*Luna*

The dim light from my table lamp blinked as I sat at my desk, clicking away on my computer while I edit my client's pictures. It was late in the evening, and the dance lessons from earlier had worn me out. I was happy when Chase said he had to take care of something for work, and he'll take Sarah with him. So that gave me a chance to go to my studio. I needed some space. I needed to breathe.

Chase brought up the idea for our wedding to be this month, which was sudden and last minute. But he explained that the priest he was familiar with had an opening for Memorial Day.

Chase said, "Marrying you on Memorial Day would be... memorable."

I bowed my head and turned away in the car. His urgency to marry me this quickly frustrated me. Memorial Day wasn't meant to be celebrated like that, but he insisted on having the wedding sooner rather than later. He made some compelling points. But I need more time right now. We only discussed the wedding to be in the fall, so we could have fall colors as the theme. His favorite season was winter, and mine was spring. We decided to meet in the middle. Summer would be hot and humid, especially this time of year in Louisiana.

I was thrilled when Amir stopped by. His presence made it all better. When he smiled my way, I felt his arms wrapping around me, making me feel comfortable. Then, when I walked up to him and his arms opened up for me, it was like entering my house, feeling safe and secure. When his eyes locked on mine, I saw galaxies instead of his brown pupils. Having him in my life makes me feel like everything is okay, and we'll conquer anything together. He might not be my first, but sometimes I wished that he could be my last. I just have to work out what I want to do about Chase.

I exhaled a deep breath and hopped up, then tuned into Amir's whereabouts. I can't go a second without wondering what he's up to.

Connecting to his soul, I saw him sleeping soundly in his bed. His silk black sheets covered his body, and they felt smooth and soft along my fingertips as I glazed my fingers over them. I didn't want to wake him, or disturb him, but I don't think he'd mind if I did. I was in the middle of something with Chase earlier, and I didn't expect him to show up. The both of us are like ghosts-we can appear anytime and anywhere.

He was sleeping so peacefully and had a small smile on his lips. I sat down beside him like a big perv and marveled over his beautiful light brown skin and perfect face. He was definitely not easy on the eyes, and male models or actors had nothing on this man. He could do something for Men's Health Magazine and clothing. He had the body and facial recognition for something like that.

Rolling over and sighing, he took a deep breath. I wondered what was roaming through his mind. It was after five o'clock in the morning here, and I heard a cough in the other room. I tip toed close to the door to see who it was. It was his cousin -Faisal. I recognized him. The scent of hot pockets and lemonade loomed the air. As he rolled over and turned on his side, his eyes opened. Then they shot straight up after he locked them with mine.

What the hell? I thought no one could see me?

I thought it was only Amir, but Amir did inform me that others will see me when my mind expands my connections. Faisal swung his legs over and motioned me toward him. I walked outside the room and headed into the living room, slightly waving at him.

"Hi," I murmured, not sure what to do, much less how to act.

"Luna, I presume?" he asked me, eyeing me. I nodded. We've never officially met before. "It's early in the morning here. He went to sleep a few hours ago."

"Oh. Well, we were talking earlier, and I wanted to tell him goodnight. I guess I was too late." He slightly chuckled.

"I'm Faisal. His cousin. He came to pick me up. I needed a ride home, but he brought me here." His dark eyes stayed on mine. He had a boyish charm about him, but his features definitely favored his cousin's.

"Oh, okay. I'm glad he was there for you." I sat down beside him, and the scenery changed back to my studio. The bright street light shined through the sky window as he glanced around, nodding and looking impressed.

"So you're a photographer?"

"Yeah. I enjoy taking pictures and shooting beautiful scenery."

"That's cool. I had a slight crush on a photography journalist. I think photography is nice."

"Me too," I mumbled, laughing softly.

"So that's the city of New Orleans out there, huh?" he asked, standing next to my opened window. He probably never saw the city before. Amir said he didn't until we connected.

I nodded. "Just one end of the French Quarter."

Right now, the city was buzzing. There were many people outside on the streets and partying in different areas of town.

"Hey, where's the place that the New Orleans Saints play? Their stadium?"

"Oh. Um... that is on the other side of the city. It's called the Superdome. It's huge. It's best to see it during the daytime."

"Oh, okay."

