Lance groaned and started to wipe the sleep from his eyes. He checked the clock 9:45am.
Crap, my mom will kill me for oversleeping.'Lance rolled out of bed, quickly got changed in his church clothes, and made his way downstairs.
--
“Lance you must eat. We need to leave in 15 minutes.” Lance’s mom spoke as she placed a plate of eggs and bacon in front of Lance.
“I will mama.” Lance started to eat, his eyes wandering around the table looking at his four sibling. His eyes focused on the empty seat at the table, 2 months today.
Lance’s father noticed where Lance was looking and cleared his throat “Lance do not dwell on that past.”
Lance looked at his father and nodded “I wasn’t.”
“Lance when you’re done eating, can you put the twins shoes on?” His mother asked from the kitchen.
“Sí mamá.” Lance took a small bite of his eggs and glanced at his wrist April 14th, 2017 so close yet so far away.
---
“Come on Emily, Lily, and Benji, get out of the car.” Lance ordered his sibling and he grabbed his youngest sister from the car seat.
Her name was Anna, she just turned 5 about 3 weeks prior. She didn’t talk much. Just sat there and listened to everyone. She resembled Lance, with matching skin tones and shoulder length curly brown hair.
Lance shifted Anna so she was on his hip “Emily and Lily did you grab your bibles?”
“Yes!” They both screamed and held there bibles up for Lance to see.
Lily and Emily were both 7, identical twins. They had caramel colored skin and long dark brown hair. They agreed on everything except Lily preferred the color pink and Emily preferred the color blue. This unfortunately did not sit well with the parents. While Lily got to enjoy pink, Emily never got anything blue since it was a “boy’s color.”
Lance smiled at the two girls and glanced at Benji who was adjusting his tie.
“Benji if you keep playing with that, I’ll have to retie it.” Lance patted Benji’s head.
Benji was 9, and was constantly full of energy. He was always smiling. He had slightly darker skin than his other siblings and had light brown hair.
“I’m sorry hermano.” Benji ran forward and walked with his parent.
“Okay,” Lance looked at his siblings, “let’s get going before we are late.” They all started walking towards the church.
-
Lance kneeled forward and started to pray. He could hear his father and mother praying along with his siblings. After a few minutes he sat back up on the bench, staring at the date on his wrist. Lance smiled to himself. In a few days he would met his soulmate. He knew that she would be the best thing that ever happened to him. He couldn’t wait to bring her home to met his family, and to hug and hold her. Lance smiled to himself and turned his attention back towards the pastor.
-
“Yet again another amazing service.” Lance’s mother said to the pastor as they were exiting the church.
“Thank you very much Mrs. McClain.”
“I am very happy you let us come back to the church.” She smiled as she wrapped her arm around her husband.
“Why of course, why should the entire family suffer for one child sins.” The pastor replied with a grin.
“Amen to that.” and they all made there way to the car.
-
“So Lance, the 14th is approaching fast.” Lance's father said as he flipped a page in his newspaper.
Lance sat up on the couch. “Yes it is.” He couldn’t help but grin like an idiot.
“Well as soon as you met her, you must bring her home for us to met.”
“I will father.” Lance grinned wide.
“But listen here my boy, you better not end up like your sister through.”
Lance heard his mother say amen and enter the living room drying her hands on a towel.
Lance slightly winced at the mention of his sister. “I won’t father. I promise.”
“Good, I will not tolerate a faggot living under this house.” Lance's father folder his newspaper and placed it on the coffee table in front of him.
“I’m aware father, that’s why Cam-”
“WE DO NOT SPEAK OF HER NAME LANCE!” his mother screamed. She never did. Lance stared at his mother and saw how she fought back tears.
Lance's father grabbed his mother's hand from where he was sitting. “It is okay darling, we have removed that sin from our lives.” Mrs. McClain nodded and wiped her face.
“God bless.”
-
Lance reached over and helped Anna clean her face with a napkin. He received a thankful smile from his mother, then continued eating his dinner.
Everyone was sitting in silence, and Lance would never say it out loud but he despised the quiet. He missed the dinners were they would all laugh and talk about their day. That joy however left, along with his sister.
