1;

                                    

                                          
George
in my school, there are two groups.
                          
the americans, which consisted of the cool kids being gamers and the smartest dude being a drunk,
                          
and the brits and scotts, entitling me and my friends as the cool kids. also gamers. even though we all came here from the U.K., we still take up nearly half the school and over half the cool kids gang. 
                          
the two sides mostly got along, depending on the friend group. it's not like Wilbur and Techno are gonna mix anymore, so i have to be careful who i talk about around certain people.
                          
of course, we all get along over one video game, a 2009 widespread all-device block pixel game about living life. 
Minecraft.
                          
at this point in high school, if you're part of the hierarchy of popular kids like i've been sucked into, you're pretty much obligated to have a PC and a discord account and pay $35 for Minecraft. i already had a PC shipped here from my house is London, so i was prepared to become a "cool kid".
                          
the thing is, our world isn't some normal iconic high school story where we cry tears at the end of every school year and graduate to find love in our mid-20s and settle down by 30. in our world, by some unknown force, we have assigned soulmates. 
                          
it happens on your 18th birthday. a two sentence message appears neatly scrawled on the inside of your left forearm, ready for you when you wake up in the morning. 
Welcome to your new life as the other half of a soulmate. To come in contact with your soulmate, place a pen upon your skin and write.
and that was all that you got. it disappears at midnight on your birthday, but at that point you've already scribbled a paragraph on your hands, arms and shoulders.
                          
or at least, that's what i did. you have no idea if your soulmate is already 18 or not when you hit your soulmate-earning birthday. if they are, it comes as a surprise to them when a billion messages start appearing on their body. but if it's the other way around, you'll be the one waiting for the day of fate when the person the universe decided you will be with writes something.
                          
it's been three months since i turned 18, and my soulmate hasn't written anything. of course, i couldn't be bothered with all that meant-to-be crap, because i've got a perfectly wonderful girlfriend. i'm betting we are soulmates, because i've never seen her write on herself or ask me to write on myself. 
                          
Christie's amazing. we've been together for a year now, and she turned 18 two months before i did. she told me exactly what it was like to see the message on your arm, to feel the power of your new ability.
unlike me, Christie really likes believing in true love and soulmates. so if we don't end up being soulmates, i don't know what we'll do.

                          
but for now, all is well. i don't have to worry about soulmates or Christie having someone else for the time being because i know that she loves me, and i know that i love her.
                          
besides, it can't not be Christie. who else could it be?
                          
--------------
                          
i wake up reluctantly with the relentless light of day streaming into my room. sadly, it's Thursday, my least favourite day for one reason and one reason only.

                          
dodgeball.
                          
i sigh in contempt and start my morning routine, combing through my bedhead and pulling on a white t-shirt, putting a blue sweater on top of it. it's a chilly morning, and ice lays thin across the sidewalk as i gaze out of my window, getting my socks on.