Soulmate

9

It feels as if the earth has stopped spinning. "Stopped? How can it stop?" I demanded.
"I don't know." He cried. "But it has, it's stopped. I don't understand."
I pulled out my computer and googled stopped countdown. I quickly found an article about it. Printing it out, I ran to show Owen what I had found. "Here." I handed it to him. "Read this." He started to read it aloud.
Some people have experienced what experts like to call "stopped clock syndrome." This means that the inflicted persons soulmate is dead or gone. Many believe that finding your soulmate is a matter of fate, but this is incorrect. If the persons original soulmate is not dead, it is likely that they made some choice that will delay their meeting. If this is the case the countdown may take a few days to recalibrate before resuming its work. If the countdown does not resume within 10 days, it is likely that their soulmate is dead.
"Dead." Owen gasped. "She could be dead.
"Maybe not." I said optimistically. "It might just be a little later before you meet her."
"Yeah, maybe," he said dejectedly. It was clear that he didn't have much fair in that.
"Is there anything else in the article?" I asked him.
"No," he replied, "that's it."
"Oh Owen, I'm so sorry this happened to you." Owen was a good person. He didn't deserve misfortune like this.
"Thanks." He sighed. "Olivia, can you promise me that you'll keep this a secret for now? Just for the 10 days."
"Oh..." I said thinking of Isaac. I wasn't sure I could keep such a huge secret from him, or that I should. "Can I at least tell my mom, and Isaac?" I ask.
"Olivia please. I get that your mom saw me crying and will be curious, but please no one else."
"Owen..." I sighed. "I don't know if I should keep such a big secret from Isaac."
"Please, Olivia. It's just for 10 days. We don't even know what the problem is yet, really."
I understand where he's coming from, but Isaac is my soulmate. I want him to be able to trust me, and how can I expect him to if I'm already keeping secrets from him.
"No, I'm sorry, but I can't do that. I won't tell anyone else, but I can't keep secrets from him. I won't."
Owen sighed. "Fine, if you must, tell him. But no one else, promise?"
"I promise." I told him.
Owen got up to go home. "Thanks Olivia."
I smiled. "Of course."
Soon after Owen left, I went to call Isaac.
"Hey." He answered, sleepily.
"Hey Isaac," I said softly. "I'm sorry, we're you asleep?"
"Well, yes," he responded, "but that's not important. What's up?"
"Can you meet me at our spot in 15 minutes?" I asked. "I need to tell you something."
"Ok, I'll be there soon."
"Thanks."
I hung up and changed into jeans and a t-shirt. It was starting to get cold outside, and I didn't want to freeze. Grabbing my keys and a jacket, I walked through the park to meet Isaac.
He was already there when I arrived.
"You came," I murmured.
"Or course I came." He smiled, "you sounded pretty worried on the phone. What's wrong?"
We sat down on the bench and I explained to him what had happened with Owen. "He didn't want me to tell you." I said softly.
"I'm glad you did." He replied.
"I am too." I told him. "I didn't want to keep such a huge secret from you. It didn't feel right."
"I can't blame you." He said. "You were absolutely right to tell me. After all, what kind of soulmates are we if we can't trust each other?"
"I thought so too." I smiled, "you always seem to know exactly what I'm thinking. How do you do that?"
"Maybe it's a gift." He smiled, "and it's certainly one I'm grateful for. After all, we're soulmates. It's important that we understand each other."
"You're right." I replied, "do you know what I'm thinking right now?"
"I have no idea." He laughed. "All I know is that I really want to kiss you."
I grinned, "good guess." And I leaned in towards him. And just like that we were kissing. His hands were tangled in my hair, and my arms were around his neck. I wished it could last for eternity.
"I should go." I said reluctantly. "I may have forgotten to tell my mom I left..."
He laughed. "I may have also..."
I sighed and leaned against him.
"I guess we should probably cancel our plans for tomorrow." He sighed.
"What!" I said, sitting up. "Why?"
"Don't get me wrong," he said, "I don't want to cancel, but Owen needs you right now."
"And you don't?" I replied softly, my hand on his arm.
"No, I do need you." He said. "I think a part of me has always needed you, and I just didn't realize it until we met. But Owen is your best friend, and he needs all the help he can get."
"How do you know?" I asked him.
"Well," he said, stretching his arm behind his head. "I just think of how I'd feel if I lost you."
"You won't." I replied.
He smiled at me. "I know. But if I did, I'd be heartbroken. I'd need a friend more than ever. So as much as I want you here, with me, I think you should spend tomorrow with him."
"Ok." I said, "thank you."
"Don't worry." Isaac whispered. "It'll be okay."
We stood up and started to walk towards my house.
"Aren't you going the wrong way?" I laughed.
"What?" He replied, "you think I'd let my lady walk home at night by herself? What kind of gentleman would that make me?
I smiled. He called me his lady. I knew that that was what I was, but it was nice to hear it. "Your lady." I remarked, smiling.
"Well, yeah." He said, suddenly embarrassed. "I mean, if that's okay with you I guess? Obviously I'm not trying to pressure you into anything so I guess if you'd rather I not use words like that I can stop do you want me to sto-"
I stood on my tippy toes and kissed him. "You're rambling."
He grinned, embarrassed. "Sorry. But... Did you want me to stop?"
I smiled, laughing, "why would I want you to stop, Isaac? I am your lady."
"Oh," he sighed in relief. "Good."
Before long we'd reached my door. He bowed before me, and with a silly accent said, "well, good evening my lady."
I laughed and pulled him up until we were almost touching. "Goodnight, my handsome prince." With that I kissed him quickly, then went inside, and before long I was dreaming.