SOREN
I woke up to the vibration of my phone. I sat up, saw my reflection in the mirror, and immediately slapped my forehead. I was still wearing my polo shirt. Oh right, Mildred's brother moved in last night. I must have fallen asleep like this because I was so exhausted. Not to mention, I helped Marshall carry his stuff. The guy’s got the moves of a snail—how does someone so buff move like jelly? No idea how he got that body if he can’t even lift a suitcase properly. Tss. What a waste of muscles.
"Hello?" I mumbled sleepily into the phone. "Who’s this idiot?"
"Chill, Soren. Haha!"
My eyes shot open when I recognized the voice. "Dianne?"
"Come with me to see Madam Charlotte, please!"
I knew it, this woman always needs something. She never calls just to chat. She’s lucky we're besties.
"Who’s Madam Charlotte?" I grumbled, glancing at the wall clock.
It was already eight in the morning. Marshall was probably still asleep in the other room. The sun was up, but the curtains were drawn, so it was still pretty dark inside.
"I’ll text you her address. Meet me there!"
"Wait! I didn’t agree to—" She hung up on me.
Okaaaaayyyy. But then I thought about it. Right. I might as well go out. I don't want to deal with that guy today.
*****
Weird as it was, I couldn’t help but be amazed. There were so many knick-knacks hanging around. The air smelled sweet, almost delicious. Two pink candles were burning on a fancy table.
"Are you Soren?" A smiling woman appeared in front of me, coming from another room. She must be the Madam Charlotte Dianne mentioned.
"Wow, you're so tall and beautiful. Come, have a seat."
Beautiful? Should I stab this old lady? Where’s Dianne? What’s she got to do in a place like this? And why did she drag me here?
I sat down across from Madam Charlotte, with the fragrant table between us. Our mansion is clean, but it doesn’t smell this nice.
"Dianne said you’d like a Tarot reading," she said.
What’s Tarot reading? And what? Dianne said that?
"But—"
I was cut off when she pulled out five groups of cards, expertly aligning them with ease. I was about to back out, thinking I was just here to accompany Dianne, but now she wasn’t here, and I was getting weirded out. But... the cards were making me curious. I don’t believe in fortunes. Like, hello? It's the modern age. So why did Dianne want to come here?
"What do you want to know, Soren?" the woman asked, smiling sweetly at me.
I awkwardly smiled back, "Ah... What’ll happen to me six months from now? Something like that?" I scratched my cheek. "I don’t know. I don’t really know what I want to know. Hehe."
Cool. Better to be here than at my condo with my girlfriend’s weird brother.
"Pick one. Feel each group. Choose the one that attracts you the most."
Hmm... 'kay. I stared at each group of cards. They all looked the same, but the third group caught my eye. I tried to look away and pick another, but I kept coming back to the third.
I picked the third group. She nodded and laid the cards out in front of me. She started saying all sorts of weird things I didn’t understand. Geez, I really don’t believe in this stuff. It’s so corny.
"There will be a great challenge in your life," she said, placing another card down. "Someone may come into or has already come into your life, Soren. They will be the source of your experiences in the coming months."
Eh?
"What kind of experiences?" I asked, confused. She pointed to a card with seven circles in the center. It looked like a Dragon Ball design.
"Everyone experiences setbacks in life. And you're included because, obviously, you're human. Someone will come into your life. It could be a blessing or a curse. Much will be lost, but someone will come."
What is she talking about?
"And..." She pulled out another card. Her eyebrows rose as she looked at it, then at me. "You're a lesbian, aren't you?"
I nodded, "100 percent lesbian, ma'am."
She placed a card with a sun design in front of me. There was a woman holding a big sun. Meh. The only clear thing to me was that the woman on the card was sexy.
"You’re going to get pregnant," she suddenly said.
I stared at her with a poker face. "Excuse me?"
"I said, you’re going to get pregnant."
"WHAT?!" I blurted out. My eyes almost popped out of my head.
