Thank you so much to all of you that reviewed- I'm truly amazed that so many of you are enjoying the story. You guys rock!
If you want to read the story in Will's POV, please check it out on my profile, as it's written as a separate story.
Thanks guys! Happy reading! This is one of my favourite chapters- so I hope you like it too :)
I was rudely awoken by a loud pounding on my door. Groaning, I rolled over to look at the time on the clock on the bedside table. It was 5.45 am. Who the hell was beating on my door at this ungodly hour? Not to mention that I was still functioning on British time, which meant to my body clock that it was 4.45 am. Like I said, who on earth wakes people up at this ungodly hour?
"No thanks" I shouted hoarsely, presuming that it was the cleaning staff, as I'd forgotten to put the 'Do not disturb' sign on my door. My head was still throbbing from last night's escapades, and I buried myself back under the covers in an attempt to block out the noise, and fall into a peaceful slumber.
"Alexis Jayne Anderson, you will let me in right now!" Oh God. I knew that voice, and the use of my full name made it even worse. There was no use in hiding- the tiny hurricane would soon descend, and my hopes of a peaceful lie in were undoubtedly quashed. Sighing, I yanked off my duvet and trudged to the door- blearily rubbing the sleep from my eyes and yawning loudly. Pulling open my door, I was met by my younger sister who was tapping her foot impatiently.
"Alexis!" she gasped, taking in my bedraggled appearance. She walked in quickly, slamming the door behind us.
"Lex, what did you do? I've only got a few hours to beautify you- you could have at least gotten a decent night's sleep!" She exclaimed, taking in the dark bags under my eyes, and the unnatural whiteness of my cheeks. Her gaze flickered to the empty bottles on the floor.
"Oh, Lex" she sighed, pulling me into a hug "What happened? You don't even drink normally."
"I don't want it, Alice. I don't want to be forced to be with someone." I sobbed. I'd tried to be strong, to take it all in my stride, but it had just become too much. I buried my head in her shoulder, and let the tears fall. "I'm happy where I am- I'm happy with my life now. I don't want to move away from Derby- it's my home. I just wanted to forget, Alice. I just wanted to forget what was happening for one night. Just for one night." Alice ran her hands through my hair soothingly.
"Lex, it's supposed to be a good thing- not something you dread. He's not going to be some dictator who orders you around, and strips you of your independence."
"You don't know that, Alice!"
"Hey, look, we'll deal with it when we get to it. And, Lex" I look at her. "I can see the future, remember? I can get you out of all kinds of shit." I laugh in response. "Now go get yourself in the shower missy- I'll deal with the rest." Nodding, I slink into the shower- hoping that it'll wake me up. Twenty minutes later, I'm feeling infinitely better. The throbbing in my head seems to have diminished somewhat, and the warm water had improved my mood. I'd just got to get through today, and then I could move on with my life. Well, at least until next year. Wrapping a towel around myself I walk out into my bedroom. Alice had opened the curtains, tidied up from last night, and was now pawing through my suitcase. She'd laid out the dress and jacked I'd picked for the convention on my bed. Hearing my entrance she turned to face me, holding my converse between her fingers- a look of utter distaste written all over her face.
"Converse, Lex?" she asks "The dress I can deal with, but converse?" she shrieks. "What am I going to do with you?" I don't reply- I was guessing the question was rhetorical. She chucks my bra and pants at me. "Get into these and put a robe on. I'll do the rest." Thankfully I manage to catch them without letting the towel drop, and exposing myself. Yes, we were sisters, but I'd rather not let her see my birthday suit. I head to the bathroom to change, emerging moments later, and tying the fluffy robe the hotel provided around my waist. Alice has set up a chair in the main room, ushering me towards it she pushes me into it.
"Just sit and relax." She orders me, pulling out from her bag more cosmetics than most drug stores stock. No exaggeration. I shut my eyes as she buffs and polishes my skin- dozing in and out of consciousness as she plucks at my eyebrows, and yanks my hair into some intricate style that I would never be able to create- I was more of a ponytail or bun girl. After inhaling what felt like a whole can full of hairspray, Alice proudly declared that I was 'ready'. Dressing carefully and pulling on my trusty battered converse I surveyed myself in the full length mirror. Alice had worked her magic once more- her artistic flair was not limited just to canvases it seemed. My make-up was light and natural, bringing out my eyes and making my cheeks look fresh and rosy. My hair had been teased into a loose side bun, with a few loosely curled strands framing my face. If she wasn't an artist, I would have strongly recommended that she become a make-up artist to the stars.
