My Twin Mates

“Hey, don’t worry, it’ll happen for you!” My friend, Kera, pulled me to the side and whispered in my ear. I stared up into her hazel eyes and pulled my lips tightly together with my eyebrows angled up. We just gave our congratulations to our friend, Sarah, and her mate Bobby, who were celebrating their fifth anniversary right before Sarah blurted out they were expecting baby number two. And all but widened blue eyes of Bobby, I was guessing this was the first he knew anything about it. The whole room erupted in applause and I wiped a lonely tear falling down my freshly pinked cheeks. I squeezed Kera’s arm through her tan leather jacket, smiled at the happy couple, and made my way to the bathroom at the top of the stairs. I didn’t want anyone to find me. It was so humiliating. I locked the door, and stared at my reflection through the small mirror in front of me, racking my brain. My dark green eyes stared back at me I couldn’t help but break down. Why? What was so wrong with me? I made my way over to the old-styled tub and got inside. Everyone had found their mates by now, well everyone I knew, and here I was twenty-five and still mateless. Of course, human evolution had come a long way, we now had that mate gene, the one that you’d read about werewolves having. That feeling of overwhelming need, want, desire, and love with just one glance. Maybe somewhere down the line, we mixed with werewolves and this was the only thing that stuck, though unlikely. Perhaps Zeus finally got tired of watching the monsters he separated in fear of having too much power and pitied us. Maybe, he got tired of watching us hurt and kill one another over people, and he gifted us back the part that just knew who our other half was. Or it could have happened by some scientist who just decided to flood the world with his new chemical. Whatever the reason, I’m glad it wasn’t the same as before. Now we just know. Except for me, you were supposed to know you’re soulmate at eighteen, yeah like why not seventeen, or younger? It’s like waiting to legally buy beer or cigarettes. Don’t get me wrong, you can have s*x before eighteen this wasn’t a dictatorship, but some wait. I’m one of those, thinking I’d find my mate at eighteen just like everyone else, but no. I mean there are a few reasons when you turn eighteen and don’t feel anything, either your mate is not yet of age, or they’re dead. On my eighteenth birthday, I felt a tug, and I knew it was the mate bond, I knew I would have one. Why they haven’t revealed themselves is beyond me. I mean there was this one time, I felt a pang in my chest on a walk in the park. I followed it and it kept getting stronger the more I pursued it. The further I went, the further it got away as if my partner didn’t want me around, and let me tell you, that type of rejection hurt. “Jessabelle?” Came the voice behind the door, followed by a faint knock. I immediately knew it was Sarah, she was one of my friends who called me by my full name. “Yes?” I answered back, wiping my face and getting out of the white porcelain tub. “Are you okay? I saw you come up here.” She stated, knocking on the door again. Ever the mother, that one. “Yes, just finishing up.” I retorted, turning on the sink and splashing water on my face. I opened the bathroom door and was met face-to-face with the somber honey-brown eyes of Sarah. She reaches her arms out and grabs me into a tight bear hug. “Sarah can’t breathe,” I muttered before she released me. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know, I thought," She started but I quickly stopped her by embracing her again. “I’m okay Sarah, I swear. Now let’s get you back to that double party, mama!” I said as I ushered her back down the stairs. As the party slowly started to die down, I handed out my hugs and headed out. I grabbed my keys and headed for the door. As I turned the knob, it flew open and Sarah’s older brother Matthew drunkenly stumbled in. “Hey, it’s Miss Mateless!” He screeched as he lunged forward, grabbing onto my shoulders. I tried to push him off but to no avail, even in his inebriated state, he was still much larger and stronger than I was. Matt has been the reigning champ of wrestling for the past five years. I watched his honey-brown eyes like those of his younger sister’s, struggling to keep his eyelids open as he swayed back and forth. His short dark brown hair that had been shaved down to the scalp on both sides was now a complete mess. His tan formal wear was now misbuttoned and uneven, clearly from his late-night shenanigans with some poor lowly girl. “You know, if you weren’t such a prude, I’d take you right here right now.” He stated as he started taking off his jacket and throwing it onto the ground, he rolled up his sleeves and I used this opportunity to quickly make my way to the door. As I reached for it, he snatched my wrist, and as I turned he tried to bring his hands up to my face while puckering his lips. Ugh! I sidestepped and he landed face-first into the door while I slipped out. I rushed to my car and sped out of the driveway desperate to get home, I just want this day to be over. As I reached my apartment, my phone rang, and the screen read Work. Ugh. Wasn’t this supposed to be my day off? “Hello?” I answered as I stepped out of my car and grabbed my red satchel purse, heading to my apartment door. “Ms. Carter, Mr. Stone needs you to come in early tomorrow.” Came the squeaky voice of, Bethany, my assistant. Ugh! That man lives and breathes work. “Uh okay, did he say why?” I asked, even though I knew the answer, he would never tell someone beneath him what or why he does things. “No, ma’am just that you need to be here at six am instead of seven am.” Her New York accent comes through heavily on the other line. “Alright, Thank you, Bethany!” I replied, locking the door behind me, and being greeted by my black cat, Hades, purring at my feet. I hang up the phone and toss it to the sofa as I lift Hades, nuzzling him. “How about I order some food and we binge on something?” I ask as he continues to purr while rubbing my face. I somehow managed to pass out on my couch and five a.m. came fast as I made my way to the shower before asking Alexa to play some music.