"That’s what this card usually says, but who knows, it might mean something else?"
I sighed with relief. "Thank goodness. It’s obvious I can’t get pregnant."
She just smiled and gathered the cards. She pulled one from a separate group and placed it in front of me. It had a design of two swords.
"You’re going to get married, Soren."
I froze. "Excuse me?"
"You’re going to marry someone close to you. You have no choice but to marry."
Ah, that must be Mildred. We’ve been planning to—
"A tall and well-built man. He’s head over heels for you and will do anything to have you."
I stood up abruptly, knocking my chair over. "That’s impossible!" I yelled. "I don’t go for guys!"
And who would do that anyway?! My brothers would kill anyone who tried! And who’s this guy who’s supposedly head over heels for me?
A guy? Yuck, eww! Everyone knows I like oysters, not sausages!
She laughed, shaking her head as she collected the cards. "I've never been wrong in my readings, Soren."
I felt goosebumps on my neck and arms from disgust!
That was so damn creepy! And there's no way I’ll get pregnant and marry a guy, okay?! I'll never be in a relationship with anyone who has a dick!
"Oh! You’re here, Soren!"
I turned to the voice. Dianne! She just walked in, a smile plastered on her face.
"Sorry, I'm late. There was traffic on EDSA."
"I-I’m leaving," I stammered. I almost tripped in my haste. Before I could get out the door, Dianne blocked me, "Hey, what’s up with you?"
Pale-faced, I glanced back at the smiling old lady. "I-I have diarrhea."
I squeezed past Dianne to get out the door. I heard the old lady shouting after me. "Avoid alcohol if you don’t want trouble!"
Geez, that old woman must be crazy!
******
I went home, despite my reluctance. Duh. Why was I so nervous about that old hag’s fortune? It’s obviously not true. I felt better after visiting the mansion earlier. I was calm, even if the old lady’s words were crazy.
When I entered my condo, I froze. I sniffed the air. It smelled sweet. Like a woman’s scent. I looked around. My mess was tidied up. My bed had new pink sheets. My pillows had new black covers.
My eyebrows knitted in confusion. Did he clean my condo? I took off my shoes before fully entering. It was so clean! Even my freshly washed clothes were neatly folded.
"What the fuck?" I muttered. "Is this a woman’s house?" I said, baffled. It was spotless and smelled so good.
"Hey." I almost jumped in surprise when Marshall appeared beside me. I looked up at him, squinting at his face.
Handsome, but too delicate.
"Have you eaten?" he asked seriously.
Without thinking, I nodded, "Uh... Yes. And I’m about to sleep?"
Our eyes met. He was the first to look away. He walked to the kitchen and returned with a glass of milk. Without a word, he handed it to me.
"H-Huh?"
What the hell? What am I? A baby?
"To help you sleep better," he said, smiling at me. His smile gave me the creeps. He looked like... a Yokai. A demon. And I had a bad feeling.
But I took the glass. I wondered why he was still standing there. It seemed... he was waiting for me to drink the milk.
I brought the glass to my lips. He stared at my lips touching the glass. But before I could drink, I lowered the glass again.
"Wait, have you eaten? I’ll order—" His face darkened because I didn’t drink the milk. He scowled.
Ah, I’ll drink it. Why is he so keen on me drinking this?
I brought the glass back to my lips. I frowned as I saw the corners of his mouth lift.
But then I remembered something.
"Wait, have you eaten? I’ll order—" His face darkened further.
Creepy!
F-Fine, I’ll drink it!
I was about to drink when I screamed. I dropped the glass, and it shattered, spilling the milk!
"When did we get rats?!" I shouted.
A rat had just scurried across my foot, making me jump in fright! How did we get rats here?! Like, how?! The place just got clean, and now—
I looked back at Marshall. He was running his fingers through his hair, shaking his head as he walked away, looking defeated.
What’s his problem?
What’s with the milk, anyway? Jeez, did he plan to poison me or what?
**********