dan's pov

I walk through the halls on the way to the cafeteria, surveying my classmates and wondering which one could be my soulmate. It's crazy that one of these people I spend 7 hours with nearly every day is that one person I'm supposed to be with for the rest of my life. I know I should be feeling excited, anxious, happy, that I've gotten connected, but honestly all I feel is apprehension. There are only a few thousand people at my school, which means I know most everyone in my graduating class. And I don't like a good many of them.

It took me an embarrassingly long amount of time to find my small group of friends (sophomore year *cough cough*) that I really clicked with. Everyone else leading up to then were just casual friends, acquaintances - probably because I don't like the majority of my grade, hence my apprehension to discovering who my soulmate is. Imagine if it turned out my soulmate was someone who had bullied me in middle school? I don't know how I could learn to love him.

Speak of the devil, I see Addison and his group of losers that follow him around everywhere and agree with everything he says (literally the Draco Malfoy and Crabbe & Goyle of my school) as I walk through the cafe. I catch his eye and he sneers at me as I pass him - what an asshole. I fight the urge to roll my eyes. Thankfully, a moment later I arrive at my table where my three favorite people in the world are sitting - Beck, Colin, and Evan.

"What is up, my dudes," I greet them.

"Eh, not much," Beck replies with a shrug. Colin and Evan then burst out laughing from looking at something on Evan's phone. I slip into a seat next to Evan in the circular table and nudge him.

"What?" I ask warily, leaning over his shoulder to peer at the phone.

It restarts and I watch the video he found on Instagram from one of the hundred meme accounts he follows, and I laugh with them at the end. We just hang out and talk about nothing for the next five minutes until we really can't put off going to class any longer. We finally stand up and part ways and I start walking across the school, ignoring everyone in the halls just as much as they ignore me, and I barely slip into my first period class before the bell rings. As I sit at my desk in the front (believe me, not my decision - stupid assigned seats), Mr. Griffith stands up and starts class. It's funny how, almost immediately after he starts talking, my ears stop working. Which is actually really unlike me.

Normally I quite like going to school, learning new things and engaging in conversations and activities about those things, but this new thing I learned about my soulmate and my connection is consuming my mind. I can't concentrate. I go through the motions, taking out my chromebook when he says to and typing down everything on each slide of his boring presentation, but my brain doesn't actually retain any of the information. I mean really, how am I expected to listen to Mr. Griffith drone on about Louis the XIV when my soulmate is in this building, maybe even in this classroom, maybe even sitting right next to me?!

I glance to my left and right and then immediately dismiss that thought, seeing as they're both girls. But I end up doing that every period.

In every class I enter, I survey my classmates and keep a mental tally of possible candidates. Aiden in AP World History, Logan in Precalculus, Matt in Chem Honors? What about Dillon in AP Lit, or Ryan in gym? (God, I hope it's him, he's so hot - I would date him just for his legs alone).

Even as I do this, I know it's futile. There could be what, a hundred different kids in all my classes? There are hundreds more that aren't in any of my classes, kids I haven't even met yet. It would be naive to think I'm actually creating a good list of guys that could have been on the receiving end of my messages last night. All throughout the day, I'm a total wreck. I'm off in my own little world, barely even talking to anyone except for a few distracted replies to peers and muttered reassurances to my friends that I'm fine at lunch. At the end of the day, I haven't learned anything, I may have convinced my friends that I'm suicidal, and I'm completely dreading but also extremely anxious for dinner tonight. Oh yeah, did I mention I'm planning to come out to my parents tonight? Must've slipped my mind. Hm. I wonder why.

I haven't talked to my soulmate all day ever since this morning when he told me about him coming out, so I decide it's my turn. Well, maybe not quite that abrupt, so first I just send him a text saying hey, how was your day? on the way to my car in the senior parking lot behind the school.

He replies within the minute: not bad, normal haha. how bout you?

I consider just saying "fine" and leaving it at that, but hey, it's my soulmate! If I can be honest with anyone, it's him: actually, it pretty much sucked haha, I reply, i couldnt concentrate cause i was thinking about you the whole time

ahw really?

yeah. I smile and insert an emoji to reflect that, then continue typing: also, i think im gonna come out to my parents tonight

wait really?

yeah lol. you inspired me too :)

By now I'm at my car, and I climb into the driver's seat with my face glued to my phone.

He responds, well, glad to be of service. let me know how it goes!

I hear a door slam suddenly and I look up to see a boy with floppy black hair getting settled into the car I had pulled in next to this morning. Something about him pulls my attention; I glance at him in the corners of my eyes as I type out my response: yep, ofc

I feel his gaze through the thick panes of glass between us and look up to see him looking at me. Our eyes lock and he stares for just a moment too long, then drops his head and starts typing on his phone. I brush it off, put my phone in the cupholder, and start the car. A message comes in a few seconds later from my soulmate: great, talk to you later

I glance back out the window at the boy next to me - Paul, I think his name is - to find him staring intently at me again. I hold his gaze, and a thought creeps its way into my mind: could he be-? But I don't let myself finish the thought. I have other things to worry about, including my impending coming out scene at dinner tonight. Once again, I brush it off, put my car into reverse, look behind me, and back out of the spot.

phil's pov

I'm walking a few car lengths behind a boy on the other side of the street after school when a message comes in from my soulmate. He's just asking about my day, and I respond while looking ahead at the brunette. I think his name is Dan, but I can't be sure; we've only had a few classes together over the last few years and we don't have any together this semester. I watch him the entire way to the parking lot, and maybe it's just wishful thinking, but I swear he starts typing on his phone after each message I send to my soulmate.

We reach the lot and he gets in the car right next to mine. I get into my own car and continue to gaze at the curly-haired boy. Suddenly he looks up and our eyes meet, and the first thing I notice is that - he's beautiful. I definitely would not mind him being my soulmate, I think. I begin to realize how creepy I'm being, just staring at him through our windows, so I quickly drop my head and see he's sent me another text. I type my reply as I hear his car rumble to life, and after I send it I look back over at him. He's looking at his phone, then he glances back up at me. I'm about two seconds away from doing something, saying something, anything, when he drops the gaze and drives away.

A/N: hey guys! thanks so much for reading, i hope you liked this chapter. sorry it took so long to get done! as always, fav, follow, and review if you want please, i love seeing people enjoying my work :) ~l