He stepped away, and we're back in the living room. "You guys should buy a ticket and see The Saints play. When there's a home game, our town becomes a little wild. We're all supportive of the team."

He shrugged a shoulder. "I don't know. I don't really like American football, no offense, and we wouldn't be able to attend a game."

"Oh."

"Look. I will tell it to you straight right now."

"Tell me what?" I asked, sitting down slowly on Amir's couch.

"I know you and him are close. Like close-close. But you both need a break." Huh? What's this about?

"What do you mean?"

"I saw Amir's plan to buy a ticket for a plane fly over to Louisiana. It was on his phone. He wants to see you, Luna."

"Okay. Why can't he come then?"

"We're not supposed to meet the ones we're connected to. I could meet you in person, but he could never meet you."

"I don't-"

"You don't understand?" Faisal said, finishing my sentence for me. "I'll break it down to you. It's not in our genetic code for anyone who is paired together to ever meet. He wasn't supposed to fall for you either, but he did."

"You mean... he loves me?" I asked, shocked and surprised. Amir had never admitted that, but I'd always known he had deep feelings for me. I felt the same way, and him coming here meant that he sees a future with me.

Faisal nodded his head. "He likes you a lot more than he should. That's not how our species work. I think it's best that you slow things down with him before it becomes too serious. I'm not trying to tear you guys apart, but the outcome of you two meeting could be fatal."

"But how?"

"I can't go into details about what happens, but I will say that meeting him in person isn't an option. It never will be."

I stood to my feet and crossed my arms over my chest, feeling riled up. "And how would you know? You've never met Cassandra."

He jumped up, and stood next to me, then narrowed his eyes. "Actually, I have. We just never touched each other."

"You did? When?" I don't think Amir knows about this.

"Two months after we first communicated. Cassie and I met in Canada in an airport in Toronto. We kept our distance and just had a casual talk at a restaurant nearby. I met her girlfriend and their children, and then the next day I came back to Pakistan. I wanted to give her a hug in person, but I couldn't."

"Why? What would happen?"

"Listen, you just need to know that if you ever see each other in person one day, never touch. It's okay inside your mind, but don't touch physically. It could end in tragedy."

"Why can't you tell me what happens?" I demanded, shifting my leg over.

"There are consequences," he said in a hushed tone.

"I care for him a lot, Faisal. How could I not touch him if he were standing right in front of me?" I replied, holding back tears from slipping through my eyes. Then we heard Amir's voice and looked into the hallway. "How do you know this?" I whispered, gazing back at him.

"Cassandra had a brother who was paired to a woman in Europe. Shortly after they met, they both fell ill. They were just like you two. They fell in love and couldn't resist seeing one another. For some reason that is still unknown, the tethered species aren't supposed to touch. It's a flaw between us, a consequence. No one has figured it out yet."

I walked away and paced back and forth. "Maybe that was something else. You said it's okay for us. Why not for Amir and me?"

"It's the conflict that we wrestle with. We weren't given this gift of telepathy to use it wrongfully. Our minds are supposed to expand to one another for more than a personal reason. We're supposed to support and help each other. Fate, or whatever it was, designed us that way."

"No. You have to be mist-"

"Luna?" Amir murmured behind me, looking sleepy, but still looked
handsome. His long sweat pants hung below his hips and his biceps were so toned, I wanted to run my hands down them for years to come.

I shook my head and looked at Faisal with a mean expression and then gave Amir a soft smile before prancing his way. I needed to feel his arms around me. I needed to breathe in his calming essence. And I needed to get away from his cousin immediately.

I clung to Amir's body and kissed his cheek. Then I whispered to him that I had to go. I appeared back into my studio and gathered my things. It was after eight pm, and I'd already spent a long time here; I needed to get home soon. After rushing out to my car, I closed the door and sat quietly as I collected my thoughts.

I needed time to think and cool down. Faisal ruined my plans to ever meet Amir in person. I've been dying to do that since the moment we first met and right after he calmed me down when I transition into his country. Amir planned a trip here, and I didn't know about it. I found that exciting, but also frightening. I don't know what to do. I know one thing: Amir and I will meet in person, no matter the consequences, even of we had to stay several feet apart.

He had my heart in the palm of his hands.

