What’s your moon sign?

The only reason Amanda attended the WLW speed-dating event was to get Eric off her back. “Just go,” he had pleaded. “You never know — you might meet your perfect match!” It was easy for him to say; he had been with his ideal partner in a loving and stable relationship for 10 years. 

So far it had been a disaster, just as she expected. On paper she was compatible with all the women there, but attraction didn’t happen on paper. She wished she was at home watching Netflix. She didn’t need a girlfriend; she was perfectly happy on her own. 

“Break time is over!” the emcee announced. “Take your drink and go back to your tables, it’s time for the next round!”

With those words, Amanda’s next potential soulmate plopped down in the seat across from her, leaning in to shake hands. “I’m Elsa,” she said with a warm smile. “Nice to meet you.” 

“Amanda. Likewise,” she replied, her pulse quickening slightly. The evening suddenly seemed much more promising. Elsa’s blue spiky hair framed her face in an arresting way, her freckles and kind eyes sparking an undeniable attraction. Their handshake lingered, a warm current flowing between them. Elsa’s gaze was intense yet soft, making Amanda feel seen in a way that was both thrilling and unnerving. It was a look that seemed to explore, hinting at a desire to uncover more than what was visible.

“So, tell me, Amanda,” Elsa asked while maintaining her intense eye contact, “If you could do only one thing for the rest of eternity, what would it be?”

“Would I get tired?”

“Discard the notion of fatigue, hunger, thirst and so on. Boredom is in play, though.”

Amanda thought for a few seconds. “I think I would probably draw.”

“What do you like to draw?”

“Oh, all sorts of things,” Amanda said, getting animated. “Landscapes. People. Even comics, I’d like to do a graphic novel. I wish I could do it permanently, like as a job, but unfortunately the stars didn’t align for me. What would you do?”

“I’m torn between reading and writing,” Elsa replied after taking a sip of her beer. “If time was no worry, I could finally get through all the books in my to-read pile, imagine! And I’ll never run out because there are always new ones. But I also love to write, so it’s tough to choose between those two. With writing you can create an infinite number of worlds, characters, you can make problems, solve them. You never have to be bored.”

“Are you a writer by profession?” Amanda asked. 

Elsa shook her head. “No, sadly, same as you, the stars and all that. But maybe it’s better this way, you know? If it were your day job it may lose its appeal?”

“Perhaps,” Amanda said slowly, considering the question. “And what options did the Higher Astrology Council give you as options for paid labour?”

“Law, diplomacy, or healthcare. On account of my ambition, assertiveness, and nurturing nature. What about you?”

“I’m an analytical perfectionist,” Amanda said with a grimace. “So accounting, engineering, and financial analyst were my options.”

“Hmmm, I would never have guessed that. You seem more…”

“More what?” Amanda asked with a laugh. 

“More interesting than an accountant, I guess,” Elsa said with a grin. 

“Damn, our time is almost up,” Amanda frowned. “I’ve really enjoyed talking to you.”

“Yeah, me too. I hope we’ll see each other again soon,” Elsa said. 

“Before you go, tell me — you’re probably a Capricorn Sun, Mercury in the 10th House, Cancer Rising, and Virgo Moon?” Amanda asked eagerly. “It’s one of my most compatible matches.”

“No,” Elsa chuckled. “Not even close. I do have Cancer Rising, but I’m Aries Sun, Mars in 1st House, and Libra Moon.”

Amanda’s heart sank. She finally met someone she liked and now they’re not compatible. “If that’s true we should not even have met tonight! There must have been a mix-up. Are you at the wrong table?”

“What are you?” Elsa whispered, leaning closer.

“Virgo Sun, Mercury in 6th House, Scorpio Rising, and Taurus Moon.”

“Oh, jeez, yeah. That would never work. But-”

“But what?”

“I really wanna see you again,” Elsa said, grinning foolishly. 

“It’s against the rules,” Amanda whispered, looking around to see if anyone heard them. 

“Rules were made to be at least questioned, if not broken,” Elsa said as she slipped Amanda a piece of paper with her number on. 

Amanda hesitated. She didn’t want to break the law. “Elsa, sorry, you know we can’t. It would never work anyway.”

“Don’t you think there’s a possibility that the stars are more flexible than we think?”

“Time’s up! Move on to the next table,” the emcee announced. 

“Think about it, Amanda. There’s only one question — would you like to see me again? Forget about the stars,” Elsa implored, as she begrudgingly left the table. 

The next woman sat down across from Amanda, but she barely heard what she was saying. Forget about the stars? Yeah, right. Might as well forget about gravity — it still didn’t mean you could fly. Whether we liked it or not, the stars dictated what we’re skilled at and who we’re compatible with. Challenging that is not only prohibited, a relationship between them would have no chance of success even if it was legal. And yet… there was something between them, Amanda could feel it. 

