School dances.

Those used to scare the crap out of Bell. People went full on for these. Dance proposals. Evening gowns. Limos. Her school took dates very seriously. It caused the soulmate topic even more prevalent than usual. It made her uncomfortable. For more than one reason. She never knew if she and Cross went as friends or went out of conscience.

That was before they found out they were soulmates. Now she can go with Cross as boyfriend and girlfriend. As soulmates. It’ll be a whole new experience for her.

Her friend group expanded and it will be the best day ever.

Or she hopes.

Cross officially asked her to go with him. Of course she said yes.

Roman and Jeremiah adorably asked each other at the same time without knowing beforehand that was the other’s goal. Lou and Jones decided to go together as friends. Amelie and Ria have been dancing around each other. At the moment, they are going as friends, but Bell isn’t sure how much longer it will be as just friends.

It’s going to be perfect.

OoOoO

Walking into the school gym that is decorated to fit the Starry Night theme, Bell is nervous. While their friends knew of them dating and their soulmate status, this would be the first official event where Bell and Cross would be openly together.

Streamers and balloons in midnight blue with a splash of yellow are draped throughout the space. Shiny stars hand from the ceiling. The tableclothes were black with glow in the dark dots. Their decorating budget must have gotten bigger with the large scale arrangements.

As Bell strolls around, looking for their assigned table, her silver dress tickles her thighs. She opted for a shorter dress since she herself is so short. At least then, a long dress wouldn’t drown her.

It is fairly simple with a sparkly lace halter top and a flowy satin skirt. Dividing the two is a belt that looked like it could be a necklace if it were around her neck. To finish the outfit, she had a necklace with a single star pendant on the end and matching dangling earrings.

Once they find table 27, they all sit and talk amongst themselves. The room is filling very quickly, so the chattering increases.

Bell scrolls through some of the pictures they took at her house. Selecting one to enlarge it, a soft smile grows in her face.

In the picture, it is of the girls. She and Lou are in the middle because of their shorter stature, though Lou is a good couple inches taller. Lou’s midnight blue dress stands out on her pale skin and she stuns in that color. It is a buttery soft fabric that reflects the light every so often.

Next to Bell is Amelie. Not many people could pull off a pale yellow gown, but she does. Instead of washing her out, it makes her shine brighter. It has a simple straight neckline and spaghetti straps, and yet does not look plain on her.

In the other side, next to Lou, is Ria in a dress that is the epitome of the theme. She is practically wearing the Starry Night as a dress. Ria is known for her statement outfits, but this is a stand out piece. Artwork.

She swipes to the next one and it’s them in similar position but they are throwing out peace signs.

In their wrists were brightly colored corsages. Jeremiah literally grew them as the boys waited for the girls to finish getting dressed.

“Bell!”

Her head whips up, not having realized how long she had been studying the photos.

“Look up!” Jeremiah points up and she does. Her jaw drops. Stars twinkled in the open air above them. Not the plastic glittery ones. Real ones. They spin and float, giving a dynamic display.

“Who’s doing this?” Ria asks, glancing around. Amelie nudges her arm and her head juts to the far corner. A girl, that Bell only slightly recognizes, is moving her glowing hands almost like an orchestra.

“That’s Lane. She’s on the student council. Illusions are her power,” Roman recites. When everyone stares at him, he shrugs. “What? I pay attention.”

“Well it’s beautiful,” Lou comments, eyes gazing up in wonder. Everyone was doing the same.

It is magical.

OoOoO

After mediocre food and some silly dancing, Bell leaves her group to look for a place to sit for a moment. Even though her heels were high, they were still more than she is used to.

While there are assigned tables, with some people dancing and some socializing, people have haphazardly sat where they want to. That leaves her original seat occupied.

Bell notices Lane, hands still giving off a soft light, at a table by herself.

“Hi, can I sit here?” She asks the girl.

Her dark chocolate hair, that acted as a curtain, falls to the side, revealing her olive skin and similar cocoa eyes.

“Sure.”

“It’s stunning. What you’re doing.” Bell’s head tilts upwards to gesture towards the stars.

Lane’s head ducks down, cheeks blushing. “Thanks.”

Silence falls between them. Lane is a quiet person. Like how Amelie was in a way. But Amelie was because of secretly being soulmateless. Pushing people away. Lane seems….content. Like she doesn’t feel the need to say anything.

“You know that if it takes a lot of concentration or energy, you can stop and enjoy yourself,” Bell says.

Meeting her eyes, Lane shrugs. “It doesn’t take that much work. I like doing it. It’s worth it to see the wonder, the joy.” As if to prove her point, more stars appear and people glance up to stargaze.

“What a beautiful way of looking at it,” Bell replies, admiring the unique display of power.

“I like my powers. I don’t need anything else.”

Turning to search for her friends, she sees them dancing around. “You sound like Lou.”

Following her eyes, Lane smiles, “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“It is, trust me. She came with a date but they are just friends. It’s so weird how obsessed this school gets with having a date or not having one.” Realizing that she doesn’t really know Lane or Lane’s views, she is quick to apologize, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t assume or go off on a tangent.”

“No, you’re good,” Lane pauses before continuing, “I agree. Society as a whole focuses on soulmates and dating way too much. As an aroace person, I find it kind of silly that people think I should be in a relationship just because the universe gave me one.”

While Bell knows aroace people exist, they are very rare with almost everyone having a soulmate. It is even more uncommon for someone to be openly aroace in a soulmate-obsessed society.

“I think it’s great how confident you are.”

“Confident?” Lane questioned.

Bell hesitates, trying to figure out how to put it into words, “Yeah, while a lot of people search for their other half, feeling incomplete, you are already whole. Not needing a soulmate to be happy.”

For most of her life, people defined her life by not having a soulmate. They looked down on her and pitied her. Even though she ended up having one when it seemed like she didn’t, those years of feeling soulmateless didn’t go away. So Bell thinks it’s great that Lane doesn’t define her life by relationships.

“I like how you put it. I don’t need someone to be happy with myself,” Lane responds with a smile.

“Bell! We reclaimed our table,” Roman calls out to her, beckoning her back.

She glances between her friends and then back to Lane. It felt like Deja vu. Back with Amelie before they were friends.

Seeing Lane, her decision is the same.

“Hey Lane, do you want to join us?”

———

(I find it really important to have an aroace person, especially with this concept for this world. As someone who is figuring out if she is aromantic or asexual or both, I wanted to write a character that felt deeply personal.)