4

When Soulmates Eyes Meet

Elinor stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her gaze trailed down the emerald dress she was wearing that went past below her knees. A black cloak was dangling on her right arm. She held a book in her hand, which for her, is a must-have when venturing outside.

She looked very neat regardless of her red hair being let down, with some strands freely cascading down her shoulders. For a moment, she almost wanted to tie her hair up into a bun but decided to just leave it as is. Her hair was just way past her shoulders, totally manageable.

Glinda had told her it is quite windy outside. And so, she tucked her hair in the back of her ears and secured it with a hair clip made of pearls.

Earlier, Glinda had just arrived from outside of the town. After having some breakfast together, Glinda went to her chamber, while Elinor went upstairs to change into her outdoor clothing.

She gave her reflection a final look before she picked up her empty basket and headed downstairs.

Elinor almost missed the last step of the stairs to her surprise when she saw Bonnie, her friend, standing beside the entrance door, her back against the wall. Bonnie almost looked like a statue had she not uncrossed her arms and blinked.

“Bonnie! How did you get inside?” Elinor asked, making her way to her friend.

“Your mum lets me in, says you’re going out today, and suggested I should go with you,” Bonnie replied, her eyes scanning her from head to foot.

“I thought mum was asleep. Anyway, you should have gone upstairs instead of gluing yourself into the wall like that.”

“Well, it’s not like I’ve been here minutes ago. I’ve just got here, really. Your mum went back to her room just as you went down here.” Bonnie said.

Elinor thinks back to the time she and Bonnie saw each other for the first time in her usual reading spot that’s under a wisteria tree located just near their cabin. She was ten, and Bonnie was two years older than her. Her younger self never thought back then that Bonnie would end up being her friend.

Bonnie was a bit intimidating to look at. Elinor recalls their first meeting with her thinking Bonnie does not like her. This is because Bonnie had monolid eyes that made her look as if she was judging your every movement. It turns out, Bonnie was intrigued by the book that she was reading. Elinor remembers how awkward Bonnie was at that time and so was Elinor.

And it was that awkward moment that started their friendship. It cannot be denied that the two of them share common interests in books, and they both like silence. Sometimes, they discuss their own interpretations of the books they read, and it would be the only time Bonnie would speak more than she really used to.

One thing about Bonnie that Elinor really liked was her mind. You see, Bonnie does not really speak much, but when she does speak her mind about something, you will have something to learn just by listening to her speak.

Another thing about Bonnie, she rarely visits Elinor. She almost always does not leave her room, and Elinor would always be the one to seek her out.

But seeing that her reclusive friend is here, Elinor couldn’t help but point it out.

“What brings you here, by the way?”

Bonnie’s eyes flicked at her questions, looking glad that she asked her.

“It’s best if we talk about it on our way to town,” Bonnie said, making Elinor’s curiosity peak.

They instantly stepped outside the door and out the entrance gate. Both of them are wearing their cloaks now to protect themselves from the sunlight. Young werewolves like them should always wear protective clothing because too much exposure can burn their skin. Fortunately for them, the sun is not scorching during the month of April which makes it even safer to wander around.

“Now, tell me what could be the reason behind your visit today. You’re too lazy to get out of your room, let alone come with me. What is it?” Elinor asked, eager to know what Bonnie has to tell.

They walked down the path lined with tall pine trees on both sides that led to town.

Bonnie looked at her for a short moment and then fixed her gaze toward the far distance and asked, “Do you remember the last time we went to the village’s town?”

Elinor’s brow arched, and slowly she replied, “Yes, yes I did.” She did remember it. It was over a month ago, and as far as she could remember, there was nothing memorable that day. They had a good time strolling and trying out foods, and then Glinda escorted her back home earlier than expected, while Bonnie chose to stay for a bit, and that was that… Elinor guessed.

“Well, something happened when you were gone,” said Bonnie, the sound of mystery in her voice makes Elinor impatient.

“My goodness, Bonnie. Can’t you just spit it out already?” Elinor blurted out. Bonnie laugh with no sound escaping her wide-open mouth which made it clear to Elinor that her friend is having fun teasing her. Elinor only rolled her eyes and let out an impatient huff.

“Alright. It was my cousin. I think— no, I am very sure he grew an interest in you, particularly that day when we went out.”

“Your cousin?” Elinor meant to ask which cousin was it, but Bonnie only nods her head, saying “Yes. Well, that’s not really the main point. The point is that I made a deal with him. That is, if I make you go talk to him, he’d go and buy me the newest book of Fyodor.” Bonnie said, grinning from ear to ear.

Elinor gasped, and clung her arm to Bonnie’s “Fyodor! Are you for real? I’d go talk to him then only if you ask him to buy two of those.”

“Oh, come on, I’ll just lend it to you after. I heard it is expensive.” Bonnie muttered.

“Wait a second, Bonnie, which cousin are we talking about?” Elinor asked again.

