The new academic year was just around the corner. It was a bit more important than the previous ones because it offered a wide range of subjects to choose from. Previously, everyone had only studied a small range of standard subjects, but now they could choose the professional areas that interested them.
Before making such decisions, Arabella and Orion had a project waiting for them. They had to finish it before the start of classes. They had to create a tracking device that would be installed on the neighboring planet Achilles. This would reduce the troubles that were affecting it. Therefore, they had no time to waste. They were helped by several other experts in the field of information technology and technology.
Entering the tall building that was the headquarters of all events, Arabella immediately headed for the first floor. As soon as she entered, she exhaled deeply. She was not that interested in working with Orion, because now he had turned the entire nation against her. However, she was forced to do it because she was his assistant.
– I'm here! – said Arabella, addressing all the creatures present.
– Who cares! – said Orion coldly.
– Get to work!
– What are you working on right now? – she asked the creatures around her, as she observed the room they were in.
– We've finished the sketches, now we're currently gathering materials and compiling the steps – said one creature from the team.
– You consider the necessary tools that we'll use to build the device – said another creature.
Arabella took her place and began her part of the task. From there she saw Orion. He put his all into his work. He worked on the steps of making the device. He soon noticed how she was watching him and gave her a scowl. Arabella shot him a provocative one and continued to work on the preparations. Studying each tool and material in detail, she spent several hours just at that beginning. When she finally started working, Orion interrupted her with his appearance. He came to her desk and stood still.
– Before that, you should have brought the chosen tools and examined them – he told her.
– We should first examine what tools we will need.
– And maybe some other tool will serve better than the one chosen for that function.
– No, I know very well.
– You don't know, you exclude many options, you are limited!
– I would ask you to leave me alone because I want to work!
– You're in complete peace, I'm just advising you!
– Your counseling disturbs my peace!
– I can already understand that, but come to terms with the fact that for you I also represent a leader and that you have to listen to me!
She only gave him a look that he returned with a mean smile. He intended to provoke, but she did not react to it further, so he returned to his place.
Arabella continued her work. She devoted all her concentration to it. After completing certain tasks, she went to the warehouse, where the tools she had chosen were located.
The warehouse was huge. It stretched for several kilometers in front of her and seemed to her to reach infinity. It had very high shelves, which were difficult to reach. At the entrance, she said goodbye to the storekeepers. They were very kind creatures, she knew. They offered her help, but she refused it. She always wanted to do everything herself, even if it was impossible. She didn't like anyone else to give her help, no matter how much she needed it.
She reached the shelf where the tool was and realized that it would be difficult for her to reach it, as it was placed high above her. While she was thinking about how to get hold of the tool, Orion appeared behind her. She noticed that someone was there. She turned and looked up, spotting him in front of her. As she looked at him, she saw anger in his eyes.
- Why are you not doing your duty and wasting time in the warehouse? - he asked her angrily.
- Who said I'm not doing my duty?!
– It can be seen from the attachment!
– You can't see well!
After that, he walked around her and continued to the leaning ladder that was next to her tool shelf. He carefully began to climb, stopping just below that shelf. When he came down with the boxes containing the things he needed, he walked past her, giving her a reproachful look.
– You're just slacking off! – he said and left the warehouse.
Arabella began to climb that ladder, which he had climbed a moment ago. Retrieving the boxes with the necessary tools, she headed back to her place. She was carrying a ton of boxes in her hands. She noticed Orion nearby. Approaching her, he gently swung his hand and knocked the last box off the pile she was carrying.
– Ugh, how dare he, thought Arabella.
Arriving at the place, she freed herself from that pile of boxes. When she returned to retrieve the box that had been knocked over, she noticed Orion's gaze following her every step again. She ignored his actions and returned to the place, where a creature was waiting for her.
– Leader Orion said it's time for a break! – creature shouted.
– Thanks! – Arabella said, and then headed outside to spend her break there.
She went out to the back entrance of the building, where there were benches and various plants that created a pleasant atmosphere. Everyone was there, except him.
Orion was just leaving the building. He hurried past her place carrying coffee, which he spilled on the tools. Leaving the building, he joined the team of assistants they were working with. Arabella was sitting alone at the very other end of the small "courtyard" and watched the group. Orion was talking with them and eating at the same time. He returned a few glances at her, then entered the building.
Finishing her break, she returned to her workplace. There she found a mess and someone's coffee that was spilled on the tool, which she borrowed. She was calm and immediately got down to cleaning. She tried to save the tool and repair the damage. Meanwhile, the other creatures are back from their break. Seeing the mess, they gathered around Arabella. They wanted to see what she was doing. The gathered group attracted Orion's attention, so he joined them. He observed what she was doing and stepped out of the group, and then sharply asked:
– What are you doing, assistant?!
