HERE YOU GO ILY ARIA <333

01132021.

The numbers had been taunting me for years. Etched permanently onto the skin on my inner wrist, thick serif font in black ink, constantly reminding me of my fate. A date that had yet to come for the longest time. But now...

It was today.

My nerves were going crazy, worrying that maybe it wasn't true. Maybe I wouldn't meet my soulmate today. Maybe I'd spend the rest of my life knowing that I could have been happier.

Maybe I just didn't deserve them.

Fizzy would smack me for thinking that. She'd tell me that of course I deserved them, they were my soulmate.

She had it easy. She'd met her soulmate, Fitz Vacker, a while ago. And even if I didn't particularly like him, I was happy for them. It was also why I called her Fizzy, instead of her real name, Isla.

My phone rang, scaring me half to death. After I got over it, I picked it up.

"ARIAAA!" Fizzy's voice came excitedly. "It's today, isn't it?"

"Yeah," I replied, absently looking at my wrist as if I was afraid it might change.

"It's so exciting," Fizzy gushed. "Who knows, maybe it's Kee —"

"Don't you dare say it!" I yelped. "And contrary to popular belief, I'm not madly in love with him. Heck, I've never even talked to him!"

Fizzy sighed. "Whatever you say."

As usual, Fizzy and I walked to school, as well as our other friends Kate, Lucky, and Charlotte. The school day was nothing special, but my friends stuck to my side like glue, wanting to witness the moment of truth, per se.

But none of them were around when it actually happened.

School had just ended, and I was making my way to my locker. The hallway was as busy and noisy as always, so naturally I bumped into about 20 people.

However, as I bumped into one student, I felt an exhilarating, electric jolt run through my body. My skin tingled with energy and my heart raced, but I froze completely.

That was it.

Fizzy had described the same feeling when she'd touched Fitz for the first time.

Like a non-deadly bolt of lightning.

I found them.

Ehh, maybe I was imagining it.

No, there's no way I could imagine that sort of thing.

Unbeknownst to my mental conversation, the person quickly took my hand and pulled my into an empty classroom.

"Huh?" I said dumbly.

The person met my eyes, flashing me a smirk as he let go of my hand. "Sorry. A crowded hallway isn't the most romantic of places."

I opened and closed my mouth a few times. I was rarely ever rendered speechless, but I had no idea what to say now. The person had blonde hair that seemed messy on purpose, and a mischievous glint in his ice blue eyes.

Oh, Lord. It was Keefe Sencen.

Keefe. Freaking. Sencen.

He had the lengthiest detention record in school, was best friends with Fitz Vacker, and, putting aside his rebellious tendencies, was a talented student.

In other words, he was famous.

And he was right in front of me. He could be my soulmate. And somehow, he didn't look completely disgusted by me.

"I know what you're thinking," Keefe said.

I swallowed. "What am I thinking?" I asked dryly.

"You're thinking, Oh my god, Keefe looks so inhumanly perfect! His hair is simply impeccable!"

I blinked at him. "No, I — wait, did you just say your hair was impeccable?"

Keefe's smirk widened. "Obviously. Why do you think they call me Lord Hunkyhair?"

"I've never heard anyone call you that," I said honestly.

"Ouch," Keefe feigned an injured look, placing his hand on his heart dramatically. "Could you possibly be immune to my charms?"

He was ridiculous — absolutely, positively ridiculous. But there was something about him, beneath the stupid flirting and the weird hair obsession. I wanted to know what it was, what he was like.

I wanted it to be him.

"Is it you?" I blurted.

Keefe's eyes softened. He raised his hand so his palm was facing me, and his sleeve dropped a few inches, revealing a sequence of numbers.

01132021.

I sucked in a breath. It was true.

Keefe Sencen was my soulmate.

Lord, my friends were going to have a field day with this.

I also lifted my hand, then pressed it to his. Keefe's hand was bigger than mine, and warm. My heartbeat sped up when a surprisingly kind smile formed on Keefe's lips.

"Aria, right?" he said. "Aria Ashtri. That's your name. Fitz mentioned you."

I nodded, barely able to breathe. I couldn't stop thinking about nice his voice was, especially when he said my name.

Was this how it felt to have a soulmate?

To be utterly smitten despite not knowing them at all?

Using his other hand, Keefe gently cupped my cheek and brushed his lips across mine. The kiss was short, but it set my heart to fluttering. "Well, Aria," he breathed, face still only a few inches away. "Guess you're stuck with me."