"Thank you, Al" I whispered, hugging her tightly. "Thank you for everything."
"You're welcome, Lex. I love you, you know?"
"Yeah" I replied. "Yeah, I love you too. Now let's get this over with!"
Glancing at the clock I saw that it was 8am. The convention was at least a ten minute walk away, and as much as I didn't want to go, I didn't want to be late either. Grabbing my beach bag Alice and I left the room arm in arm. Watch out- the Andersons were coming.
XXX
Fifteen minutes later we arrived at the convention. There was a large queue up the steps to the entrance, which we joined the end of. The banners adorning the outside of the building stated that today was the 'Biggest International speed dating event', but that admittance was by invitation only. They'd conveniently left out the fact that the 'event' was only open to savants, but I guessed that admitting such a thing would compromise our anonymity. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out. It was Sam.
'Where are you? :)' he'd written.
'In the queue. You? :-)'
'I'm already in the first room waiting for the video. I've saved you a seat- I'm in the back row. Text me when you get through, and I'll come meet you :)'
'Fab, will do- thanks! I'll see you in a bit."
He sent a smiley face back, and I slid my phone back into my pocket. Looking around I observed the savants around me. They all looked so ordinary. It was hard to believe that everyone here was a savant. There were people from far and wide- speaking languages that I couldn't identify. There was a great range of ages too- 18 year olds like Alice, right through to people who looked older than my parents, or even my grandparents! I chewed my lip nervously as the queue moved forward.
"Stop doing that Alexis! You'll ruin your lipstick!" Alice reprimanded, assuming the maternal role. I rolled my eyes in retaliation, and she sighed.
We'd neared the front of the queue when a commotion broke out on the top of the steps. Alice and I had a prime view- whether we wanted one or not. An older man and woman were being forcefully escorted from the building by a tall, broad Hispanic man whose face was full of rage. He was joined by a petite blonde, who wrapped her small hands around his bicep- not in the least afraid of him.
"Get out, and stay out! You are not welcome here! You could have killed my soulfinder, and you're lucky I'm letting you leave here alive. It's only because of her that you are leaving- if it were left to me you'd be dead by now." He said it with a deathly anger- he was lethal. I had no doubts that his threats were real.
The woman staggered down the steps- the man trailing behind her. Their eyes were glassy and both of them looked totally intoxicated. The woman had a thick layer of foundation, giving her an orange complexion, along with bright red lipstick to complete the look. The man was equally as dishevelled, sporting a scruffy T-shirt, and stained trousers. The woman turned to face the man who'd escorted her out and looked straight at the blonde.
"Come on, Rachel! Don't you remember your Auntie Jo and Uncle Ian? We looked after you! We're awfully sorry that we had to leave you in the car park. We were going to come back for you, weren't we Ian? We just got waylaid- that was all!" She elbowed the man next to her, and he chimed in.
"Yeah" he mumbled incoherently, staggering from side to side. "We always meant to come back for you, Rosie."
"It's Rachel, Ian, you moron. Rachel!" she whispered loudly.
"Sorry. Yeah, we always meant to come back for you Rachel. We'd never have left Franny's girl in a car park."
"See, Rachel?" she said, smiling. Her yellowed teeth, stained with her red lipstick, were on full display. "We aren't bad people. We always wanted the best for you. Now why don't we put this behind us and move on, be a real family? What do you say?" She opened her arms as if expecting the blonde to launch herself into them.
The man on the top of the steps was now visibly vibrating with anger. His jaw was clenched in his efforts to constrain his rage, and his fists were clenched so that his knuckles had turned white. The pretty blonde reached up on her tip toes and whispered something in his ear. He immediately calmed down in response.
"No, Jo. You have never been my aunt, and never will be. We cannot 'move past this'. I already have a family, and you're not in it. You left me in that car park and had no intention of returning. I could have died, and you wouldn't have cared. Besides, you turned yellow, so I know without doubt that you were lying." The woman shifted awkwardly from foot to foot- her guilty conscience obvious to anyone watching. Well, actually it wasn't perhaps a guilty conscience that caused her movements- more the fact that she'd been caught lying.
"Don't bother coming back here again." The blonde, and the man, who I presumed to be her boyfriend made to move back inside. Before they could do so, she called down to the lady again.
"Oh, and Jo? I go by Sky now." She then grabbed the hand of the man beside her, and tugged him inside- it appeared that she had him well under her control. "Let's go, Zed. I don't want to waste any more time on these pathetic people." He wrapped his arm around her, and sent one last rage-filled glare in the couple's direction, before pressing a kiss to his girlfriend's head, and walking her inside. The crowd was left in a stunned silence for a minute, before conversation gradually began to pick back up.