She just looked at him and continued cleaning.
– I asked you something!
She continued to ignore him, and then he, irritated, started to shout and express his anger towards the team of assistants.
– Why did you all gather around us? Leave us alone and go do your job, at least, be a little useful.
They began to gradually separate, leaving Orion and Arabella alone. Realizing that they were alone, Arabella stopped cleaning and stood opposite him. Standing in complete silence they looked at each other with defiant and angry eyes. The peace is broken when Orion shuts her down with his cheeky words:
– Is it possible that you have such a low level of intelligence... you ruined something that is impossible to ruin!
He had not expected that the coffee would spread all over the tool and cause irreparable damage. Regardless, he chose to have a little more conversation with her than he had planned, in order to provoke her.
– I did not make this mess! – she told him calmly, looking into his dark eyes.
– You have no adequate evidence for that!
– I certainly have...
– I do not care, I do not have time for such things! – he interrupted her brazenly.
– Check my part of the work with the other creatures, while I repair the damage! – he ordered her.
She looked at him with murderous purple eyes with contempt. Stepping around him, she headed towards his place.
When she arrived, she noticed a very tidy space, except for the sketches he was working on. Sketches were scattered all over the table, creating a creative mess. They revealed his perfect skills in drawing and precision. The utensils on the table were logically ordered and well organized. By the table stood the assistant, whom she had seen before and who informed her about all the changes in the previous steps. Together they began to check the sketches. They were accurate and precise. Halfway through, she noticed the mistake. At that moment, a creature from the team called out to her, needing help.
– Could you take this sketch away and correct the mistake until I get back – she said.
The creature just nodded, and then she slowly walked towards the place where she was supposed to help the other creature.
The assistant who was working with Arabella forgot to extract the sketch where the mistake happened, and then there was a mess.
Returning, she continued looking through the sketches, but Orion interrupted her again and angrily ordered:
– You can leave this place because it is no longer necessary for you to be there.
She gave him one last look of disdain before turning back. He then gets a call from a creature to head back to him. He came back with graceful steps. He was furious at the reception, and clenching his jaw, sharpness appeared on his face, which was flooded with ferocity.
– I came to the conclusion that you are not capable of even the most trivial thing!
Anger seethed from him as his eyes cut through the atmosphere.
– What do you mean by that? – asked Arabella.
– I think it is clear what I want to say! – he said, glancing around, where the rest of the creatures had gathered.
Then angrily ordered:
– Could we please have a little privacy in this hellish place?!
When everyone left the room and there was complete silence, he approached her and started stirring up the situation.
– So it's about sketches?...
– The sketches are finished, reviewed and corrected – Arabella said in an even tone.
– Then how do you explain this? – he asked her angrily while holding a sketch with a mistake in his hand.
– Let me look – said Arabella, looking at Orion who was watching her furiously.
Seeing that he was just watching her, not doing what she ordered him to do, she decided to take the sketch herself. When Orion saw that, he raised his hand so she wouldn't take it. Since he was taller than her, raising the hand that held the sketch represented a good move. Despite this, Arabella struggled to catch her while Orion waved high in the atmosphere. And so they fought until she accidentally stepped on his leg and fell on his strong chest. Her head was near his heart. He caught her partially and hugged her. Arabella jerked away from him roughly, then her gaze was lost in his dark and cold eyes.
– Anyway, leave this building! – he ordered her harshly.
– I see no reason why I would leave this building! – she objected.
– I have no time for useless creatures like you!
– Of course you will because I don't allow myself to be called useless there.
– Leave this building already!! I've had enough of you for today.
– You start everything – said Arabella calmly, shrugging her shoulders.
– All this is your fault!
He roughly grabbed her hand and pulled her gently towards the exit. They both felt electricity leaving stardust on their hands. As they neared the exit door, he threw her into another room, where all the other creatures were and whose eyes were fixed on them.
– Leave this building and don't come back here again!! - Orion said angrily, looking at the team of assistants who gathered around him.
She looked at him with murderous eyes once more, then marched to the exit of the building. As she walked, she heard various whispers about the current situation. He, too, observed the entire situation, after which he returned to his seat and saw the stardust on his hands. Seeing her, he stopped and thought about the cause of that phenomenon. He realized it had come from touching Arabella's hand. He quickly shook it off his hand. He began to falsely deny the phenomenon because he knew what it was about.
***
In the infinite universe, when soulmates meet for the first time, stardust appears between them. She remains hidden between them until the first touch, when she appears on their hands.