****

*Amir*

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT, FAISAL?" I demanded from my cousin. He opened his mouth to Luna, and I feel like I've lost her. I've lost the reason I breathe.

"I'm sorry. She needed to understand a few things about our species, and why there can't be anything between you two. Physically."

"But that wasn't your choice to make. I love her. I am falling madly in love with her and planned to finally meet her. How dare you tell her anything!"

"I know. I saw the flight plans you had on your phone. I know how you feel. And you can't be with her."

"And why is that, huh? Why were you even snooping on my phone?"

"I didn't intend to, all right? It beeped before I woke. When I got up to bring it to you, it opened up to the last visited web page you looked at, which was the flight plans. So then, I quietly laid your phone down beside your bed. I'm sorry for looking, okay?" He glared down and brought out his phone, then typed something on it. It angered me that my phone opened up regardless of a password being set. Anyone could do as they please if they got a hold of it. "Listen, I will get a ride home. I shouldn't have bothered you yesterday. I'm sorry."

"You didn't. And you didn't have to tell her anything. Why did you tell her we couldn't be together?"

"It won't work out the way you hope, Amir. Okay? Being near each other in person is a risk."

I ran my hands through my hair and leaned against the wall. That's crap. Just a load of crap. I'm sure there are ways around it. And I'm sure people who are like us have met before. I have to be in her presence. I need to feel her in my arms physically. I desire it so badly.

I pushed off and stood two inches away from him.

"What else do you know about our species that you haven't explained before?"

"It's about Cassie's family. She had a brother who went to Europe to meet the person he was paired for. After they hugged and kissed, she started having a seizure and white foam came out of her mouth. Damien got sick a few minutes later, and they both somehow died. I looked into their circumstance, and I was shocked to find out that many other people have died or gotten seriously ill after meeting who they were tethered to. I wanted to help prevent that for you and Luna."

"Why couldn't you just tell me these things?"

"I tried back in November. But you didn't listen. You're going with your heart here, and it could turn out deadly."

He did try to explain it to me back then, and maybe I didn't want to listen, but he still could have told me about Cassie's brother. Thinking of Cassie, she appeared at Faisal's side with a strange look upon her face.

"Did I interrupt something?" I shook my head.

"No. We were just discussing something. That's all." I gazed at her, and Faisal gave her a quick hug and smiled.

"What are you doing?" he asked her.

"I was about to head to work and wanted to see you before my shift. I'm working all night, and it is rather boring."

"Right," he mumbled back, slightly laughing.

"I came by about an hour ago, but you were asleep on that couch." She is just like Luna, always popping by when I'm asleep.

"Faisal... you're welcome to stay if you want to. I need to go lie down in my room. You've done enough damage," I said, groaning in his direction.

"I'm sorry..." His voice was muffled when I closed my door. I flopped down and brought my arms above my head, deep in thought.

Lying back on my huge pillows, I tuned out Cassie and Faisal as they chat outside my door. I was rattled by him and how he spoke to Luna. He didn't have to inform her of anything. I was going to, and I was planning to leave for America soon. I hope she doesn't disconnect from me for good. He was out of line.

I rolled over and stared out the window as the morning sun shone through the top of the shade. A moment later I felt a soft hand wrap around my waist, and I rolled back over to face my Luna. What he said didn't change us. Good.

"Hey," I said as we're both inside her bathroom. "Don't pay any attention to what my cousin said. He shouldn't have said anything."

"But something he said sparked my curiosity, though," she said quietly.

"If it has to do with my pornography stash, I threw them all away after I connected to you." She inched back and slightly laughed while running a hand down my arm. "That was a joke, by the way."

Damn, she felt so good in my arms.

"That's a relief. He said nothing like that. Although..." she whispered, licking her lips and taunting me with a salacious gaze. "I know something to help you get you through your days that isn't inside a naughty magazine."

"Yeah... and what is that?" I whispered.

"Just being in your presence," she murmured.

"That's just what I needed," I whispered in her ear, smiling quietly. "I figured you two were talking for a long time before I woke up."

"Maybe ten minutes. I'm sorry if we woke you."

I shook my head. "You didn't. I heard a dog bark outside."

"Oh."

"So what brings you by, not that I'm complaining." She smiled up at me.

"Your surprise trip to New Orleans?"