"What do you think that was about?" I asked, looking at my sister who looked just as confused as I was.
"No idea, Lex. No idea at all." By now the queue had moved so far forward that we had entered the building to make our way through security. Security was a little different in a savant community I discovered. First, we had to drop our shields and let a tall, kind Hispanic man assess us. He told us his name was Saul, and that he had the ability to sense danger. Once he deemed that Alice and I were no threat he let us through, onto the next stage of the security checks. The next stage was conducted by the blonde we'd seen on the steps. She was wrapped securely in her boyfriend's arms, as he wiped away her tears and talked quietly to her. She nodded at whatever he was saying, pressing her face into his chest, and pulling herself even tighter to him. Noticing our entrance she pulled away slightly, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.
"Sorry" she said softly. "I'm not normally like this"
"Don't worry" I smiled. "It's fine- honestly. Are you okay?"
"I will be." She turned to her boyfriend. "Go back to the desks Zed, I'm fine- I'll call if I need anything." He looked as though he didn't want to leave her, refusing to drop his arms from around her waist.
"Okay." He said, after watching her plead with her eyes. "But you call me if anything, and I mean anything, Sky, is wrong. Yeah?" She nodded in response, and he pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "Love you."
"I love you too, Zed. Now, shove off before you delay me any further." She winked, and he tickled her teasingly before he left the room.
"Sorry about that." She said, turning her attention to us again. "He's a bit overprotective, and that encounter pushed him nearly over the edge. Anyway" she continued, smiling. "My name's Sky, and I'm a sort of lie detector- so you just have to answer a few of my questions before you can go through to the registration desks, okay?" We nod in understanding, and she begins to ask us questions: 'Do you have any intention of harming anyone at the convention?', 'Do you have any weapons on you'. She asks each of us about five questions, explaining that if we were lying we'd 'turn yellow' and be escorted out of the conference. I didn't quite know what she meant by that, but I didn't want to ask her- she'd had a rough day already judging by the step ordeal. Once she was satisfied that we hadn't 'turned yellow' she let us pass through to the registration phase. We were told by a helper to move to a desk manned by a friendly brunette called 'Phee'. Well, that's what it said on her label. I went first.
"Hi, I'm Phee. I'm here to get you registered, and give you your seat number for the circle. Have you got your ID with you?" I went first, and handed her my passport. The instructions they'd sent had mentioned that I needed to bring some form of ID, and thankfully I'd remembered it. Taking it from me, she looked at it, and proceeded to type into the laptop next to her. "Ahaa" she exclaimed. "Yes, you're on the outside of the circle on table 506." 506! I hadn't realised that there would be that many savants! My face must have displayed my amazement.
"Don't worry" she laughed "The tables get taken out once a pair meet, so the circle doesn't stay that big for long. Last year half the tables had been removed after just half an hour- the matches were so fast!" She wrote down my table number, and on what side of the table I was supposed to sit on a piece of paper which she slipped into a lanyard. She printed out a label with my photograph and name on it and slipped it onto the other side of the lanyard. "Keep this around your neck at all times, but if you lose it don't worry- just come around here and we'll get you another one. Your name and photograph is stuck onto the table you have to sit at for the matching, and all the chairs are numbered, so you should be okay to find your seat. If you have any problems at all don't hesitate to ask! All of us helpers are bedecked in this lovely orange shade, so we're easy to spot, and we're all happy to help." She gestured to the garish fluorescent orange t-shirt she was wearing to emphasise her point. "Right, Alexis, you can head through to the video room now, as you're done."
"I'll just wait for Alice"
"Oh, yes that's fine- sorry I forgot you'd come together." She turned to Alice.
"Can I have your ID please?" she asked, and Alice handed it over.
"Actually, I'm here to have my name taken off the list. My soulfinder passed away in a fire last year, so I don't need to attend the conventions anymore." She said it, fighting back the tears.
"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that-" Phee glanced at the passport "Alice." Her face expressing her sincere sadness at Alice's situation. "You poor dear." Phee passed Alice a tissue to wipe away the tear that had fallen down her face.
"Would I be able to get their name? I know it seems rude of me to ask, but it's the Net's policy" she says sympathetically.
"Dragon" Phee's face seemed to lose its colour.
"Do you have a surname for him?" she asked, her fingers trembling.
"No, but he lived in London." Phee brought her hands up to her mouth and gasped- tears welling up in her eyes.
