constant rambling. It always annoys me when he does that. "I told you before, it was just a theory. I'm not sure what's going on, but if you want anything to work with Rufus, you have to be persistent. He may act interested for like a day, but then he moves on," I was about to argue that Rufus probably isn't interested then, but Reno held up his hand and continued his little pep talk, "Look, it doesn't mean he's not interested, it just means that Rufus has a very… I guess I would say preoccupied mind. You just need to remind him that you exist. That fact that he reached out to you means that he may be interested, but at the moment you're not very high on his priority list."

I snort in amusement, "Not high on his priority list? Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"No." He simply says. He takes another drag from his cigarette and stares out at the city. I wait for him to say something else but he doesn't.

"Well?" I offer. I hope he has some useful advice in all this.

"Well," he tosses the remains of his cigarette over the railing, "make yourself a priority." With that he leaves me alone on the balcony.

Easy for him to say…

Later that day I find out that Rufus was in fact not dead. He was standing before me and the other ShinRa board members discussing Sector 7 and other important stuff like that. I wasn't really paying attention because I was growing more and more aware of the occasional glances Rufus would make my way as the other board members spoke. Why did he keep looking at me like that? And why was Reno continuously kicking me under the table every time he did?

I made an attempt to kick Reno back but he just leaned his chair away from the table and propped it against the wall. I heard Tseng sigh in annoyance next to me.

I made an attempt to pay attention to what Reeve was saying at the far end of the conference table. He had plans for the remodeling of Sector 7 that he was going through, but Scarlet interjected with some of her plans for "security weapons" or whatever. In my opinion they were just large, useless robots.

With how often everyone interrupted everyone else, I was surprised no one had gotten murdered in this room yet.

Reno was about to get murdered, though, if he didn't stop kicking me.

His chair was back on the ground and he looked like he was lazily paying attention, but I could see the amusement on his face every time his foot connected with my leg. It was getting incredibly annoying.

Just as I was about ready to yell at Reno to quit it, Rufus ended the meeting and everyone began filing out of the room. I sighed in relief, glad that Reno could finally leave me alone.

I was one of the last people to leave along with Tseng. Part of me was hoping Rufus would call me back into the meeting room and he would officially acknowledge my existence, but nothing of that sort happened. Instead, I found myself standing awkwardly next to Tseng, waiting for the elevator back to my floor. By that I mean I felt awkward and Tseng was completely composed. I didn't even realize I had been staring at him until he looked over at me, causing me to instantly break eye contact.

Tseng said nothing and stepped onto the elevator once the doors opened for us.

I followed behind him and watched the doors close. Well, almost close. Just as the two doors were about to meet, a hand reached out and stopped them. The doors opened again and Rufus joined us on the elevator, Tseng raising an eyebrow in silent judgement and Rufus shrugging it off with a slight smile. I never noticed before how close Rufus and Tseng seemed. I knew Rufus trusted Tseng more than anyone in the company, but it only just now clicked that the two may actually be friends, or some form of it. Rufus didn't seem like the type of person to call anyone his friend.

Rufus and Tseng talked business the entire ride to the Turk's floor. The elevator doors opened and I stepped out, holding them open for Tseng.

"Go ahead without me," he said cooly. I guess he's planning on finishing his conversation with Rufus.

I nod and release my hold on the doors. They start to close when I hear Rufus say "Have a good evening, Elena." Before I have time to respond, the elevator has already started its ascent to the president's office.

I stand in front of the closed elevators in shock. So he does acknowledge my existence? Then why is this the first time he's spoken to me in weeks? Is he just busy or has he decided maintaining a work relationship with me is important because I may have to save his life one day, but any kind of personal relationship is just an unflattering idea to him?

Whatever the answer, today has left me with more questions than answers to Rufus's behavior and this stupid soulmate connection thing between us.