Right... might as well talk about it now. "I was making plans for a business meeting at a hospital in the city. I checked on flight plans to discuss with my contact over there. And in the meantime, while I'm the area, I could meet my other half." She gasped, and her eyes glowed from the soft light shining on her ceiling. "Doesn't that sound... exciting?"

I've rendered her speechless again.

"Wait... you were planning to be in my city, connect to me and say, "Surprise, I'm here!" A girl has to have time to prepare, you know?" I giggled. And then we turned over in my bed. I wrapped her tightly around my body and felt her shiver in my arms. I pushed back to contain my temptations. Then she heard Faisal talking outside, but she wasn't able to hear Cassie.

"Is that Faisal?"

I nodded. "Cassie is visiting him. I was in the middle of chewing him out when she popped by."

"Don't be upset with him. He was only looking out for you. For us."

"I know."

"But I'm confused on how he can see me. I've always thought it was just you."

"Well, you're getting closer to your birthday and normally we can open the bridge up, so to speak, months after contacting with the person we're paired for."

"Well, then, I'm hoping I can make contact with Chris Hemsworth soon. That'll make my year," she commented, making me laugh. "But I won't deny that I enjoy being paired with you."

I leaned down and kissed her forehead, then gazed into her heavenly eyes. "The best thing, the only thing that I enjoy most in my life, is being with you, Luna Carlyle. You are my everything."

"Such a cheesy statement, but I love it."

"It's the truth, Luna. I love you."

"And I love that you love me. It's comforting."

I cupped her cheek and looked her in the eyes, unable to tear my gaze away. "Luna... I understand. It's hard for you to say it back. You don't have to. You have enough going on in your life."

She smiled up at me and ran her nose against my cheek. "But I want to. I love you, too, and I think I always have. It's been hard on me, especially fighting what I want to do in my life. And then I think about him, Amir. This will crush him, but I will talk to him. It will be before he makes anymore plans for marrying me on Memorial Day."

Wrapping her tightly in my arms, I kissed her forehead and ran my fingers in her delicate hair. We were on the floor in her bathroom and we heard Chase coughing in the other room.

"I understand that you have his feelings to think about too," I whispered, burying my face in between her neck and shoulder. She shook her head and looked up at me.

"My feelings for you differ greatly from him. I've only been with him for the past six years, but everything changed the moment you entered my world. I didn't just say 'I love you' and not feel it. I do."

We we're then interrupted when there was a knock on her bathroom door.

"Lu? Are you okay?" Chase asked on the other side.

She pulled herself up and fixed her nightgown. Then she peeked out the door at him. "I'll be out in a minute. It won't take long." She brought up her phone and waved it around like she was chatting to someone on the other line. I think he bought that.

"Sure," he murmured, and then leaned in to kiss her lips. I almost felt like running my fist into his jaw, but I stepped aside for his love for her. It wasn't my place to be upset. I was the one who disrupted her life to begin with.

She closed the door and turned back to me. "Sorry about that."

"I understand. It pains me, but I get it."

"Amir," she said, holding my hands. "He can't suspect anything. If he thought for one second that his fiancé was talking to herself, he'd put me in a mental institution. And then I'd be given medication that could prevent us from seeing one another. I can't risk that."

"Neither can I," I told her, holding her thin frame. Damn, she's so good-looking and smelled so damn good.

"I've got to go back in there. I'll see you later. Good morning, by the way."

I laughed and hugged her a moment longer. "Good night, Luna." She beamed at me and kissed my cheek.

How were we going to continue this when there were so many complications that kept arising between us? It was so frustrating.

But she chose me. She also admitted to me that she loved me too. With true love, you know the reason your life is beautiful because of the other person. It's when you're lost in their presence, and a million thoughts of them flood inside your mind. And when you aren't around them, you can't stop thinking about them, or wondering how they are. The only thing that will get you through your day is simply by checking in on them. She will end things with Chase soon, and we'll go from there, working side by side through these consequences together.

Thoughts? Questions? This was a double POV chapter! As always, thank you for reading, my Tethered Clan. 😎

***
And P.S.: If you are hoping for Amir and Luna to be together in the end, I have one sentence for you. Do not lose hope. When it comes to Tethered Souls, you never know what will happen. That's all for now. 😉