Awkward didn't even begin to describe how it felt. Kale and I were sitting on the couch in absolute silence, staring straight ahead at the TV. That wasn't even turned on.

I was wracking my brain, trying to find something to talk about. I ignored the obvious conversation topic. I refused to think about kissing him, because it'd make me want to do it again. And at the moment, I was still unsure about how I felt about the whole kissing thing.

Kale had been my first kiss.

I had thought, that when it came, I'd put up more resistance. I thought that I was going to, I don't know, play hard to get or something. At least I'd thought about it in my mind during the rare occasions that I actually thought about kissing someone. I didn't, however, see myself being and actual girl and getting all warm and fuzzy inside.

It was almost disgusting how I'd wanted to like, jump up and down about it.

"So…" he said, "We should talk about…that."

"No. No, we shouldn't. We should just…forget that it happened." It killed me inside to say that. I felt a little piece of myself dying. I hadn't actually meant to say it. It was kind of just a reflex.

"Nope. Sorry. We're not forgetting that we kissed,"

I blinked at him, "O-okay. But just, um, don't…tell the guys, okay? Or…anyone."

"Why not?"

"Because I-" I stopped myself. The only explanation that I had was that I simply didn't want anyone to know. The guys would tease me about it. No one else would really care, but it'd get back to at least Kyle. Who would tell the rest of the guys about it. The teasing would never end.

"'Cause it'd ruin the tough girl image you have?" he asked.

"I do not have a tough girl image," I snorted.

"Yes you do. I've been here for two weeks, and every guy in our class wants to ask you out, but they won't. 'Cause they think you'll turn 'em down."

"Well..they're right. I would turn them down."

"Because you're maintaining an image."

"No, because I don't want to date anyone. I don't even want to go on a date with anyone. I'm not just trying to uphold some image. And they only want to go out with me because other sixteen year old girls will do pretty much anything to go out with one of them. And I couldn't care less. It's all just a game to them."

"So if someone was serious about wanting to date you…what would they have to do?"

"He'd have to do a hell of a lot more than just ask me out. I'm not interested in sex. That's all they want. And they can get it from the myriad of other teenage girls out there."

"Not all guys want sex,"

"I have yet to find one. At least…one that's interested in me. Like, romantically interested."

"I don't want sex, and I'm interested in you."

That made me freeze. He…what?

"Come on. Is that so hard to believe?"

"Kind of,"

"Why?"

"Because…look at me! The only thing girly about me is my hair."

"You say that like it's a bad thing,"

I sighed, "Guys like you don't want girls like me,"

"Girls like you?"

"Yes. Girls who…girls who dress like guys. Girls who only wear make up to cover up zits. Girls who can eat a whole pizza and still want ice cream. And then more pizza."

"There's nothing wrong with a healthy appetite. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with the way you are, Chris. From the way you dress to the way you eat. Everything about you is…captivating."

--

Kale's POV

--

"There's nothing wrong with a healthy appetite. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with the way you are, Chris. From the way you dress to the way you ear. Everything about you is…captivating." And I'll spend the rest of my life showing you that if you'll let me.

She didn't realize just how beautiful she was.

I had to explain to her about the sparks, but how? How was I supposed to explain the soulmate thing to her? It wasn't going to be easy, I knew that.

"Chris," I said after she didn't speak for a few minutes.

She looked at me with those big green eyes of hers, "Yeah?"

"….the sparks."

"What about them?"

"They, uh, they mean that, um…they mean that we…that we're…"

"Spit it out, Kale,"

"Theymeanthatwe'resoulmates."

--

Christabel's POV

--

"Theymeanthatwe'resoulmates."

Whoa, whoa, back up. "Did you just say soulmates?" I couldn't have heard that right.

He rubbed the back of his neck, "That came out wrong."

"You said soulmates,"

"Yeah."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, we're soulmates. We're supposed to be together forever."

"And how do sparks prove that we're soulmates?"

"Think about it. Have you ever touched anyone else and felt them?"

"Well…no. But that doesn't mean-"

"Yes. Yes it does."

There was no possible way that feeling the sparks meant that we were soulmates. There was no possible way that we were soulmates. Not that being eternally linked to Kale would be horrible, because, I mean, god. Just look at him. The man practically oozed sexual appeal. Tan skin, blonde hair, blue eyes. And if his arms were any indication, he had a body that was to die for…and…

Fuck.

