Carmen bites her bottom lip and her eyes lay on every person in the room for a very long time. I can almost hear the gears spinning into her head.

She watches Shane for a very long time, knowing well that she can’t be chosen, and then her look stops on me. She points at me with an almost imperceptible movement of her head.

Sanders makes a guttural, choked laugh that comes from the deepest bottom of his throat.

“What?”, he asks, “Are you choosing him?”, he asks.

“Yes”, Carmen replies simply, and I am surprised. And I don’t know what she has in mind but I am sure she’s chosen me for a reason. I only hope I will understand what she’s trying to tell me.

I turn my head to Shane feeling guilty and a bit embarrassed. She’s looking at Carmen like she’s just backstabbed her, and Carmen gives her an apologetic, begging look.

“I am sorry, Shane, but I have to do that. I love you, babe”, she murmurs.

Shane swallows hard and her eyes are glimmering with unexpressed tears. Finally, she nods.

“I know, honey, I love you, too, with all my heart. It’s okay”, she replies under her breath.

”Hush
Its okay
Dry your eyes
Dry your eyes
Soulmate dry your eyes
Dry your eyes
Soulmate dry your eyes
Cause soulmates never die…”

“Tell me why you chose him”, Sanders cuts in and his voice sounds sincerely intrigued.

Carmen shakes her head, smiling bitterly.

“Your rules didn’t include a reason for my choice, did they?”.

Jack Sanders nods politely.

“Right. Go ahead, then”, he invites her with a gesture of his well-manicured hands.

Carmen stares at me and moves two steps forward, stopping right in front on me. She looks up to meet my eyes and says only a few, whispered words.

“I am sorry, Dante”.

I try to smile.

“It’s okay”, I reply quietly.

She is still looking at me, straight in the eyes. There’s something, behind her look. Something that she’s trying to tell me, something voiceless that, paradoxically, is yelling into my mind. I just can’t nail it yet.

Carmen sighs heavily and raises her handcuffed hands, cupping my face and I feel sorry for her because I know she’s being forced to do something she doesn’t want to do.