Soul Mates (Jercy)

Chapter One: I Hate You!

Jason was running. And by running, he was sprinting down the road. He kept looking at his watch, and wincing. It read the same as a stopwatch would, with a time of 00:78:25. It was slowly counting down every minute. Seventy eight days and about half an hour. That was all he had to find his soul mate, after eighteen years of searching. He winced a little at each tick of the timer going down. Two and a half months to search the whole world. HE ran into someone, pain shooting up his left arm as he collided with him. It hurt like hell, but kept going. "Sorry sir!" He shouted back, panting hard.

 HE was going to the library, to find information. He needed to know if there was any way to make it easier to find your mate. He looked down again, not really seeing the time on his wrist. . He started slowing, the library was in sight. He swallowed down his nerves, slouching against the double doors. He pushed them open with trembling arms, swallowing a couple more times to bring moisture back into his mouth. He closed his eyes as he walked by the front desk. He sat in front of a row of computers, and began searching. HE kept typing in unsuccesful searches. At one point he was ready to give up. Something on one of the pages was nagging at him. ask people. Talk. Do anything to get yourself heard. The clock stops as soon as you say your first word to them. No matter what. 

Almost three hours later, he looked at his watch. Then he blinked in confusion. It was frozen. Frozen at 00:78:24.

-+-

Percy winced, rubbing his arm. A guy, some tall blond guy, had barreled right into him, barely saying sorry before bolting off again. The guy had looked oddly familiar, even covered in sweat like he was. It didn't matter how handsome or familiar the guy was, Percy's arm was hurt and he didn't need anything else for his mom to worry about. He huffed, shaking his head, rubbing the bruises forming. He looked at his watch. Still counting. He sniffed a little, held his head up, and kept walking. He'd admitted to himself he wasn't going to find his soul mate. He knew it. And he didn't really mind it. He was going to die at sixteen. His watch was going to poison him. And he was, okay with it. He pushed open the apartment door that led into his and his mothers shared home. He kissed her forehead and went to his room to do his homework.

Nobody was okay with knowing they were going to die alone. 

-+-

"Well, who did you run in to?"

"I don't know, I don't really remember..." Jason was freaking out. He'd met and spoken to his soul mate...The requirements for the watch to stop. He was pacing in front of his best friends desk in their old Spanish classroom. The Latino was watching him with lazy eyes. "I ran into this one guy, but I ran into a few more before and after him too....." He bit his lip. "I was checking my clock every few minutes, so it could have been any time..." He made a distressed noise, pulling on his hair. Leo sighed, shaking his head. 

"Don't beat yourself up, Jay. You couldn't have known." He mumbled, head resting on his soul mates shoulder. The tall boy kissed Leo gently. His name was Frank Zhang, and he was easily the biggest person you'd ever meet. And he was the sweetest. He made the best cookies, was one of the best players on the football team, volunteered at the primary school, and according to Leo was the best at cuddling. "I'm sure he's out there!"

"I don't even know if it's a guy or a girl!" He wailed, collapsing into a chair. He groaned, hitting his head on the hard top of the desk. The door opened slowly, and a boy poked his head in, holding a paper close. He blinked a little, then blushed.

"Oh, sorry. I thought this was...never mind." He sighed and began stepping out. And then he stared at Jason. "You!"

Jason lifted his head, glaring at the boy in the doorway. "What do you want, Jackson." They'd never spoken, but Jason knew him from around school. He hated him. He was perfect Percy, always doing everything right! Not even failing his classes because he was friends with the Sophomore taking all the Senior classes. He made an angry noise in the back of his throat. 

Percy returned the glare. "You ran in to me on the street yesterday, asshole!"

"Not my fault!" He shouted back. Jason stood up, towering over Percy by nearly a whole head. The swim team coach simply directed his glare up to meet Jason's fierce blue eyes.

"It's your fault everyone thinks I'm being abused again!"

Jason blinked in surprise. He'd heard rumors that Percy Jackson, the great Percy, had been abused by his step father, but he'd never truly believed it. Another stunt pulled by the most popular boy in school to gain popularity. But...was it true? Could it be true? Surely someone would have acted earlier if it was...right? He tilted his head, not anticipating the hand shoved in his face.

"Get out of my way you oaf." Percy walked to the teacher's desk and left a sheet of paper wish what looked like nonsense written in small scribbles. Jason huffed.

"Shut up, fish!"

"I hate you!"

"I hate you more!" Jason shouted as Percy slammed the door. He fell into the seat again, head in his hands. He felt like crying. Everything was going so terribly wrong. He sighed heavily. "Shit."