That is the only way to explain the way I felt.

"Wait. How do you know this, and I don't?" I asked, narrowing my eyes slightly at him.

He rubbed the back of his neck, "Uhh…"

And then my phone rang. I'm pretty sure that he was happy for the interruption. I, however, had made up my mind to get right back to the conversation. As soon as I got rid of whoever decided that right now would be the perfect time to call me.

"What?" I asked into the phone. Okay, so I was a little annoyed.

"Whoa. Hello to you too," it was Shade's voice on the other line.

"Oh. Shade. Hey. What's up?"

"Your estrogen level, obviously. I mean, damn, did you forget to take your happy pill or something?"

"What the fuck do you want, Shade?" I asked.

"Right. Uh, we were just wondering if you wanted to hang out or something."

"Um…no. I'm good. Tired." I glanced over at Kale, who looked like he was somewhere between constipated and in some serious physical pain.

…was that my fault?

"Okay. Hey, we might come over later. That cool?"

"Sure," I replied, "Oh, my brother's in town and I know he'll want to meet you guys so…don't make plans for tomorrow, okay?"

"Us? Plans? You've got to be joking."

I laughed. He was right; the three of them never made plans to do anything, "Okay. I'll call you tomorrow. Or talk to you tonight."

"You got it, babe." He hung up then.

That annoyed me. All of then hung up the phone without saying goodbye. And then, I turned back to Kale, "So?"

"Eh, that's…kinda hard to explain."

"Do it anyway,"

"So…I'm a prince."

"You're a what?" double take, anyone?

"Yeah. Of this little island that no one knows about. Well, obviously people know about it. Just now a lot of people,"

"And that explains you knowing that we're soulmates…how?"

"It doesn't. Not really. I-" he sighed, "Shit. I shouldn't have said anything."

"Well, you did. So fucking explain it to me before I kick you out of my house." I was about to be pissed. You don't just spring something like being soulmates on a sixteen year old girl, and then tell them that you shouldn't have said anything. You just…don't Because girls believe in soulmates. Even if they don't want to. Which I don't. …but I do.

He sighed, "I can't explain it, not yet. All I know is that it means we're soulmates, babe,"

"You can't just-" I sighed. It wasn't worth it. I hated arguing. I was intrigued, to say the least, but I believed him when he said that he couldn't tell me about it.

I don't remember starting to kiss Kale, nor do I remember being pulled into his lap; I didn't remember when his hands found their way under my shirt and rested on my hips. I do, however, remember how it felt to have this tips of his calloused fingers rub my back ever so lightly.

And I do remember my friends bursting into my apartment, carrying food, soda, and video games.

"What the hell?" Shade asked, after I had slid back to the couch and scooted over as far as possible.

"Guys—" I began. But I didn't know what to say.

Shade, more than anyone else, looked hurt. Like I'd just kicked his dog or broken his favorite CD…on purpose.

"If you didn't want to hang out with us, you could have just said you were getting cozy with your boyfriend," he spat.

"It's not like that, Shade," I began, "And I never said I didn't want to hang out with you guys. I do remember telling you that you could come over. All I said is that I didn't want to go out. That's it. And we weren't getting cozy."

"Really?! 'Cause it looked like you two were a few items of clothing away from having sex,"

"Shade, you do not get to come in here and act like I did something wrong. This is my fucking apartment. Mine. I can do whatever the hell I want."

"Obviously!" he yelled.

I was utterly confused about why he was so mad, "Go to hell, Shade!"

"Right back at ya, sweetie!"

Then the door slammed. I heard his angry footsteps pounding on the steps. A few seconds later, I heard a car door slam shut.

"Uh, maybe I should go.." Kale said.

"Yeah. Probably."

He left without another word.

Maks and Kyle were staring at me, like they couldn't believe what was going on. Probably shocked about my kissing Kale, and the fight with Shade.

Shade and I never fought. We were like twins. Mischief loving, plotting twins.

I frowned at them, "What?"

"Nothing," Kyle said.

"You guys should go too. I don't want you to be caught in the middle of anything."

"Sure. Bye," Maks said.

They left me alone.

School pretty much sucked without Shade to goof around with. He as mad at me, and I honestly didn't know why. He did, apparently, but he wouldn't even so much as talk to me. I had a feeling that Maks and Kyle were mad at me too, but they never said anything. They just hung around with Shade all day.

