Terrance 

A server walks over to me for the third time. I sit looking up slightly, “Hi. Are you waiting for anyone or would you like to order?” “Could you give me a few minutes?” I say again and she nods and walks away. 

Day two… Of sitting in this dinner hoping I see him. How thirsty can I be… 

The doorbell chimes loudly and Orpheus walks in with a guy walking closely behind him. “Oh?” He smiles and waves at Terrance before walking over to him, the guy still following after him.

“Prince” I mumble making eye contact with the guy behind him. “And you still haven’t given me your name yet,” He says smiling. “Are you getting anything from here? I don't want to miss our reservations” The guy asks and Orpheus pauses, “Oh? Uhm this is my date for today…” He pauses and the guy stares at him expectantly. “Ryan?” “My name is Ethan…” Orpheus pauses and says, “Oh...?” The guy rolls his eyes and leaves the diner. 

I laugh slightly, “You aren’t gonna apologize or-” “No? I knew his name. I just don’t find him attractive” Orpheus says sitting down in front of me and I look at him slightly confused, “So your rude to whoever you don’t find attractive… Got it.” 

Orpheus’s eyes widen and he quickly shakes his head, “N-no! Not like that? But if the date went well I’d probably be forced into an arranged marriage with him. And I can’t spend the rest of forever with someone I don’t even find attractive?” 

I look at him slightly confused before asking, “Arranged marriage is legal here?” Orpheus shrugs and says, “Well I’m almost 20 and don’t have a thread which isn’t good for a prince. Like… At all. So it’s my only option unless I get one.” 

I shrug nonchalantly before saying, “So go get one.” Orpheus pauses and says, “It’s not that easy? My soulmate has to turn what I’m hoping is at least 18… And then the thread has to travel from them to me… It could take weeks?” 

“Your soulmate?” I mumble and Orpheus smiles and asks, “Have you ordered anything?” I shake my head and he smiles. “Well, that guy and I definitely aren’t going to the restaurant. So… Why don’t you be my date instead?” 

I look at him slightly confused, “Okay… Did you get the memo I have kids?” Orpheus looks up at me confused, “But you're a virgin aren't you?” My eyes widen slightly. They were right… “Are you not…?” He mumbles.

“I- I am?” I say confused. “I like kids? But if you weren’t a virgin you’d be off limits for me…Unless I was willing to lie to my family for the rest of my life” he trails off. What the hell does that mean?

“So? Wanna go on a date with the prince?” He asks playing with his hair. “Sure,” I say smiling. We’re already here. 

“If it goes too well I might be forced to propose to you so be warned…” Orpheus says seriously and I laugh slightly. “That’s a joke… Right?” I ask confused and he shakes his head. “I mean… There are worse issues than having a prince propose to you?” I laugh and he smiles slightly. 

“Well come on?” Orpheus says standing up and I shake my head, “We’re already here…?” Orpheus pauses and sits down, nodding slightly. 

“Are you gonna tell me your name this time?” Orpheus asks and I smile slightly. “It’s Terrance…” Orpheus nods and asks, “Are you gay?” I look at him kinda confused, “I… Am attracted to guys? But I'm not gay” Orpheus nods.

Orpheus glances up at my hair again and I furrow my brows confused, “Does it look bad?” I tighten my bun slightly and pull down a piece of hair. He shakes his head still staring at me. “Can I ask a question that’s in no way intended to be rude…?” I nod slightly. 

“How do you get it to be straight?” I look at him confused and laugh, “Seriously? That’s it? I flat iron it every couple weeks…?” Orpheus pauses and asks, “Do humans do that a lot?” Terrance smiles and nods. “I mean I do it because I don't know how to take care of my hair when it’s curly… But other people have their own reasons-” Orpheus nods and Terrance asks, “So you’ve never straightened your hair?” 

