Chapter four

'Hey Anna!' Chris shouted and I waited for him to catch up, 'Good news, sort of, I overheard Jake talking to someone in psychology and he said that he's got his soulmate mark but he doesn't know who it is yet.' Chris awaited my reaction, 'So?' I said unimpressed, 'So what if it's you? You might have a mark and just not realised.' I hadn't told anyone about the mark on my ankle, I had been covering it up. I pulled my sock down and showed him, 'I do have a mark! But it's a book! It's not his mark.' I raised my voice a little, overcome with emotion and Chris' face fell, 'Oh.' He spoke quietly. 'His mark will be about football, we both know that.' I said trying to hold back the tears. 'Well then, how about we try to find out who your soulmate is?' He suggested, 'Fine.' I said, unable to imagine myself with anyone but Jake. At that moment Ella arrived and Chris gave her a brief summary of our conversation. With each word I could see her facial expression mirroring Chris' expression from moments earlier. 'Right that's settled then, we'll ask around and see who's just got a soulmate mark, most likely a pencil, right?' She looked at me for confirmation and I nodded, still distraught that Jake was not my soulmate.

The next day, however, something happened. I had just had PE, and I was walking towards the bus to go home. Jake suddenly appeared beside me, 'Look Anna, I know I already have a soulmate...but the thing is, I can't stop thinking about you, thoughts of you are literally driving me crazy and all I want to do is just hold you in my arms. I still haven't figured out who my soulmate is, I've been asking around but no one has any new marks, so for now I just want you.' He let all this go barely taking a breath between words and when he was finished I was speechless, I stood there, unable to form a sentence because I was so taken aback. 'Jake...I, I don't know what to say.' He looked at me, 'You don't have to say anything.' And he leaned towards me, clearly about to kiss me. I wanted to pull away but at the same time every cell in my body was like a magnet pulling me closer to him. His lips brushed mine, softly at first until he pulled me in even closer and deepened the kiss. Heat spread through me as he ran his hands along my spine, kissing me with a furious passion. I couldn't stop, couldn't pull away, even though I knew it was wrong. Eventually I couldn't stand the guilt any longer and I pulled away, 'Anna? What's wrong?' He looked confused and upset, 'This is wrong Jake! We both have soulmates we can't do this!' A strange look passed across his face and then I realised what I had said. 'You have a soulmate? Who? Why didn't you say anything?' He looked even more upset than he did before so I began to explain myself, 'I started getting the mark when I met you and I thought maybe you were my soulmate but it's not you cause it's not a football and I don't know who it is.' I struggled to hold back the tears as I revealed all this to him but he looked hopeful, 'Anna, my mark wouldn't be a football.' Now it was my turn to be confused and as he studied my puzzled expression he continued, 'I have something that I like more than football, just don't tell anyone cause then people might judge me.' He paused, clearly loving the suspense he has caused and I began to get frustrated so he carried on, 'My soulmate mark wouldn't be a football, because my favourite thing in the world to do is read. Sometimes I feel like such a nerd but I just love being able to escape the world in a book. You feel like you get to know the characters and you follow their story as if you're living it with them, it's just, so amazing. That's what I want to do, I want to be an author, and obviously my soulmate is gonna be my illustrator.' He said indicating to the pencil on his arm. Relief flooded through me and I started smiling like an idiot. I pulled down my sock and showed him the book on my ankle and he looked as delighted as I was. 'Oh my gosh Anna, it's you! I can't believe it!' He hugged me, almost crushing me, and I felt the tears start to flow. 'Anna what's wrong? Why are you crying?', 'I'm just so happy.' I said, now half crying and half laughing. Let's just say I wasn't in a pretty state but he held me in his arms nonetheless. For the first time in weeks I felt complete, I felt safe in his arms and I never ever wanted him to let go. 

I was in heaven, Jake barely left my side and when he did it was only because he had to. We were in what my parents call the 'honeymoon period' which is the time just after you meet your soulmate. I must admit we were quite attached to each other and it was very obvious to the outside world. We kinda just floated around in our little bubble, oblivious to anyone else. 

That was until the accident.