Lance wasn't the only one that hated the silence. Emily did almost as much as Lance. However Lance would endure it, while Emily would try to break it. Her questions (or what she asked to try engage in a conversation with anyone) would usually be answered with quick 5 words sentences.Yet this night, she asked the wrong question.
“When will Camilla come home?” Lance dropped his fork and stared at her. He knew she didn’t mean any harm by the question, she was only 7. But anything to do with his sister was off limits and would usually equal a slap from papa.
Lance watched his father wipe his face on his napkin and stare at Emily. “Never.” That one word sent shivers down Lance’s spine.
“What do you mean?” Emily inquired. She simply thought she was finally starting a good conversation.
“She is not allowed back home dear.” Lance's mother quietly said as she scooped up some potatoes on her fork.
“Did she do something bad?” Emily asked.
“Yeah! Like break the law?” Lily piped in.
“She was a sinner. Duh” Benji said as he rolled his eyes at the twins.
“What did she do?” Emily and Lily both asked at the same time.
“She was weak.” Lance's father silenced everyone. “Her soulmate was another female. She promised that she would not fall in love with her soulmate and yet she did. She knew the consequences of being a ‘lesbian’ except she choose sinning over her family. She is the reason we couldn’t go to church for a month, because the church didn’t want sinners.”
“However we managed to talk to the pastor and with much begging he allowed us back in.” Lance’s mother seem to gleam as she spoke of their pastor.
“Now I never want to hear her name every again or hear any of you talk about her again.” Lance’s father spoke and Emily didn’t talk the rest of the dinner.
-
The next few days seem to drag on. Everyday was one day closer to April 14th and Lance couldn’t wait any longer.
“So did you hear that we're getting a new student tomorrow?” Hunk asked as he sat his tray down and sat next to his soulmate Shay.
Lance would never say it but he was always envious of Hunk and Shay, they met when they were 5 and have been inseparable ever since.
“No, I didn’t.” Lance said as he moved his book bag for Katie to sit down in.
Katie glanced at Lance’s wrist, “Hey maybe they're your soulmate!?”
Lance’s eyes widened, he didn’t consider that. He nearly snapped his neck turning towards Katie “Hey! You could be right. Maybe she is. It would be cool to go to the same school so we could hold hands and stuff.”
Katie groaned and Hunk and Shay chuckled.
“Sure buddy. Whatever makes you happy.” Hunk bit into his sandwich.
---
That night Lance could barely sleep his was too hyped up. Tomorrow he would met the love of his life. He knew everything would be perfect.
---
Lance jumped out of his bed as soon as his alarm went off. He ran to his closet and put on the nicest outfit he had (outside of his church clothes). Lance wore a white and blue baseball shirt, his signature green jacket, jeans and his nice shoes. He wanted..no needed to make a good impression on the future Mrs. McClain. Once Lance checked himself out about 50 times in the mirror he bolted downstairs to help his mom with breakfast.
---
“Big day huh Lance.” Lance’s mom pulled up in front of the school.
“Yeah, it is.” Lance adjusted his jacket. He started to open the door but his mom stopped him.
“Don’t worry hun, she will love you. Well she has to.”
“Thanks mom.” He kissed her cheek and got out of the car. This was going to be the best day ever.
---
Lance walked into the school and started making his way to where he and the gang stood before classes started at 8. He was about half way there before he saw another person standing by his friends.
This boy wore an obnoxiously red cropped top jacket. He had black pants and boots on and, was that a mullet?
Lance immediately knew that he didn’t like this guy. Lance started walking slightly faster towards his friends. When he was about 5 feet away Hunk noticed him.
“Hey Lance! Met the newby!” Hunk gestured towards the boy.
The boy turned to look at Lance and immediately Lance felt a tingle on his wrist, right where the date was. Lance looked down and watch how the date started to changed. He looked at the boy who rolled up his sleeve to stare at his forearm.
Lance held his breath this can not be happening. After a brief moment the tingling stopped.
Lance heard someone clear his throat. “I guess we’re soulmates.” The raven haired boy stared at his left forearm with the name Lance written in blue ink.
Lance’s eyes widened at the name Keith written in red on his right wrist.
Lance looked at the boy who was smiling and blushing at Lance. Lance clenched his teeth. No way is my soulmate a guy. Before Lance could think anymore be slammed his fist into Keith's face.