Dearest, Soulmate (Jamilton)

4. Dearest, Curiosity

Jefferson

Everyone knew that soulmates were decided with complicated codes and commands put into the chips that everyone has. The chips gather data and over the years, the things gathered from behavior and thoughts connect everyone to someone else. Someone, no matter how far across the globe, would always connect to someone else and that was just how the soulmates worked. 

So it was no wonder why Thomas wanted more than anything to find out why he didn't connect with anyone. What made him so special that he didn't connect with literally anyone, anywhere? It confused him. He was special in the way that a mother would say to their toddler, but that was about it. He wasn't some new type of human, he didn't have any new or unusual traits, hell he was barely an outspoken person. He still hated giving speeches or failing assignments, so what made him different?

"Tommy?" Mary asked, waving her hand in front of his face. "You okay over there, buddy?"

He nodded and shook away his thoughts. "Yeah, fine, just—"

"Stop," she interrupted. "I'm literally your best friend and I've known you since you were born. Think over your lie and at least make it believable."

'Typical Mary,' Thomas thought. No one could lie to her in their house, she knew all her siblings like the back of her hand and all of them knew it. 

"You're thinking of the soulmate thing, aren't you?" she asked quietly when he didn't finish his excuse. "Tommy, you can't live on that!" 

"I know! I just, I don't know, I need to figure out why I don't have one." He pushed his spoon around absently in his tomato soup. It seemed like it'd taste good when he got home, but now it just seemed like flavorless red goop. 

"We've tried figuring it out, sometimes people just don't have soulmates," Mary reassured. 

Thomas stayed quiet. It was the same conversation they'd had a million times over, nothing new. 

"Tell you what," Mary practically shouted as she stood up from the table. "why don't we go out and do something? Just me and you." 

'Just me and you' was definitely an interesting sentence from a girl living in a house with nine people other than her, especially with most of those people being siblings that want to tag along to everything. Not to mention the fact that they had one car and they'd have to run leaving the house by their mother, which would lead to at least one of the little kids demanding to come with. 

Still, loving the idea of relaxing with his best friend for a little while, he smiled and nodded. 

"Alright! You go get the keys from Mama, I'll get Jane to distract everyone else," Mary directed. Thomas admired how she made everything seem so exciting. He knew they were probably just going to a restaurant or a movie or something, but she made it sound like they were planning a heist. It was arguably one of the things he loved most about his sister, everything was that much more interesting with her around. 

Thomas dumped out his tomato soup and went over to his mama's room. The door was cracked open so he slowly pushed it open and poked his head in. When he saw that she was just dealing with the twins, he stepped in fully. Immediately, Anna jumped into his arms. 

"Hey, Mama," Thomas laughed, hefting his sister onto his hip. "Me and Mary are goin' out, okay?" 

"Where're you goin'?" 

"She wouldn't tell me." Anna pushed to get away from Thomas, so he let her down. "We'll be back in time for dinner, I promise." 

The woman nodded before turning and tapping Randolph on the hand for touching something he shouldn't have been. "Yes, that's fine. You'd better be here before dinner's ready, though."