The first rays of the sun were slowly creeping up over the horizon, casting a warm glow on the hallway of Alexandria's home. As she walked down the corridor, she tried to keep her expression neutral, hiding the exhaustion that threatened to overtake her. Being the golden child and the future leader of her family pack came with a lot of pressure, and lately, it seemed like she was constantly running on fumes. But Alexandria refused to let the fatigue and self-doubt get the best of her. With each step, she gathered her strength, determined to prove herself and rise to the challenge. And as she finally came to a stop, she took a deep breath, and with a renewed sense of purpose, she squared her shoulders, ready to take on the day.
As she stepped out of her room, her twin brother Adrien was waiting for her in the hallway. He knew how hard she had been working and could see the fatigue that was slowly creeping over her. He had tried to help in every way he could, but nothing seemed to be working. She was slowly burning out, and there didn't seem to be anything more he could do. He frowned, feeling helpless and wishing he could figure out a way to take the pressure off her shoulders.
"Hey," she smiled, but he could see the exhaustion through her smile. He smiled back at her almost sympathetically. "Hey," he replied, "how are you doing today?"
The question took Alexandria off guard, and she blinked in confusion before answering, "I am good? I mean, why wouldn't I be?" She laughed while answering, but her voice was slightly shaky.
Her brother nodded not completely convinced. "Just asking," he said before slinging his backpack over his shoulder and walking downstairs.
Alexandria shook her head and took a deep breath before following her brother downstairs into the main dining room. When she came downstairs, the staff immediately rushed over to her with a tray of fresh coffee and a plate of sweets. Her parents were waiting as well, both concerned about her recent behavior. They had noticed how exhaustion was slowly creeping over her, and they were worried about her health. They could see the stress in her eyes and knew that it was only going to get worse if she didn't take a break soon.
"Good morning everyone!! It's a lovely day today," she smiled as she sipped on her coffee, trying to avoid her parents' worried gaze. She hated herself for making them concerned because, in her mind, she should have been able to conceal her issues better.
Her parents returned her smile and invited her to breakfast, but she shook her head before explaining how she wasn't hungry and had tons of work to get done with exams and all. She gulped down the last bit of her coffee before grabbing her bag and rushing into the garage, eager to escape those concerned gazes that made her feel pathetic, even though that wasn't the intention.
Back in the dining room, her twin shared looks with their parents, all of them thinking the exact same thing. Adrien sighed and got up from the table, grabbing an apple with him. "I got this," he told their parents before walking out after her.
As he caught up with her, Alexandria was sitting in the driver's seat of her car, staring out the windshield. Adrien opened the passenger door and slid in next to her. "Hey," he said softly, "you okay?"
She sighed and shook her head. "I don't know, Adrien. I'm just so tired. I feel like I can't keep up with everything anymore."
He put a hand on her shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "You don't have to do everything, Alexandria. You're allowed to take a break, you know."
She looked at him, disbelief etched on her features. "But I have to. I have to prove myself, to prove that I'm worthy of being the future leader of our pack."
Adrien shook his head. "You don't have to prove anything to anyone. You're already amazing, and you've done so much. It's okay to take a step back and recharge."
Alexandria nodded, a small smile forming on her face. "Thanks, Adrien. I needed to hear that."
He smiled back at her. "Anytime, We're in this together, remember?"
They sat there for a few more minutes, just enjoying each other's company before Alexandria started the engine and drove out of the garage. She knew that she still had a lot of work to do, but for the first time in a while, she felt like she could handle it. She had her brother by her side, and that was enough. She smiled again before driving off to college.
As Alexandria walked through the halls of her college, she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. The once familiar hallways now seemed foreign and unfamiliar. The colors seemed brighter, and the sounds were louder. She felt a tugging sensation in her body, like a gentle but insistent pressure, pulling at her. It was a bizarre feeling that she hadn't experienced before. She tried to ignore it, thinking that it was just her exhaustion making her imagination run wild, but the sensation persisted.
As she made her way to her class, she noticed that her classmates looked different. Their faces seemed to morph and change, and their voices echoed in her ears. She looked at her brother, who was walking beside her, but he seemed completely unaware of what was happening around them. Alexandria felt a growing sense of fear and confusion. She didn't know what was happening to her, but she knew that it wasn't normal.
She made it to her class, but she couldn't concentrate on the lecture. The words of her professor sounded like gibberish, and the letters on the board seemed to dance and shift. Alexandria felt like she was losing her grip on reality. She tried to focus on her breathing, but her heart was racing, and her palms were sweaty. She didn't know how much longer she could hold on.
She excused herself from the class and walked into the hallway, hoping to find some peace and quiet. However, just when she thought she was getting some clarity, she bumped into someone. "Oh, I'm sorry..." she started to say, but the words caught in her throat as she saw the person standing before her.
Her eyes met his, and suddenly everything became clearer. She couldn't explain it, but it was as if all her worries and stresses had vanished in an instant. Her heart skipped a beat as she felt a jolt of electricity run through her body.
They just stood there, staring at each other, the only sound being their quiet breathing. It felt like the entire world had gone still as their eyes locked, and a sense of serenity washed over her.
Then, it hit her like a ton of bricks - this was her soulmate. All the strange sensations she had been experiencing made perfect sense now. He was the one pulling her towards him, the one who was drawing her into their mutual destiny. It was a feeling she couldn't explain, but it was real, and they were bound to each other in a way that was both magical and exciting.
However, as she let the reality set in, she felt a wave of panic. She wasn't ready for this. Her brain was in a mess, and she had too many responsibilities with no time for a happily ever after. It wasn't fair to him - her soulmate. She felt overwhelmed at the realization that she had been pushing against the tide of fate instead of letting it carry her to the perfect end it had planned for her.
Her heart was torn between excitement and fear as she stood there, lost in thought. She knew she had to make a choice - to follow her heart or to let her fears hold her back.
She muttered a quick apology and tried to walk past him, but he grabbed her arm and stopped her in her tracks with a firm "Wait". Confused, she looked back at him, wondering what he wanted from her. Despite her attempts to break free from his grip, he held on and stared at her for a moment before saying, "I know you felt it too." And she did. There was something inexplicable about the way they were drawn to each other like they were meant to be in this moment. She tried to play it off, brushing off his claims. "I don't know what you're talking about but people are starting to stare, so can you please let me go?" she said, her voice tinged with frustration. But he didn't budge, looking down at her from his height and smirking slightly. "At least learn how to lie better," he said, his teasing words laced with a hint of amusement.
"Did you miss the hints?" she asked, her voice laced with frustration. "I lied to protect your delicate ego from the truth." But he wasn't the kind to back down from a challenge. "Then tell me the truth," he demanded, determined to get to the bottom of her lies. She rolled her eyes. "Look," she said, "I don't believe in fate, and I don't have time for it." His response was smug, but confident. " Maybe you don't know who I am," he said, "or how many girls would kill to be in your shoes right now." His said his words hanging in the air, as he waited for her to respond. "Then go find one of them," she said with a sarcastic smile, "and pretend it's me." With that, she walked away, but he wasn't about to let her go that easily. He caught her by the arm and spun her around, but she pulled away once more. For a moment, he was taken aback by her defiance, but then he regained his composure. Pulling out his phone, he made a call. "I found her," he said with a self-satisfied grin.