Connected

Chapter 1

"Mia, wait up."

"Not possible, Lily. I have 3 minutes left. There's no way I'm stopping now," she yells back.

"I don't expect you to stop, just...slow... down," I huff.

Finally, we break through the crowd into Rose park, directly in front of Red Fountain. Mia runs to the edge of the fountain, bouncing on her toes. Her auburn curls bounce around her shoulders and her eyes dart around the plaza. I sit down on the edge of the fountain next to her, looking around with her, the warm summer breeze blowing the mist from the spray against my back. Hearing the voice in my head, I turn around and look over my right shoulder, and I see him. His hair is fire red. He's skinny like Mia but muscular, with large glasses pushed high up on his nose. He and I see each other before Mia notices him. He looks at me and nods in my direction; then he looks at Mia. His eyes lock onto her, watching as she spins every which direction, and he smiles. After a breath, he shakes his head clearing his mind, and makes his way through the crowd, his smile never fading.

When she finally sees him and checks his wrist, tears start to well in both of their eyes. Then the Counters hit. Of course, I can't see them, or any besides mine and my soulmates, as the rules go, but you can tell when a couple's Counters hit zero. It usually crosses their faces. They look at their wrists, and then the "Spark" comes. This is common knowledge taught to us by our parents, teachers, and the rest of Valmont. Even if you don't understand it, you can see it as you walk down the street. From the stories that people have told, when the Counters hit zero, the couple hears a chime, then they feel the "Spark," basically this current of electricity, but gentle and almost calming, then the Counters disappear.

Looking at my best friend and her now soulmate, their Counters just hit zero. Mia and her soulmate stand there staring at each other as if there is no one else in the park, let alone the world. I clear my throat, trying to make them aware that I was still there and that it was starting to get dark.

"Mia. Mia. Hey, Mia," I say, trying to break her out of her trance.

"Oh, right. Hi, I'm Mia," she mumbles, eyes locked on her mates'.

"I'm Skylar," he smiles.

"And I'm Lily, Mia's best friend," I chime, "Mia, I'm happy for you and all, but the sun is setting, and you know how your parents are."

"Right," she pouts, coming back to reality, "This sucks. We just met and I don't even get the chance to actually talk to you."

A tear breaks free and rolls down her cheek as a small sob escapes her. Skylar immediately gathers her in his arms, wiping it away with his thumb.

"Skylar, follow me," I sigh, "You can go with us and take her home, but you have to say goodbye a few houses away, at least until tomorrow. Her parents are strict, so it might take a while until you can meet them."

"Thank you, Lily," he nods as we start walking.

He meant it; I could hear it in his voice. He didn't want to leave her, and I'm glad. Mia has been through so much in the past year. Both grandparents on her mom's side passed away only three weeks ago. One month before that, her dog, Scooter, passed away. The dog she has had for ten years. He was "Her" dog. She was the only one Scooter would sleep or be calm with during a storm. He would even push me off the bed when I would stay the night, but it never bothered me. He calmed her nightmares, and she calmed his.

Looking over my shoulder at Mia and Skylar, I knew she would be okay. They held hands so tightly their knuckles were white. She hung on his arm, nodding and smiling at something he was whispering to her; tears still stained her cheeks. I didn't want to break the bad news to them as we neared her house. They stayed there hugging and saying goodbye until there was only a sliver of light left. Finally breaking away, he kisses her forehead then unexpectedly walks over and envelops me in a hug, trapping my arms at my sides.