Page 1 of Soul Mates: Hercules Valentine and I

Part One

Chapter One

The Call

Palo Alto, CA

Paisley Grove

“Remember what they stole from us, Paisley,” I hear my brother Max, say in my head.

“Hello? Are you still there,” Lake Clark, the girl who let me know I got the job says.

I open my eyes and focus on the privacy hedges outside my window. Currently, I live in Palo Alto in a house that belongs to my brother. I work from home, hardly ever leaving the house other than to jog, which I do twice a day, shop for groceries, or grab a bite when I’m not in the mood to cook. Basically, the perfectly manicured bushes have become my prison bars.

“Yes, I’m here.” My voice is extra cheery.

“As I said, we’d like to offer you the principal software developer position. And Mason Harper would like to know if you can start next Monday.”

Say no, Paisley.Say that unfortunately, you’re unable to take the job because something came up, and then thank her for the opportunity.

I massage my throbbing left temple. “Monday’s too soon. I’ll need fourteen days,” I reply instead. That’s the plan. We’ll need at least fourteen days to run a test.

“Okay. Fourteen days. That’ll work. We’re just excited to have you onboard.”

Her optimism intensifies the foreboding sensation coursing through me. I close my eyes, trying to get a handle on my emotions as she tells me what date and time they’ll be expecting me and where I should report. Someone from HR will take me on a tour before bringing me to my team’s “pod”. She goes on about the concierge service for workers, the state-of-the-art dining facility, resting pods, and the gym. The longer her sales pitch lasts, the more it feels as if the molecules I’m breathing are suffocating me. I want to stop her and tell her there’s no need to convince me since I already said I’d take the job. Plus, I couldn’t back out even if I wanted to—and I want to.

“Lark?” she finally asks.

Lark Davenport is the fake identity I’m using to work at Valentine Technical Innovations, or VTI. The Valentines are enemies of the Groves. I have no idea why are families hate each other, they just do.

“Humph?” I force my eyes open.

She hesitates. “Well, we can shore up the rest of the details in fourteen days.” I can tell that she’s pretending as if she doesn’t suss that I’m not as excited as I should be. The position is a big deal, and I landed it. If I had gotten the job honestly, I’d be over the moon.

I rub the back of my neck because it’s too warm, and for some reason, I want to cry. I want to shout, “Beware of me, Lake Clark— I’m the enemy.”

“Right,” I barely say.

“Do you have any questions for me? Oh,” she says as if she remembered one last detail. “More money has been allocated to your position. Instead of $157,000 annually, your salary will be $177,000.”

Salary?I don’t care about a salary. I’m not supposed to be there long enough to collect a first paycheck.

I force a smile to help me muster the right reaction. “Oh, that’s great.” My tone fails to match my words.

“I think so too. And do you have any other questions?”

“Not today,” I sing.That’s better.

“Good. Welcome to the team Lark.”

I thank her, and we say goodbye. As soon as I drop the cellphone on top of my desk, I tug at the collar of my T-shirt, gasping for air, praying those thick molecules that I’m breathing deep into my throat will stop suffocating me.

Nine Years Ago

Chapter Two

The Boy In My Class