The numbers on her wrist were down to three minutes. Lying down on the hard cold cover of the bed, she got a good whiff of the scent of shampoo of the person who owned it. There was no one in the room but the two of them.
His wrist always read zero. It never moved to begin with but that didn't stop him from giving his heart to someone who was bound to find her true love. For him, being with her--having her love him without caring about the rules of destiny--was enough for his destined lonely heart. At least once in his life he could say that someone gave their heart to him. Someone who was never supposed to receive one in the first place.
They hid in his bedroom with two minutes left to spare before it was her time to hit the zero mark. All the doors in the house were locked, making sure no outsider would suddenly barge in and steal her away.
"I'm scared," she was laying on his bed, staring at the white ceiling above her.
He was seated next to his desktop when he suddenly hopped up and plopped himself next to her.
He grabbed her hand and said, "What are you scared for?"
"What if by some chance someone in your family like your cousin or something comes in? It could happen, right?"
He stood back up. "Then I'll lock my room," and he did.
"What about through the window?"
He closed the curtains on his window shut.
"What if--"
"What if it happens?" The guy was as nervous as she was but he didn't show it. "You could always say no to whoever he is."
"Can we really do that?"
He lied down next to her again, their nose almost touching one another.
"We could be the first," he gave one of those heart-striking smiles that made her instantly fall for him the day they met in Biology.
She seemingly stared straight into his hazel-green eyes.
"Thirty seconds left," she said, still holding his gaze.
Something from the first floor unlocked and her heart started pounding really fast.
"Sweetie, I'm home," his mom shouted.
Shit. He thought. She shouldn't be back this early.
Wait. If she's home, that would also mean...
Loud fast thuds came rushing up the stairs that ran straight up to the room opposite his. There was only one person who could possibly enter that room.
There was a lump on his throat as he feared that maybe this might be the last chance he could be this close to her. He tucked the strands of hair dampened by her tears away from her cheeks as she clutched on to his shirt like it was her life.
"Look into my eyes and never let go."
"You're all that I want and all that I need. I don't ever want to let go."
They jumped as someone loudly banged on his door.
Ten seconds left.
"Luke, brother, I need my charger back."
He swallowed.
"I'm kinda busy right now," he prolonged.
"Why's your door locked?"
"Just go away."
"Don't want to. I'm coming in anyway."
Five seconds left.
"Hide under the sheets," he pulled over the cover with her in it and they paused and waited for the door to unlock.
Three seconds.
Click.
"What the--"
Someone pulled the covers off revealing the two bodies embraced with each other, still locked gazes: her pure ocean blue eyes locked onto his mesmerizing mix of the sweetest chocolate and greenest forest.
Her wrist beeped and so did his brother's. The world stopped as if a game had been paused. He thought to himself, "Why was the world playing with him? He never asked for the world to make him spend the rest of his days envying other people's joy in love." His brother noticed his countdown watch beeping as well and was quite alarmed because he never really cared about meeting his destined love.
She was crying hard and all she could do was shove her face onto the shirt she's been clutching on.
"Luke," his brother started, "I think my countdown beeper thingy is messed up."
He finally looked up from his bed, facing with his head strong older brother who had an apologetic look.
"They're never wrong, John."
"Well, I think they mixed ours up. This should be yours," his brother tried scratching the countdown tattoo that now also read zero, "I'm serious."
"Just shut up. Can you give us this moment for a second before you plan on taking her away," he looked at him almost ready to crack the dam behind his eyes.
"Bro, I--"
"John, just--"
"I'm gay."
Her small frame shifted from his grasp and he was lost for words. She looked up and saw an older copy of what the man she's next to looked like. Almost as devilishly handsome as he was but not quite.
"I didn't know when I was going to tell you or mom or anyone, actually. I can never see myself with any woman. If she makes you happy, brother, then I think this countdown thing on our wrists are bullshit. Screw the system."
Luke stood up and looked at his brother. He reached out for him and tucked him in a warm tight hug, his back shivering from crying.
"You know I love you, brother, and I'd never step in the way of your happiness."
"But what about--"
"These stupid clocks? They shouldn't determine who we want to spend our days with here on earth. One day, I'll find that person that will make me happy the way she makes you happy," his brother smiled at him, wiping the tears off his face with his sleeve.
"I love you, brother."
"Back at you, little bro," he smirked, "I still need my charger though."
He laughed. "Yep, here you go."
"Thanks."
His brother left the room closing the door shut behind him. The smile on her face was unerasable and so was his. She lept into his arms where he locked his arms around her waist and her head was over his shoulder with her arms tossed over his neck.
"I love you," she said, "I can now officially say I love you as many times as I want."
"And I finally can do this as many times as I want," he dived into her cherry-kissed lips and she returned the pressure to his soft ones.
On the other room, his brother layed on his back, facing a similar ceiling as she was facing earlier with the same troubled look. He brought up a picture close to his vision. One he took with his brother and the girl back when they marathoned a series of thriller films one night. His finger grazed over the girl's image now knowing she could only be reached in his dreams.
She was her brother's now despite how much the pain of his lie affected his heart. He gave her up for him but the look he saw on his brother's face today was all he needed to be satisfied.
For him, he'd give up everything he had for his brother if it meant for him to find true happiness. Even if it meant giving up the girl he knew would make his days the happiest till the end.
