"Swimming? Like in public?"
Mark laughed as he grabbed his duffel bag. Talla could see his muscle flex with how he gripped the strap. They had just finished their practice when the sports director came in to talk to them.
"I would be surprised to know that you aren't good at swimming."
I look to Mark for help, but he ignores me. "It isn't really the swimming itself I have a problem with. I was in an accident that I don't want to really talk about, and I have some scarring from it."
"Is it that bad?"
I turn to my left side and pull up my shirt so she can see my stomach and back covered in scars. Her gasp wasn't that surprising. Mark however had seen this a thousand times. Heck, he was at my bedside the whole time I was in the hospital. He helped with my recovery and my training afterward. Most people didn't know that Mark and I were experts in martial arts and visited a gun range three times a month.
Her eyes come back to my face. "You can wear a one piece."
I look up before I pull my top down to show the indents on my chest. Mark even looked away at that point. He still hadn't come to terms of the attack. He constantly talks about how I had lost so much. I told him the pain and scars remind me that my parents were real. Mark's family took me in rather quickly after the incident.
"This is the highest requested activity for the sport's department get together. You could wear a T-shirt over it."
Mark grabs my hand. "Tal, people were going to find out eventually. It's better to rip the bandaid off. If you aren't okay with it. You can wear my shirt and tell everyone your soulmate doesn't appreciate the staring."
I squeeze his hand tighter, "no you are right. Heck I'll even wear a bikini. I shouldn't care what people think. The memories I have from this is way worse than the judgement."
The director approves the final plans and leaves us to head out. I follow Mark back to his and Connor's room. Mark heads to take a shower as I order Chinese from the local take out. A knock comes from the front door and I absentmindedly open it.
"Im sorry I thought this was Mark and Connor's dorm room."
I look over the sweet looking blonde haired girl. "No, you have the right place. What's up?"
She looks me up and down as I lean into the door post. I was still in my volleyball spandex and had placed one of Mark's shirts on since mine was all sweaty. I knew I looked like I wasn't wearing any bottoms.
Her cheeks flushed. "My name is Emma. Are you Talla?"
I nod as I hear Mark step from the bathroom. "Hey. I thought I heard the door."
I turned back to see Mark with only a towel wrapped very low on his waist. My sight instantly goes back to Emma to see her staring him down. I step back into her view and cross my arms.
"Tell me you are here to talk to Connor and not Mark."
She waves her hands frantically in front of her. "Yes! Definitely not here for your boyfriend. I'm sorry I didn't mean to stare. I don't know if you remember me, but we all hung out when we were younger. I had a major crush on Connor."
"Oh yeah, he was talking about you the other day at breakfast." Mark says as he joins us at the door.
I turn and push him towards his room. "Get dressed. Emma come in you can sit on the couch. I'll be back out in a second."
I slam the door to his room. "Protective much? Hey while I'm naked want to make sure for a fact our Marks match?"
I look down at his towel. "Actually yeah. Drop the towel."
He looks up as his face turns beat red. "Or since we have a guest I can just lower the edge so you can see."
"No fun. Fine let's do this. I still need to take a shower though. You also promised me a nice comfy pair of sweatpants."
I lowered the edge of my shorts. I gazed up at Mark who had a look of concentration. He pulled the edge down and revealed the mark. It was a deep red, it looked like tribal markings and ran around the hip. I had noticed the color change after we had our first kiss, when it used to be a light brown. It was without a doubt the same marking though. He walked over to me and wrapped me into a huge hug. I leaned my head down and started to kiss him slowly.
"I need to head back out there and you need to get changed so I can take a shower."
He walks to block my path. "Stay the night."
I could feel the blush creep past my cheeks. "What? What did you say?"
"Nothing weird. I just want to wake up to you. If it's uncomfortable I can sleep on the couch or floor. I just want the first thing I see to be you."
I smile as I shut the door and lean against it. Mark was my soulmate through and through. I knew everything would change because of this, but the happiness it made me feel overwhelmed that.
"Are you okay?"
I look up to see Emma turned around on the couch. "Yeah just thinking. Connor won't be back for another ten minutes. I texted him that you were here. So what's up it's been awhile."
"Well I have some important questions for Connor..."
I nod, "about the mark?"
She gives a look down. "I don't have one."
"Well that changes some things. So you came all this way to tell him?"
She shakes her head. "I never told him I love him. So there is still a chance, but it's a small one."
The door suddenly flies open. Connor slams it shut with a big huff. I know both my guys schedules and Connor's last class before practice was on the other side of campus from the looks of it he ran all the way here. He walks up to Emma and drags her to his room. Mark walks out probably hearing the door slam.
"Are you okay? I heard the door slam."
I walk to him and give him a hug. "Yeah Connor is having a freak out moment. I need to take a shower. Where are your clothes?"
He leads me to his room and hands me a clean shirt and sweatpants. I reach for a towel and turn back to see Mark staring at me. A blush creeps up my cheeks and I smile.
"I can't believe you are my soulmate. I've been so in love with you for years. I was so worried that it could be someone else. It made me afraid to ask you about it."
I walk toward him with a slight grin. "I mean you know I was afraid. I was willing to peak in the locker room to try and find out. That was embarrassing especially since you were the one that came to bail me out."
He kisses my lips softly. "So that's why you did that?"
I roll my eyes while going to step around him. Before I even make it to the door, I am getting pulled back hard against his chest. He wraps his arms around my waist and breathes in. I don't know how long we stood there, but it felt like forever. Finally Mark let me go, I had rushed into the shower not wanting to be away too long.
"So what's the verdict?" I say as I dry my hair with a towel. "Soulmates or nah?"
Mark grabs my waist and pulls me into his lap. Connor and Emma give a blushed look. Instantly I know I've missed something. I see that the food got here while I was in the shower and go to grab mine.
"Well from the sounds I heard from Connor's room I'd say they are."
Connor gives an angry look, "bro!"
"Hey where is my food?"
Mark looks to Connor, "I thought Mark ordered it for him and I. I didn't know you were in the shower."
"Bullshit! I was in here when you stormed in!"
Mark stands up, "come on, I gave Emma my food. Connor gave me some cash. We are gonna go out to eat."
I laugh, "where are we going in sweats and a T-shirt?"
"Where else the wing place!" He leans in my direction. "Maybe we can stop and check out some swimsuits for the get together."