5

          SURPRISINGLY, meditating does help. He feels more attuned to himself and the world around him now. Fleur suggests her mantra, "Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu," which she says means, "May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all," but he can't really remember the whole thing when he tries, so he settles for something simpler: Maranatha.

          He finds it in a book inside the house, and supposedly it means, "Come, Lord." It is understood by some as the final teaching of the Christian Bible, and while he wasn't a particularly religious person himself, he liked the idea that God was this feeling of love that he could just call on to and feel better about.

          Shawn can almost hear the jokes his old friends would make about it, the first of which being cum-lord, and a part of him is a little grateful they're no longer in his life (Fleur was also teaching him that: gratitude. He's started keeping a journal where he lists at least three good things that happened to him in the day, every night).

          One of the ladies in the house spoke to him once, for the first time, and said, "You look better than when you first arrived. I can feel your energy. I like it." It was weird, but he took it anyway.

          Another one took him aside after Yoga and said, "God has made room in your life for better people." Now that—that freaked him out a little. He's never spoken to her before, and Fleur looks almost scared to see them together, so when she holds his hand and leads him away, he gladly lets her.

          They're laying out in the grass now, Fleur in a sports bra and some yoga pants—barefeet, of course—and Shawn in short yellow shorts. His chest is glistening with sweat, and earlier, Fleur had been looking at all his tattoos.

          He tilts his head to look at her. "Fleur," he says. Her eyes are closed, and she's breathing steadily.

          "Hmm?"

          "What did Aurora mean?" he asks again. "When she said I was the one."

          Fleur stays still, and then she sits up. Shawn follows, and glances at where Aurora was busy sketching under the shade of the willow tree.

          He can't believe he was ever rude to them; they've become something akin to a family to him. He's apologized, of course, two weeks ago when his progress finally hits him, and he realizes he hasn't had a cold, empty night since he started coming here, but he still feels like it wasn't enough.

          Fleur sighs. "It's nothing," she says.

          Shawn reaches out to wipe a blade of grass from her cheek and flicks it away. "I still want to know, though."

          Fleur smiles. "Thanks," she says.

          "Now tell me."

          Fleur glances back at the house, then to Aurora, before finally looking at Shawn. "It's silly, and I'm pretty sure you don't believe in it, but—"

          "You've got me doing yoga and meditation, getting my Angel cards read and all that jazz," Shawn says, "I'm sure it can't be sillier than that."

          Fleur chuckles. "There's this belief," she says, and Shawn's heart starts to race because he's wanted to know this for so long. "There's this belief," she repeats, "that before we were put on this earth, our souls signed up for this. This life"—she lays out her palm then smiles—"and everything we've ever gone through, are going through, or will go through—the story of our lives, basically—they say that our souls chose it."

          Shawn cocks his head to the side. "And?"

          "And they say," she says, looking away now, towards Aurora, whose tongue is sticking out of her mouth, and is in deep concentration. "They say that our souls pick each other, too."

          Shawn sits up. He thinks he knows what she's getting at, but he's not quite sure. "What does that mean?" he asks.

          Fleur shrugs. "Aurora read my fortune when we were little kids," she says. "It said that she would find 'The One' for me. The great white buffalo that romantics speak of."

          Shawn gulps. "And?"

          "And apparently you're it."