***

At around 8pm the next evening, Amanda was making her way to the agreed-upon secluded spot in the Botanical Gardens. She had many arguments with herself throughout that day, but she lost them all and so ended up messaging Elsa. Her curiosity was stronger than her fear, but now, as she was nearing the spot, she was once again questioning her decision. The air was cool, carrying the faint scent of jasmine and the occasional chirp of a night bird. When she turned the corner and saw Elsa sitting on a bench, her blue hair illuminated by the moonlight falling over her eyes, most of her doubts subsided. How was it possible that she felt like they were old friends and not strangers who only met yesterday? Incompatible strangers at that. 

“Hey,” Amanda said, her voice trembling slightly.

“Hey yourself,” Elsa said, getting up from the bench and stepping forward to slowly close the gap between them. “I’m so chuffed you decided to come, after all.”

“Me too, but I'm really nervous.”

“I get that. I’m scared too. But haven’t you ever wondered?” She took another step towards Amanda. 

“Wondered what, exactly?” Amanda asked, retreating slightly. 

“Whether this stars business is for real?” Elsa’s gaze was unwavering, her body leaning in as if pulled by a magnet, her breath mingling with Amanda’s in the cool evening air. 

Amanda scoffed. “Of course it’s real. Don’t you believe in science? You’re not one of them deniers, are you?” Despite her words, she found herself leaning in, drawn by Elsa’s gravitational pull. 

“I’m not sure. I just think it’s healthy to be a little… sceptical, don’t you?” Elsa’s voice was a whisper now, her face inches from Amanda’s. 

“About some things, yes. But not science.” Amanda’s reply was faint, her focus split between her words and the captivating proximity of Elsa’s lips, the latter seeming far more persuasive in the moment.

“Has science never been wrong? We learn new things every day. Are you content with the fact that the stars get to dictate what you do for a living, who you sleep with and everything in between?”

As Elsa spoke of challenging the stars, a ruru’s intense shriek pierced the silence, as if to remind them of nature’s indifference to human constraints. Amanda could feel the warmth of Elsa’s breath, the inviting softness in her eyes, urging her to question everything she’d ever accepted as truth.

“Why don’t we just try to go on a few dates and see what happens?” Elsa continued, her proposal hanging in the air as she inched even closer. 

“I admit that I… I like you, despite our incompatibility, but a relationship between us is doomed from the beginning, not to mention illegal. So why even bother?”

Defying the path determined by the location of the stars at the time of your birth was not just an act of rebellion; it was punishable by years of forced call centre labour at minimum wage. 

“Why do you think it’s doomed?” Elsa asked, her gaze intense. She was not only challenging Amanda, she was questioning the very foundations of society. 

“Well, let me paint a picture for you.”

“Please do, you’re good at that, I hear, contrary to the stars…”

“Elsa…”

“Just saying. Please continue.”

“First off, our elements clash. Your fire, the Aries Sun, means you’re impulsive and action-oriented, while my earth, the Virgo Sun, makes me more grounded and cautious. Fire can either warm the Earth or scorch it, and Earth can either nurture Fire’s energy or smother it.”

“Meaning?”

“Did you fail Astrology at school?” Amanda asked with a laugh, but Elsa’s gaze remained serious. “You’ll feel restrained by my practicality,” she continued.

“I won’t.” Elsa’s voice was soft, persuasive. As she spoke, she took another small step forward. She reached out her hand, hesitantly, before brushing it lightly against Amanda’s. The contact was electric, sending a shiver up Amanda’s spine.

“Or I’ll feel overwhelmed by your spontaneity,” Amanda said, trying to ignore the warm feelings in her body and focus on the facts of the stars.

“I’ll try to keep it in check, promise.”

“That’s not all.” Amanda looked down at their touching hands, a tangible symbol of the connection they were forging despite the stars. She felt her resistance waning, her logical defences crumbling under the weight of her desires.

“What else?” Elsa probed with a whisper, her lips close to Amanda’s ear. 

“Well, your Mars in Aries leans towards direct, sometimes even aggressive communication, clashing with my more detailed, analytical approach thanks to my Mercury in Virgo.”

“So?”

“It can lead to misunderstandings and frustrations.”

“We can deal with them. You know, communicate like adults?”

“Fine. But also, my Scorpio Rising will clash with your Cancer Rising, resulting in intense interactions.”

“Intense interactions,” Elsa said with a sly smile. “Sound pretty good to me…”

“Elsa…” Amanda’s protest was weak, her gaze locked with Elsa’s, searching, questioning, finding answers she hadn’t known she was seeking. 

The night was still around them, apart from the occasional ruru call. They were gazing intensely at each other, neither willing to be the first to look away. Amanda lifted her hand to Elsa’s cheek, her fingers trembling slightly, and delicately tuck a blue strand of hair behind her ear. Elsa’s smile in response was radiant and full of warmth. How can this be wrong, Amanda thought, as she bridged the final distance between them, placing her lips on Elsa’s, gently at first. The world around them seemed to fall away, leaving nothing but the warmth of Elsa’s lips on Amanda’s, the sweet scent of jasmine, the periodic haunting shriek of a ruru, and millions of stars as witness to their first kiss.

And in that moment, they were infinitely free.