"A stocky red- head, built like a rugby player?"
"Yeah" Alice replied, confused. "Yeah, that was Dragon. How do you know?" But by now Phee was hyperventilating, her breaths coming in ragged gasps as tears began to leak from her eyes.
"Oh God, oh God, oh God" she chanted to herself. "No, no, no!" she wept. "Yves!" she shouted, turning to the man at the registration desk next to ours. He came over straight away.
"Phee, what's wrong?" he asked concerned, wrapping his arms around her and wiping away her tears.
"Yves" she said, and pointed to Alice. "That's Dragon's soulfinder." He turned to face us, his face turning a sickly green colour as he absorbed the information.
"Oh God!" he cried, anguished. "What have I done? They weren't meant to die- they were meant to leave the fire!"
"You'd better come through, Alice" Phee said weakly, standing up from her chair, and motioning for Alice to follow them. "We need to have a chat." Her voice broke on the last word. Alice motioned to me that she'd follow them, and I nodded- giving her a quick hug.
"You want me to come with you?" I asked her. Yves Benedict hadn't been what I expected. I had thought he was a cold, merciless killer. I mean, how could you have any other personality and be able to live with yourself knowing that you had burnt someone alive? I suppose, it must just be a façade- the Benedict's had to pretend to be perfect to keep up their pristine reputation in the Net.
"No, I'll be fine."
"Okay, mind-link me if there's any problems, yeah?" she nodded, and I gave her a quick squeeze before we went our separate ways: Alice to confront her soulfinder's murderer; and I to meet my soulfinder. I didn't know which was worse. I watched Alice walk away with Yves and Phee before pulling out my phone and texting Sam.
'Got through security and registration. Where are you? :-)' He messaged back immediately.
'I'm on the left as you go through the double doors. English entrance. I'll be looking for you. See you in a bit :)'
Moving with the general flow of the crowd I began to see what he meant. There were several rooms in which people could enter to see the video- each of them bearing a different flag above the door. After asking an orange helper what they meant, I learnt that the flags denoted what language the video would be shown in, and that, as I was an English speaker, I should head to the very end of the corridor for the room with all manner of English speaking countries flags above its entrance. Thanking him profusely for his help, I wandered on looking at all of the different flags that were on display. There were so many nationalities here- with flags that I didn't even know existed! The English speaking room was at the very end of the corridor- just my luck. Walking in behind a pair of jolly Scotsman (who were wearing kilts for the occasion!) I spotted Sam, who was, as he promised he'd be, on the left of the double door entrance. He was sipping water from a plastic, disposable cup that was crunched between his fingers. I could sense his nervousness from here.
"Hey" I say, walking up to him. He drops his cup in the bin next to him, and grins at me.
"Hey, Lex! I am so glad you're here- it's so nice to see someone who disgusts these conventions as much as I do!" He whispered the last part rather emphatically, and I laughed. He was right- everyone else looked simply elated at the prospect of possibly finding their soulfinder. Sam and I stuck out like sore thumbs, each of us humming with a nervous energy that I doubted even a heavy dose of anti- anxiety tablets would be able to quell.
"Want to find some seats?" I asked, gesturing to the auditorium that was rapidly filling up with a steady stream of savants.
"Yeah- we don't want to be near the front. I reserved us some seats this way- come on." He led the way through the thick crowd, keeping a loose grasp on my wrist to ensure that we didn't get separated. Battling our way through the masses of people we took our seats in the back row. The room was designed like a massive lecture theatre, although was much more informal, and didn't contain any desks. There were hundreds of rows of seats, on a slight downward slant, which lead to a small stage and a large screen, where I guessed the video would be projected onto. The angle of the seats meant that even on the back row we still got a really good view of the screen- not that either Sam or I wanted one. Helpers in orange shirts urged savants to move closer together and fill all of the available seats in order to free up room for others. This is how I ended up sat next to a middle aged American lady who just didn't shut up, even though no one was listening to her! As soon as we moved to occupy the seats next to her I immediately understood why everyone had given her such a wide berth. Before I'd even sat down she was talking to me!
"Hi, I'm Megan" she held out her hand for me to shake
"Alexis" I said in response, holding out my hand to shake too. She didn't seem to acknowledge this- instead ploughing straight into her solo performance of her life story so far.
