Everyone is born with a Mark.  This Mark never matches anyone else’s Mark, except for one.  That is how you find your soulmate.
Bethany had a Mark.  She just as quickly found out what her Mark meant that she had found her match.  His name was Benjamin.  Dating since they were twelve years old, they fit together like puzzle pieces.  Bethany’s brown hair complimented Ben’s shade of sandy blonde.  His soft brown eyes canceled out her piercing grey ones.  She was short enough that her head seemed to be built for the crook of his neck.  They were made for each other.
“Good morning,” Ben greeted Beth with a kiss on the cheek.  Beth leaned into him as a silent greeting while analyzing their joined hands.  Her eyes traveled up their forearms to their matching Marks.  Both shared the shape of a crescent moon imprinted on their skin.  Ben’s Mark had a faint line interesting his moon through the middle, but both agreed it was only a scar.
As the school bell rang, the couple parted ways as Beth headed off to class.  As soon as she sat down, a familiar voice rang out next to her, “Good morning darling!” Bethany groaned and turned away from the owner of the voice as he plopped himself down in the seat next to hers. If someone took the time to look up the word “arrogant” in the dictionary, Beth was certain that Jack McNall’s name would be the only definition.  Jack laughed and began his daily teasing of Bethany.
“Ever think of running a comb through your hair?”
“I passed a shed while driving to school today, is that your house?”
“No hard feelings, darling, but I think you win the award for ugliest boyfriend.”
That final comment struck a nerve in Beth, since nobody dared to insult Benjamin.  She turned to meet Jack’s smirk, and swung her palm towards his face.
"Woah, slow down there,” he laughed as he easily caught Beth’s wrist.  “I’m just trying to give good advice!”  Bethany attempted to wrestle her arm from his grasp.  In doing so, she shook Jack’s sleeve down to his elbow.  Beth caught a glimpse of his forearm and froze.  She released her hand out of his grip and used it to bring his arm down to her height.
“You’ll have to tell me what you’re looking at, darling,” Jack whispered, smirking.  Beth almost tore her sleeve off as she shoved her bare arm next to his.  Bethany’s moon was a carbon copy of the one that shone against Jack’s tan skin.  Jack’s jaw clenched, and the humor left his eyes.  Beth met his gaze and ran.  Out of the school, across the parking lot, and down the street Beth ran until she reached her house.
“Ben,” she gasped, “What about Ben?”  She wove her hands through her hair as she paced around her bedroom, tears streaming down her cheeks.  She attempted to reason with herself, “We love each other, and our Marks are the same!”  She collapsed on her bed in a heap of sobs, and there she stayed for several hours after.
“Ben,” Beth attempted to ask nonchalantly as her and Ben relaxed in her room, “Let me see your Mark.”  Benjamin looked at her questioningly, but handed over his arm nonetheless.  She traced her finger over the outline of the moon that she knew so well.  Somehow, the scar caught her eye.  She gingerly swept over the line with her index finger. 
“Tell me again how you got this scar,” Beth mumbled.  She couldn’t meet Ben’s inquiring eyes, so he simply answered, “My parents say I fell off of my bike and scraped my arm, but I don’t remember it.”  Beth nodded, as if confirming something, and excused herself to use the bathroom.  As she left her room, however, she walked straight past the bathroom and out the door.
“So, darling, what brings you to my humble abode?”  Jack’s laugh rang throughout his whole house.
“Stop calling me darling, you’re not my boyfriend,” Beth protested.
“Oh, but darling, we both know it won’t last,” Jack countered, exposing his arm again.  Beth squeezed her eyes shut, repulsed by the ashy Mark.  Jack’s usual smirk faltered as he noticed her ragged breathing.  He walked over to her, asking, “Hey Beth, are you okay?” She shook her head firmly and slid down the wall on to the tiled floor.  Jack knelt next to her and took her hands away from her face.
“Hey, it’s going to be okay, trust me,” he whispered, “It’s probably just a mistake.”  Beth nodded and stood up to leave.  As she bid Jack goodbye, though, she wasn’t sure if she believed him.
As the next few weeks passed by, Beth grew more skeptical of her and Ben’s relationship.  Everything seemed too rehearsed.  Their life was like a schedule, but Ben, herself, and her parents insisted that that was what love looked like.  Saying “I love you,” became as simple as a “hello” or “goodbye.”  Meanwhile, Jack and Beth became extremely close friends.  She knew just about everything about him.  She knew his favorite songs, what annoyed him, and why he preferred rainy days over sunny ones.  However, his c***y attitude only dropped around Beth.  Nobody could seem to find his good side.  Even her parents told her to stay away from him.  Benjamin wouldn’t let Beth near him while he was walking her to class.  Beth was constantly conflicted.  She knew that Ben and Jack were polar opposites.  She could have fun with Ben and they could plan their future together.  With Jack she could laugh until she cried and live in the moment.  Beth was in trouble, and she knew it.
“Jack, you’ve proved your point!” Beth giggled as he continued to attempt to prove that he could breakdance.  Finally he collapsed onto Beth’s carpet, gasping for breath.
“I told you!  Now help me up!” he panted.  Beth sighed and rolled off of her bed to grasp his hands.  As she tried to pull him up, Jack pulled too hard and brought Beth down with him.
“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry Jack!” Beth apologized, but Jack interrupted her.
“Beth it’s fine!” he chuckled.  Beth smiled, and propped herself up on her elbows.  As she looked down at Jack, she unconsciously found herself leaning in.  Right before their lips touched, Beth hesitated, uncertain if she should continue.  After a moment of pause, Jack brought his hands up to Beth’s cheeks and pulled her down, pressing his lips against hers.  There they stayed for a while.  Beth felt strangely excited.  When they finally broke the kiss, Beth and Jack grinned at each other.  As she looked up, her smile dropped as fast as her stomach.  There, standing in the doorway, was Ben, holding a bouquet of flowers.  Beth jumped up.
“Ben, I’m so sorry,” Ben’s hand went up, interrupting her.  He dropped the flowers on to the carpet.
“Happy anniversary,” he mumbled, and quickly left the room.  Beth crumpled on to the floor in tears.  She stroked the soft petals of her favorite roses as tears dripped down her face.
“I know you’re conflicted,” Jack’s voice whispered in her ear, “I need you to remember that what we have on our arms will never influence our emotions.”  There he left Beth, drowning in tears and waiting to be eaten alive by her thoughts.