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I clutch my heart shaped pocket watch tightly in my hand as I make my way across the street. Its chain hangs around my neck like a constant reminder that it has yet to start ticking. The time reads 11:37 like it always does. Today is obviously not the day. I always wake up with high hopes and then as soon as 11:38 rolls around they come crashing down. The only reason I’m able to keep my head up high is the thought that someone is going through exactly what I’m going through, someone out there is waiting to meet me, someone whose clock reads 11:37 just like mine, someone who constantly checks his clock to see if it’s started ticking, someone who is going to love me just as much as I love him, someone who I am going to live happily ever after with.
I step inside the book store and shake the thoughts from my mind. There's always tomorrow Lacey, I think to myself. Clipping my name tag back on I search for my cousin Ben. Book It is family owned so my parents told me that I could look after it as long as I only hired family. Benny was my first choice. He and I are really close, almost as close as Eden and I.
"I'm back, Benny." I poke my head around one of the shelves he's stacking books on. He pauses and turns to me at the sound of my voice.
"Hey Lacey, how is my lovely future sole mate?" A smirk finds its way to his boy-ish face. Benny is my age but still looks like he could be fifteen.
"Eden is good, as always." He is in love with Eden, but I know he says these things just to tease us. He's just as determined to fine his soul mate as we are.
"One day she will be mine." He winks at me and goes back to stacking.
"Mmhmm..." I roll my eyes and walk to the front of the store. Music plays softly from the speakers by the cash register. In the mornings Benny is at the register and I would be staking books, then after my break Benny would take his and I'd take his place at the register. The store is fairly empty right now, other than a few browsers. The hipster boy Eden was claiming not to be drawing is a regular. He comes in almost every day to either buy a book or get something from the cafe. I've had a few conversations with him - though I'd never tell Eden that. His name is Foster. I sit down at the stool that's behind the counter, my feet scream thank you, just as Foster walks up.
"She was drawing you again today." I say to him. His eyes light up and he smiles.
"I'd like to buy this book please." He sets an old worn down book on the counter. I quickly ring him up and hand him the book in a paper bag.
"Come again." I smile.
"I always do." As always, is his reply. Foster waves as he walks out the door. He is quite adorable. But, he is not the one for me. My clock is still frozen at 11:37. I sometimes wonder if I’ll be one of the unlucky ones, where my soulmate doesn’t follow his watch. He’ll be one of the ones who falls in love with someone that the test didn’t chose for him and I’ll be alone still waiting for him until I die. Some people get second chances and are able to find another soulmate, however it’s so rare it barely even exists.
Shaking off the unhappy thoughts I let my hand fall away from my pocket watch and return to my work. Customers come in and out throughout the day as I wait for the time that I can leave and go home to hang out with Eden. Finally the time comes. Benny and I get our things and walk out of the store. He locks the door and hands me the key.
"Bye Lacey." He says and starts heading the direction of his home.
"Bye." I say and head the opposite way.
"Tell Eden I love her."
"Will do!" My hand finds its way to my pocket watch, as it always does, and my mind drifts to thoughts of my soulmate.