"I'm 40, and I'm from Texas" Ah, so that explained the Southern drawl "and this is my 16th convention so far. I've been to every single one- not just the global ones. I'm so excited to be here-" I blocked her out at this point- I had no desire to listen to her blathering on about every inconsequential detail of her life. Instead, I decided to nod at the appropriate time, and pray the video began to start very soon. Thankfully, a few minutes later, a man sat down on her other side and she turned her attention to him- much to my relief. I turned to Sam, opening my mouth to convey just what I thought about motor-mouth Megan, but I didn't get the opportunity. Instead, the lights began to dim, and the screen at the front of the auditorium lit up. A tinny voice sounded over the tannoy system.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 5th annual savant soulfinder convention. Please turn your mobile phones off, and listen attentively to the following presentation, which will last for approximately 20 minutes. Try to contain yourselves- the matching is only half an hour away!" I rolled my eyes- I was definitely able to contain my excitement- I didn't have any. Megan, on the other hand, seemed to have much more of an issue. She was currently bouncing up and down on her seat like a child in the middle of a sugar high. I really pitied the man that ended up with her- he wouldn't be able to get a word in edgeways! Thankfully, the video began to play, and a woman- the presenter I guessed, moved into shot. When her face came into view I seemed to recognise her from somewhere, but I couldn't think where. She began to talk then, interrupting my inner ramblings.
"Hi, I'm Dr Victoria Blackford- science reporter for the BBC." I knew I recognised her! But why on earth was she presenting this video? She couldn't be a savant- we were supposed to remain anonymous, out of the public eye. "I met my husband, Jared Blackford, at last year's convention, and I'm here to explain to you about what's going to be happening today." Right, so she was a savant. So much for anonymity being the most important rule- she was flouting it in style! The camera cut away just as a man, who I presumed to be her husband, walked into shot and embraced her. I brought a hand up to my forehead, groaning. I really didn't want to watch their affections for one another on the big screen, or at all in fact! Judging by the look on Sam's face, he didn't either- he looked positively ill at the thought of finding his soulfinder at the convention. The video then changed topic, with Victoria opting for a serious tone to explain the rules of the convention.
It was then that the strange prickling sensation that I'd felt yesterday came back with fervour. I tried to ignore it, scratching my neck slightly in order to try and ease the sensation, whilst still paying attention to the video. The sensation only amplified as the video continued, but I learned to ignore it, however odd it may be. I'd get Savannah to have a look at my neck when I got home, see if she could pin down what was causing these random sensations.
I turned my full attention back to the video, which was now explaining exactly how the matching procedure worked. It was exactly as demonstrated in the leaflet that the Net had sent to me previously. The video used a diagram to explain proceedings, with Victoria's chirpy voiceover aiding the explanation. Women were to sit on the outside of the circle, whilst the men would be on the inside. The men were to move in a clockwise direction, and were to move on after a minute, which was signalled by a loud alarm that could be heard all across the room. Once people found their soulfinders they would leave the circle and go into a different room, where there were refreshments on offer, to get to know each other. That table would then be removed by helpers, and the circle would gradually get smaller as a result. People were allowed to make links in their native language, and there were translators in green shirts dotted around the room, which would help any communication issues between soulfinders. The process was to continue until every savant had met all of their possible matches, which, they were anticipating, could take up to four hours! Thankfully, there would be a fifteen minute break after each hour, to allow people a chance to nip to the loo and eat. The explanation ended by Victoria reminding us that one of the rules of the convention was that each participant had to make contact with the other- that way there was no way that any matches to be missed. And, with that, the lights turned back on and the screen went blank.
I sat there shell-shocked for a minute. The audience were whooping and cheering- eager for the matching to start, but I just feel numb. The tinny sound of the tannoy echoed over the auditorium once more- directing those on the outer circle to leave via the back doors, whilst those on the inner circle should leave via the front doors. Shaky, I stood up with Sam. The enormity of the situation had suddenly come crashing down on me, and I wasn't ready for it.
"So, I guess this is it" I say, as we give each other a quick hug.
"Yeah" he replies, running his hand through his hair in nervousness.
"Text me how you get on?" I ask him. He forces a smile at me.
"Yeah- I will do. You too, yeah?" I nod in response as we begin to walk out of our row.
"Good luck, Lex" he says, before descending the steps towards his exit.
"And you" I reply with a smile. He turns, heading towards his exit, and I head to mine. And suddenly, suddenly I feel all alone. How is it that in a crowd of people you often feel the most isolated? 'Please' I think to myself- praying that some higher power can hear me- that anyone can hear me. 'Please let Alice be wrong. Please don't let me find him.'