Orpheus shakes his head, “No? I work too hard on these curls.” He fluffs out his hair slightly. “And they don’t sell those in this region” Terrance laughs and the waiter walks over to them. “Would you like to order now?” Terrance nods, “Uhm.. A burger… Everything on it but onions, with fries and a vanilla milkshake.” She nods and looks at Orpheus, “Uh… The same then… But just pickles and mustard… And… A chocolate milkshake.” She nods and walks away and Orpheus’s phone starts to ring loudly. 

“Sorry… It’s my sister” He mumbles as he answers. “Hi…” He says putting the phone on speaker and I look up at him confused. He’s either really honest. Or really stupid. 

“Who are you with?” She asks confusedly and he glances up at me. I shake my head and he mumbles, “Uh… No one?” 

“Exactly. You should be on your date. Only one of us should be the bad example for Attam.” She says seriously and he looks at the phone confused. “Give me a break okay? I follow the rules all the time.” “Yeah? Because you're the younger twin? It’s your duty. Don’t switch things up now.” She replies and he chuckles. 

“You're a twin?” I blurt out before quickly covering my mouth. “Who was that?” “No one.” “Sorry…” I lip and he chuckles slightly. “Can I call you back later? I’m on a date.” He says, hanging up before she can reply. 

Orpheus looks up at me, “So…? What were your daughters names again?” 

“My oldest kid is Cole and the younger one is Nova.” he nods and I look at him confused, 

“So why haven’t you bought thread or whatever?” Orpheus laughs, “No no- that’s not how it works. They just appear and connect you to your soulmate.” I nod confused and shrug, “I think… Having to stick to the same person for the rest of my life would be… Boring.”

Orpheus pauses, “Oh? Are you polyamorous?” 

“I don't really do labels. I like people… And I am open to polyamory? I’ve been in a long-term polyamorous relationship before.” I say sitting up straight and he smiles slightly. “Well I’ve known I’d want to be with more than one person since I literally started liking people. So I’m just being wishful I get a thread to at least two people…” 

“Oh? Can that happen?” He nods, “The threads believe in polyamory” 

I chuckle and my phone starts to ring.

Cole. “Hello?” I say answering the call on speaker. 

~

Cole sighs and says into the phone, “I think one of the kids is playing a joke on me or something. Someone tied me to some guy in the grade above us...? And-” “Have you never heard of threads?” Micheal asks confusedly and Cole stares at him. 

“No, you just shut up. You don’t know who did it? You don’t know how to undo it but here you are in my ear about it…” Cole says, sighing. “You don’t have to go already do you?” Someone mumbles on the other side of the phone. 

“Just give it to me.” He says putting his hand out. “No?” “Cole?” He says confused and she hands it to him. He clears his throat before saying, “Hi… So… I got a thread to your son? Daughter? Uh… Your kid.” He glances at Cole and he sighs. “Which makes us soulmates which you probably already know… Uhm.” He clears his throat again. “And he is panicking because no one explained it to her. And he’s like you don’t need to come to get her. She’s fine.”

“Okay…” Terrance says confused and Micheal hangs up. 

~

“Okay? So my oldest just got a thread…” I mumble confused. “Really? At 15? That's kinda young” 

“Does it matter?” I ask confused. I seriously need someone to explain the terms and conditions of threads before I find myself tied to someone. 

“I guess not?” Orpheus says smiling. “I have to use the restroom.” He says standing up before walking away into the bathroom. 

Terrance: What time do you get out of school?

Cole: In like 30 minutes.

Terrance: I’ll come to get you both

Cole: K

I look up at the waiter who sits the bill in front of me. I take my wallet out of my pocket reading the bill. “Do tips go to you?” She nods slightly and I put down the money for the bill and an additional twenty for her. 

I look up and see Orpheus walking toward me. I swear to god this dude is straight-up majestic. I stand up hesitantly meeting him in the center. Orpheus. “Hey? I gotta go get Nova and Cole from school. So I’ll see you later?” Orpheus smiles and nods.

I start to walk out before turning to him, “Oh- and I already paid so you can just go home.” 

“What?” Orpheus says looking up. But I’m already 10 steps out of the diner.