It was known to Elinor that Bonnie had many cousins on her father’s side. However, she does not know them really well but she does see them whenever she visits Bonnie’s family estate. Apparently, Bonnie and her cousins all lived in one small estate but Bonnie never really associates herself with her cousins, so Elinor never had one formal interaction with them. If she remembered it right, Bonnie had eleven cousins, only three of them are females, the rest are all lads.

“We’re talking about Colin here.”

Colin… Elinor’s eyes widen in shock. An image of a young man with a scar on his right cheek appeared in her mind. She then shut her eyes closed.

“Colin, the son of Tatiana? The one who mistakenly barged inside while we were hanging out in your room” she asks in clarification. She could not believe it. Why would he take an interest in her? He looked like someone who never bother if he grew old all alone. She had never heard a single word out of his mouth. While the halls of their estate are filled with bickering, Elinor recalled seeing Colin just staring out the window looking calm and collected.

Bonnie smirked. “Yes. Except he did not mistakenly enter my room. He was pushed by my brother.”

Elinor’s forehead creased. “Why would they push him?”

Bonnie lets out a grunt, “You just don’t get it, do you? You really are slower than me”

They fell silent, the sound of their dress and cloaks flapping with every step they take. The wind blew, making the trees sway, and the leaves on the ground lifted and blew in every direction.

“He likes you. And he’s not making an effort in hiding it. See? He even bribed me just to get you to him.”

Elinor drew in a sharp breath. Suddenly, her stomach felt funny. She was not in front of him, yet she was already picturing it inside her head.

All because of Fyodor’s book, she is letting her friend lead her to the young man whom she has never spoken to ever, and who apparently had taken an interest in her, and Elinor just wanted to know why, and since when did he start liking her.

After almost half an hour of walking, Elinor and Bonnie finally arrived at the end of the forest trail. The trail led into a wide clearing, where villages made off of bricks and cobbles are scattered.

They emerged in the trees and made their way on the cobblestone path walk. Their wedged sandals made clacking sounds with each step. A few of the villagers turn their heads to where they are and offered a small acknowledging smile and went back to their businesses.

Glinda used to bring her along here, a lot of times, they always head towards the marketplace to buy supplies, and sometimes, they sell their crops to the market as well. After that, Glinda would take her to a tailoring shop, and then into their local bookstore where Elinor’s love for reading started.

She missed her mother at the thought, at the same, it made her realize she is no longer a young kid that always tags along with her mother wherever she went. She’s all grown up now, fully capable of making a decision for herself.

They stopped at the back of the local pub where there are tables and chairs and no one was about except one man sitting on the far side of the open area.

Elinor knew it was him even without looking in his direction. She can feel his gaze in her peripheral vision.

“Remember the book. I will just be nearby. Listen, you don’t have to worry about a thing, there’s more to Colin than meets the eye.” Bonnie muttered, once again reminding Elinor of their other business here in town.

Elinor was about to utter her reply that she was not, in any way, worried about anything. She does not feel threatened, or uncomfortable by the thought. If she was, she would not let Bonnie drag her here. And Bonnie probably knew that fact about her because before Elinor could reply, Bonnie quickly fled the scene and made her way out of the area.

She felt a presence standing behind her, and suddenly, the funny feeling she had in her stomach a while ago are now spreading throughout her body and reaching her heart which starts to thump abnormally.

Slowly, she turns around and both of them quickly made a two-step backward as they were facing each other rather too close. He cleared his throat. Elinor’s eyes went down to their feet, absently bit her lower lip.

Great, she mumbles to herself.

She finds it hard to level his stare. She never looked into one’s eyes and felt like she is being flipped inside and out like he was reading her very soul as if he had been looking for her all this time.

What am I getting myself into? she asked herself in her mind.

“Miss Elinor, allow me to formally introduce myself to you. I am Colin of the bloody immortal’s pack. I apologize for that one time when you were in our estate and I… well, I barged into my cousin’s room. I did plan to introduce myself to you, but then, I never saw you again in our estate after that.” A hint of sadness in his voice was apparent to Elinor.

Elinor was quite taken aback by his formality, and even more, surprised that this seemingly nonchalant man cared so much about that little incident in their estate.

But she finds it lovely to hear someone addressed her as Miss. It was… very ladylike to be called one, and in fact, no one had ever called her Miss Elinor until now.

She mustered up her courage to look straight into his eyes and said, “Is that all you want to say?”

Clearly, Elinor was expecting to hear it from his own lips the words she only read in a romance novel. For a moment, Elinor thought Bonnie may have misunderstood her cousin’s intent. She starts to think that maybe Bonnie was wrong, or maybe she is wrong to understand that Colin likes her in a romantic kind of way.

But then, their eyes meet and all doubts she had seconds ago vanish, her mind completely forgot Fyodor’s book.

Everything becomes clear—this young man surely liked her.