Walking along with the flow of the crowd I couldn't help but feel this sense of utter helplessness. Alice's vision was going to come true- they always did. I just had to resign myself to that, as difficult as that was. After today my life would change forever- marginally, or enormously I didn't know which, but after today I'd finally face my soulfinder. I think the worst part is the not knowing. Not knowing if they were a chauvinist, if they were a jerk, or if we even spoke the same language. And for most people- if they were going to ever meet them. It was like waiting for some massive Result's Day, but never knowing when the date would be, or if it would ever come. My skin felt clammy as I walked- a thin sheen of sweat covering my body, even though it was mild inside. People were shoving past each other as we walked- desperate to make it to the matching room first. I hung back, allowing the hordes of jabbering women to march past me. I didn't quite understand their urgency- for the matching would not commence until everyone was seated.
Once the main group had charged through I followed them at a more sedate pace. Passing through an enormous archway I entered the infamous 'matching room'. It was a lot larger than I had ever anticipated, like a giant aircraft hangar- so large that I had to really squint to make out the ends. The tables were arranged in an oval formation, as promised, with chairs on either side of each table. Small maps were handed to each of us by helpers as we filed in containing a numbered diagram of the layout of the floor plan. The numbers of the tables on the map helped you work out where you were sat, allowing you to find the quickest route to your seat. Well, that was the idea. I, meanwhile, was trying to work out which was the quickest escape route from my seat. Studying it, I saw that I was directly in front of a large pillar, which meant that in real life it was easy for me to find my position. Savants were already beginning to take their seats, and I moved swiftly towards mine, dodging past the elderly women who were shuffling towards their seats. The prickling at the back of my neck seemed to grow stronger as I walked, and I tried to rub it away with the palm of my hand.
I found my seat a couple of minutes later. As promised by Phee, there was a giant label with my name and the unflattering ID photograph I'd sent in sellotaped to the table top, so I had no doubts that this was where I was to sit. I sat gingerly, shrugging off my jacket and hooking it on the back of my chair. It was quite disconcerting to see an enormous photograph of myself staring up at me, and so I made quick work of removing it, despite the damage it did to my already shabby nails. Peeling it off quickly I shoved it into the pocket of my jacket- promising myself that I would drop it in the bin at the next opportunity. Thankfully, no one had sat opposite me yet. I looked at their placard- it wasn't sellotaped down like mine as the inner circle moved, so it was just for initial identification, and could be removed once they sat down. I spun it round to face me, nervous to see who my first potential soulfinder candidate was. The card said that his name was Dylan Moore, and his ID picture showed that he was very handsome. He had the whole surfer vibe going for him, with a golden tan, and choppy blonde hair.
"Gorgeous, isn't he?" a voice said to my left. I jumped, startled, turning to see a bespectacled blonde male hovering over my shoulder.
"Yes…" I say, slightly confused by his ogling. I replace the placard, swivelling in my chair to look at him as he takes his seat on the outside of the circle, just to my left.
"I'm sorry, but shouldn't you be" I point to the inside of the circle, where the men were sat. I didn't quite understand how he could be on the wrong side- that was the most obvious thing about this layout! He began to cackle in response, keeling over as if I'd said something so hilarious that he was no longer capable of sitting upright. I watched bemused at his antics. He recovered himself a few moments later, theatrically wiping a tear of laughter from his eye and pushing his glasses back up his nose.
"I'm sorry, but that's the first time someone's ever mistaken me for being straight!" And with that explanation, he began laughing again. My cheeks flared red in response, and I raised my hand to my mouth.
"I am so, so sorry!" I say, shocked- totally mortified at my misjudgement. "I didn't mean-" he cut me off with a wave of his hand.
"Don't worry love-I'm not offended!" I tried to smile back, still incredibly embarrassed at my incorrect assumption.
"So, you like the look of" I tilt my head and look back at the placard "Dylan, then?" I ask. His eyes light up in response.
"Uhuh! He is looking mighty fine!" He licks his lips suggestively, and throws me an exaggerated sultry wink. I laugh in response, entertained by his antics. "What I would do to him!" he continues, and I squeal with laughter.
"Stop, stop! I don't want to hear anymore!" I laugh, clapping my hands over my ears. He grins cheekily in response. "So, it's mainly about the looks with your soulfinder then?"
"Yeah." He's so matter of fact that I wholeheartedly believe him. He pretends to think for a while. "Well, I suppose personality might matter a tad."
"Just a tad?" He's serious for a moment
"Okay, maybe a bit more than a tad" He says genuinely "But, I ain't gonna turn down a man with a smoking body!" He wiggles his eyebrows, and I roar with laughter. "Well, Alexis Anderson, you certainly look much better in real life than on your photo." So he'd been looking at my label as well as Dylan's.
