Time Will Tell

Chapter 5

Riley and I were walking to go get some coffee on this wonderful Saturday. I brought a blanket and didn't bother to tell him why.

We get our coffees and both of ours taste good. One less thing to go wrong today. "Are you going to tell me why you brought a blanket? I know it's getting colder but we have coffee that is rather hot and these things called jackets for that reason." Riley informs me as if I didn't already know ways to keep myself warm.

"Follow me," I instruct him as we turn to leave the coffee shop. I lead us out the door and across the pathway over to the trees.

"Uh, what do you think you're doing? I keep getting cussed out for stepping foot near the trees."

That's when I looked around and saw that we were completely alone there. I guess it's too early for most people. "I know what I'm doing."

Riley cautiously looked around before following me onto the grass. I spread the blanket, sat down, and patted the space next to me for Riley to sit. I pulled out my kindle and started to read, trying to take my mind off my wristband.

"Give me your wristband," Riley demands so I fork over my wrist. "1 day 6 hours and 23 minutes. That's not long."

"I am fully aware of how long that is thank-you-very-much," I retort with a little more harshness than I intended. "Sorry, my nerves are getting the best of me."

"No kidding. Have you decided what you're going to wear tomorrow?"

"Should I have by now?"

"Some people do, others forget, and some don't care. Knowing you, I'm surprised you haven't."

"I've been too nervous to try. Every time I start thinking about her, I get all panicky."

"Well let me help you then. That way it's not just you doing this."

"Okay. No promises I won't freak out though." With that Riley folded the blanket and I led the way back to my dorm room.

Riley started to go through my closet, pulling things out for me to try on. I started with the no's almost immediately until he pulled something out of my closet that I had forgotten about. The sweater dress. It still had the tag on it and suddenly I felt a pull toward it. I knew, this was why we bought this and it was meant to be. This was starting to all fall into place.

I didn't have to try it on because I knew it would still fit and that would make this time even more real. I wanted to wait as long as possible before the adrenaline kicked in because I knew when the time came, it was all going to head south for me.

Then I started to feel it anyways. My insecurities started pouring through my brain and I tuned out from the world. Riley would've figured out what was happening by now, I just hoped he wasn't freaking out. I started to feel dizzy and my vision went dark. I honestly have no idea how bad this time was, but I actually hoped I was out for a while, that way I would have less time to stress. I also figured I had been depriving myself of sleep lately because this one felt really bad.

When I came to, I was laying on my bed and Riley was laying next to me, sound asleep. I felt my heart drop as I checked my wristband. 18 hours and 14 minutes. Maybe I should try and actually sleep since I felt more exhausted than I was before I passed out. I was out for a decent amount of time but now every minute was going to feel like a thousand. I changed out of my jeans and found a pair of sweatpants, my favorite pair to be exact.

I wonder what my soulmate thinks of these. I begin to wonder what my soulmate sleeps in. Maybe a t-shirt and shorts. Maybe matching sets. Maybe nightgowns. Maybe nothing. I love it when my subconscious makes a situation so much worse simply by deciding to chime in with inappropriate comments that don't help calm me down in any sort of way.