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The first time you met Carmilla, it was in college. You wish you had it as good as Laf and Perry. They’d grown up together after all. Their Counter’s, a gorgeous hue of green, was well over a hundred by the time you all were seven.
At night you would poke the bold, black lines of a zero on your arm, and wish it to change. Who even liked the color black?
You’d looked at your fathers many times and the faded red color reminded you of how harsh life was. You’d get so used to the number counting up and up and then it would stop, and never start again. You wonder if he visited your mother’s grave if the number would go up.
But it never did.
When you start high school there’s a beautiful girl in your journalist class and you pray to every deity you can think of that the zero on your arm would move.
“Don’t worry Laura, you’ll find them one day.” Perry tries to comfort you and you knew she had good intentions. You didn’t even want to eat your pie at lunch that day you were so upset. Laf nodded along and picked two of their French fries.
“Yeah Laur, technically speaking, over 75% of people meet their soulmate in college or even after.” They poke the two fries together. You let your head fall with a grunt.
“But I want it to move so I can marry the pretty journalist girl.”
The number stays the same.
When you start college you go in with your head held high. You’d read many articles on how the Counter wasn’t even real and you decided to make your own destiny. You excitedly scramble to your second class of the day, in such a hurry you bump into several people and fall.
“Watch it.” You see a pair of leather boots, before they storm out. You didn’t even get to say I’m sorry.
“Are you okay?” And then she’s there. Bending down to help you up, all fiery hair and freckles.
“Uh, yes, I’m okay.” You stutter a bit. She’s very tall. And very beautiful. She holds out her hand and you shake it.
“Danny Laurence.”
___
You burst into the library that afternoon full of excitement and butterflies, a smile on your face. Laf and Perry are bent over books, holding hands on the table. Perry looks up first,
“Well well someone enjoyed their Philosophy class hm?” She quipped. Perry nudged Lafontaine who was still absorbed in their book. They looked up expectantly, then as if they hadn’t even noticed you,
“Oh, hey Laura. You’re in a good mood.”
You spin around before sitting down.
“Yup, I just had an awesome day, that’s all.” You say and go to reach for your book back. You do a double take when you see Perry’s eyes widen.
“Laura look!” She’s pointing at your arm. The number had changed.
One.
___
When you go back to class the next week you can’t stop smiling and staring at the Counter on your arm. The one is brighter and a bolder black then the zero had been. You couldn’t wait to get to class and you practically skip all the way there, you catch yourself before you barel right into a girl, dodging around her. When you get in the classroom you see Danny already sitting down and waving at you.
When you got back to your dorm your smile is wider and you flop down on your bed. The new beautiful two on your arm fills you with warmth. Your phone buzzes,
DANNY: hey wanna get pizza or smthing tomorrow?
ME: U R speaking my language Danny Laurence :)
DANNY: Text talk. Nice :P
ME: Don’t make fun of my flip phone :(
DANNY: :) <3
Your heart skipped a beat and the smile didn’t leave your face the rest of the evening.
___
The next day you didn’t have any classes so you spent the majority of the day getting ready for your date. You wore a light yellow dress and flats, and combed your hair down to manageable size.
You met Danny at the local pizza place, a brilliant grin on her face. You walked inside together.
Today was going to be a great day.
___
“Today was an awful day.” You swing open Laf and Perry’s door. Laf was sitting at a desk with viles, while Perry was adamantly scrubbing the walls. You grabbed a box of cookies off the floor and sat on Perry’s bed.
“Why was it a bad day, sweetie,” Perry asks. She sits beside you. Laf turns and removes the goggles off of their face, “the date didn’t go well?”
You shake your head and fall backwards onto the bed. You open the box and start stuffing your face ignoring the crumbs falling on the bed.
“It went great.” You say. Perry and Lafontaine share a look.
“Then what’s the problem?” Laf asks, leaning forward. Instead of answering you stick out your arm allowing them to take note of the number two.
It hadn’t changed. Understanding crossed your friends faces and they looked at each other again. You nod your head,
“More than that, Danny’s number is at zero. And it’s yellow not black. God I’m such an idiot for getting my hopes up.”
“Not all hope is lost Frosh. I know you wanted your soulmate to be Danny. But that means your soulmate is still out there.” Laf says. You jolt up. They were right. Your numbers had been changing, which meant your soulmate was out there right now. Sure you were a bit disappointed about Danny, but at the same time you felt excited.
You were ready to meet your soulmate.
___
The following you week you march to Philosophy class with such gusto that you once again fall right into a girl. This time she catches you, and pull you upright. When you look her in the eyes your heart might as well have stopped.
“Holy Hell.” You whisper. She’s gorgeous. All sharp edges and dark hair, she looks like a renaissance sculpture. She chuckles and steadies you,
“Third time's the charm I suppose, eh cutie?” Her sleeves are down but you know. You can feel it. It felt like nothing you’d ever felt before. After steading you she strides out the door. You don’t hesitate this time, you push up your sleeve to see the number shifting to a three.
You turn on your heels and run out the door to see the illusive beauty about to turn the corner.
“Wait!” You shout, “what’s your name.”
She stops and turns around, giving you a coy smile.
“Carmilla.”
And that was the first time you met her. Beautiful, beautiful Carmilla. If only you knew how many times you'd met.
And how many more were to come.