I groan, "You saw that?" He grins cheekily back at me.
"It wasn't that bad! Anyway, you looking for a fitty today?"
"Fitty? I didn't realise people still used that! Nah, I'm hoping I don't find anyone today." He looked confused for a moment, opening his mouth to answer, when a man approached him, asking for directions. Once he'd answered him, he looked back at me.
"I'm Tyler, by the way"
"Well, I guess you already know my name!"
"Yeah, sorry- it's a bit of a bad habit, but I always like to see who I'll be sat next to at these things." I smiled.
"Don't worry about it. Have you been to many of these then?"
"Six, and I'm still looking for him. Hopefully I'll find him today! The inside circle moves clockwise, so I get to talk to whoever's just talked to you- so warn me if they're a weirdo!" I laugh.
"Sure thing. I'll cough if they're normal, and sneeze if they're a weirdo- it can be our secret code."
"Much appreciated" he said, saluting me as though we were in the army. I giggled, my anxieties fading from Tyler's distractions.
A tannoy then sounded over the arena: 'Ladies and gentlemen please take your seats. Matching will commence in 5 minutes." The nerves came back in full force. A full year of dread had led up to this moment, and the ordeal would begin in just 5 minutes. I took a few calming breaths. In through the nose, out through the mouth, in through the nose, out through the mouth. I repeated this mantra in my head- a steady timbre that kept me sane. A chair leg scraped across the floor in front of me, and I looked up.
"Are you alright?" he asked me, slipping into the seat in front of me. I nodded, unable to talk at present.
"I'm Dylan." He held his hand out for me to shake.
"Alexis" I replied a couple of moments later, leaning over to shake his hand. When our skin touched I felt nothing. No sparks or electricity, no paranormal connection had been formed. He wasn't my soulfinder- I could tell that just from our handshake, telepathy wasn't even required in this case. I let out a sigh of relief. The tannoy started up again: "The matching has now begun. You have one minute until the bell. Good luck and happy matching."
And so, it began. The next hour was a whirlwind of activity, with me reluctantly making telepathic connections with so many people on the inside circle. Dylan, the hippy Australian, it turned out, wasn't Tyler's soulfinder, much to his disappointment. I'd never seen so many savants- I'd never known so many existed! There were Brits, Americans, Canadians, Frenchmen, Danish, Kiwis, Aussies, Chinese, Koreans- and some who spoke languages that I had never heard of. Needless to say, it was rather awkward trying to talk to someone when the only word you both knew was 'ok'. Most of the savants I spoke to, or attempted to speak to, seemed okay bar a few. It was just this one man- he seemed about 35ish, and he kept leering at me for the whole minute and asking me all sorts of odd questions. I was relieved when he moved on, despite the fact that I could feel his eyes on me for the rest of the hour. It was a minute before the first break, and everyone had just one last savant to talk to before the 15 minute interlude. The room was nearly empty now- so many matches had been made in the last hour. It was quite ridiculous, really! Tyler had already found his soulfinder in a quiet German called Josef, and they seemed truly happy together, for which I was glad.
I was isolated in this area of the circle- tables from where couples had found each other had been removed immediately after they left, and so I was now metres away from anyone. I drummed my fingers on the table top, looking forward to grabbing a snack before the next round of matching began. The bell had just rang, but it took the next person a few moments to walk to my desk now that much of the circle had been removed.
I looked up from the table top to see my next potential soulfinder sit down. I glanced up at him as he sat, and couldn't help but stare. He was gorgeous, with an olive skin tone and dark messy hair. He was more suited to the pages of a Hollister catalogue than sat here opposite me. His long limbs spilled over the chair- making it look positively child-sized. He gave me a broad grin, showcasing his impossibly white teeth and dimples. I saved his eyes until last, looking into them once I'd absorbed the rest of him. We gazed at each other, and it was as though time froze for a while. We were suspended in this moment together. The air crackled between us, humming with an electricity I couldn't describe. His hazel orbs bored into mine, and I stared back with the same fascination. His hand gently closed on mine, stopping my fingers from drumming out their rhythm on the table top. The instant his skin touched mine my skin was alight. The prickling sensation that I'd felt on the back of my neck for the past few days erupted- spreading like wildfire across my skin. I gasped in response, jerking back suddenly. His grin grew impossibly wider- and his eyes lit up with excitement.
"It's you!" he said, elated.
"What?"