Suddenly, I was back in seventh grade. The new girl in yet another school, because my parents decided that they didn't like my old one. Story of my life. But I didn't have any friends then, either. It was the middle of the school year, so everyone had already decided who they were and weren't going to be friends with. So I was stuck somewhere between 'new girl' and 'out cast' for the rest of the school year. It sucked then, too.

Eighth grade had been slightly better, when I hung out with the volleyball team that I was on. And then I tested out of two grades of high school, and was back in pretty much the same boat. Because I was a Junior at fifteen years old.

And then, Shade came along. He was seventeen, and the first guy besides my brother that I ever really talked to. I had a crush on him for the longest time. But I grew out of it when we got to know each other better. Shade brought Kyle and Maks with him, as the three were already best friends.

Kale wasn't even at school. But I didn't mind that as much as not being able to talk to Shade, especially when he sat beside me in almost every class. Normally, I would have had so many things to say. I still did, actually, I just didn't have anyone to tell them to.

After school ended, I didn't wait around like I usually did. I got my books and left the school, not even stopping to try to talk to Shade one more time. I went straight home. I did not pass go, I did not collect two hundred dollars.

I started working on my homework right after I got home around one. The next thing I knew, it was seven and very dark outside. My phone was ringing.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Hey, kiddo," it was Landon.

"Hi," I said.

"What's up?"

I sighed, "Not a thing, brother of mine. Not a thing."

"I see. Have you eaten dinner yet?"

As if on cue, my stomach started to growl, "No, I haven't."

"Okay. Well, cool if we come over?"

"Sure. Actually, I'd love the company."

"Great. We'll be over in twenty. Hey, do you like Indian or Chinese better?"

"Uhh…I like both,"

"Okay. See you."

"Bye," I hung up the phone without waiting for a reply. I finished the few math problems I had left to do, then put my school work away and did what little clean up that needed to be done.

By the time Landon and Chad got there, my stomach was about to eat me alive. I mentally promised it that I wouldn't make it go so long between feedings ever again.

"You okay?" Landon asked me just after we sat down at the table to eat.

"Huh?" I asked.

"You've been stabbing that same piece of chicken with your chopstick for the past ten minutes," Chad replied.

"Oh. Yeah. I'm fine. There's just this…thing with the guys."

Landon frowned, "What kind of thing?"

"Oh, you know. They kind of walked in while I was making out with Kale."

My brother frowned at me, "I thought you said there wasn't anything going on between you two."

"There wasn't. There's not." I had to correct myself. There wasn't anything going on between Kale and I. Not really. But knowing that didn't stop me from wishing that maybe..

"So you kissed him…why?" Chad asked.

"Uh, 'cause he's hot," the tone of my voice was very obviously 'duh.' That, and it was overly sarcastic. It wasn't their business why I kissed Kale. And I didn't even really know, past the fact that he was hot. I wasn't about to tell them that we had some sort of connection. That just sounded stupid.

Landon sighed, "Okay. Why did your friends get mad about it?"

"How the hell should I know?!" I exploded, "God, Landon! I'm not inside of their heads! I have no idea why the hell Shade got mad." I sat back in my chair, crossing my arms.

"Sorry for assuming you tried to talk to them," he said, meeting my steely gaze and holding it.

"Oh, I did. Only Shade wouldn't talk to me." I sighed, "Whatever." I lowered my eyes. I stabbed a piece of my chicken and put it in my mouth, "It's not like I care. They're just..stupid boys."

"Stupid boys that have been your only friends since last year."

"That's not true. I have other friends."

"Like who?" Landon challenged.

Okay, so I was a little hard pressed to find people that I was friends with, other than Shade, Maks, and Kyle. "Troy," I said. That was a flimsy one. Technically, we were friends. But we hardly ever spoke, thanks to his bitch of a girlfriend, and hanging out was totally foreign to us. Also thanks to his bitch of a girlfriend.

"Really." It wasn't a question, "I've never heard you mention this Troy guy. Ever."

"So? Just because I don't tell you everything doesn't mean I don't have other friends."

"It kind of-"

"Just. Stop. Landon." I all but hissed it out, "So, Chad. When are you going to make an honest man out of my brother?"