"You. You're my soulfinder!" My heart fell to my feet, and my face morphed into an expression of horror. No. No, it couldn't be. I wouldn't let it be. He didn't let me expression deter him though, or perhaps he didn't register it. Instead, he ploughed on.
"I'm Will, Will Benedict. What's your name, beautiful?" his voice washed over me, a rich baritone that affected me in ways I couldn't describe. He leaned over and brushed a stray curl away from my eye, tucking it gently behind my ear. I couldn't respond. I was frozen. He was a Benedict. My soulfinder was a Benedict. The ones who took away my sister's soulfinder, and now he was here trying to find his own. I coughed, clearing my throat.
"I don't know what you mean." I said, lying through my teeth. He was my soulfinder, I knew it in my bones- it was ingrained in my DNA. But my mind overruled my heart. I didn't want a soulfinder. And, I definitely didn't want a Benedict. Accepting him would be the ultimate betrayal to my sister. His friendly demeanour was all a façade- he was just like the rest of his family underneath- a cold, heartless, merciless murderer.
"No, the connection we have! You must feel it! You're my soulfinder! Oh God, I've waited so long for you, and now you're here!" He reached over to brush his hand against my face, making to cup my cheek. I moved away.
"No. You're wrong. I didn't feel anything." His eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and his face fell.
"You must have done? Not anything? Anything at all?" his eyes looked saddened, and it took everything in me to continue with the lie.
"Nope" I replied, not able to look him in the eye.
"Let me try telepathy. You'll feel it then." Before I could tell him not to, he looked right at me and tried it.
'Hello' His voice battered through my mental shields, and was unlike anything I had experienced- a pure, melodic tone, infused with a lilting American drawl that only I could hear. My body hummed with recognition- he was my soulfinder. There was no doubt about it. I tried to keep my face impassive.
"No. Still nothing." I said, looking down at the table top, and inspecting my nails. He put his hand under my chin, tilting my head so that I was looking right at him.
"You're lying to me" he said sorrowfully. "I don't know why- I don't know what I've done to upset you, but I can tell that you feel it too." I shook my head furiously, pulling away from his light hold. "Okay, talk to me telepathically then. If I don't feel it then I'll believe you."
I opened my mouth to come up with some excuse- if I spoke to him he'd know without doubt that I was his soulfinder. The bell interrupted me, and the tannoy announced that it was time for the break. I stood abruptly.
"Well, look at that" I said, smiling brightly, and tucking my chair under the table. I grabbed my jacket, and bag. "Time's up. It was nice meeting you Will. Good luck finding your soulfinder." Without waiting for a response, I turned and speed walked towards the nearest exit. I heard his chair clatter to the floor as he followed me, jogging a couple of paces to catch me. He caught my wrist in his hand, and turned me to face him. We were chest to chest, our torsos touching. I was tiny in comparison to him- my head barely reaching the top of his shoulder. He smelt divine, a woodsy, musky scent that reminded me of the outdoors. I had to physically restrain myself from burying my nose in his shirt and inhaling deeply. He wrapped his muscled arms around me, preventing me from moving.
"You're not going anywhere until you've spoken to me telepathically." He tilted his face, so that we were looking directly at one another- our noses nearly touching. I opened my mouth to argue, but he pressed his thumb gently over my lips to prevent me from talking. "These are the rules of the conference- both of the participants must talk telepathically to the other. I can get a member of security to explain the rules to you?" He offered, twisting me so that I could see the burly security guard, who was eyeing our display with amusement.
"You wouldn't."
"Oh, darling, I most definitely would. You're way too precious to let go." His eyes were earnest and soft, indicating a kindness beneath this hard approach. He pressed his forehead to mine, bringing us impossibly closer.
"Fine" I whispered murderously, my eyes blazing with hatred. I'd talk to him, he'd realise, and then I'd shake him off. He wouldn't be able to find me, and I wouldn't come to another convention. I wasn't about to let any soulfinder walk into my life- especially not a Benedict.
'You're a dick' I spoke telepathically to him. His reaction was immediate. He laughed beautifully, and then proceeded to pick me up in his arms, hugging me tightly to him, and spinning me round as though I was a rag doll. He set me down gently, encasing me in his arms, before pulling back to look at me.
"It's you! It's definitely you!" he yelled, delighted. He cupped my face in both of his large palms, and gazed at me with an expression of wonder. "I can't wait to start our life together!"
So, who recognised 'Red lips' and Ian from 'Finding Sky'? I thought it would be a bit boring if they just died- I always wanted to know when I read the books what would happen if Sky saw them again (not to mention what Zed would do!) Please leave a review. Hugs x