Chapter 1
Him.
I sat 4 seats back from the bus’s rear exit, studying my tattooed forearm in deep thought. ‘So, the Day’s finally come,’ I thought to myself as I traced the military-styled numbers on my arm. The marked skin still burned whenever I touched it, but the pain took my mind away from the weight of stress that today contained. I traced over the date quickly, but I slowed as my fingers approached the inked time that read ‘1:37.’ I checked my Watch that displayed 10:10 AM. Approximately three and a half hours of anticipation left before I met my soulmate.
When we come of age, which is around fifteen or sixteen for girls and seventeen or eighteen for guys, we are given an Appointment, which is a tattooed marking that comprises of a date and time, and a Watch. A Watch is a very unique device which not only tells the accurate hour-by-hour day-to-day time, but also signals when you are near to your soul mate. Many times people have passed their soul mates, even repeatedly, but it is impossible to do so because the Appointment has the accurate date when both partners are capable of being responsible and compassionate with and to each other.
Beep, Beep, Beep.
My Watch toned, snapping me out of my daze. I glanced at its blue and green glowing screen; it had never done this before. I shook my wrist in a successful attempt to silence the watch, then halfheartedly chuckled at it.
“You just had to wait until I was on a crowded bus to tell me that She’s near,” I mumbled to my Watch, “didn’t you?” I rested my head against the seat back, took a long, deep breath, and closed my eyes in an effort of relaxation. I ran my fingers through my dirty blonde hair and tilted my head to the right before opening my eyes, only to find a girl outside my window. She was running after the bus with a skateboard in one hand, her black backpack strap in the other. She wore a discolored olive green T-shirt and tattered jeans; her dark brown hair was disheveled.
I stood to hail the bus driver, but as soon as I rose to my feet, an upcoming bus stop came into view. I sat back down, watching the girl slow to a halt as she neared the crowd getting on the bus. An inexplicable smirk grew on my face as I watched her step onto the bus.
Chapter 2
Her.
My feet flashed red as they flew in front of me, absentmindedly reminding me of red bloodhounds with the scent in their nostrils. My backpack repeatedly knocked my back, unbalancing me with every step. I looked up at the accelerating bus and was slightly filled with unreasonable worry and anxiety. There were definitely other buses that were going to pass my stop, but I had this inexplicable compulsion to get on this bus in particular. My right hand gripped my skateboard tighter as I took a deep breath and ran on.
I could feel my hair flapping out behind me; I bet I looked ridiculous- bright, red converse, ratty blue jeans, faded olive green shirt, and hair looking like one of Medusa’s wigs. I discarded the thought and realized why I was being so unreasonable. Today was my “Day of Appointment.” I glanced down at the inside of my wrist to my Written Appointment and Watch and saw that My Appointment day and month was the same! I quickly did the math in my head and realized I had less than four more hours till I met Him. And by Him, I mean my soul mate.
I was filled with relief when I saw the bus’s stoplight light up. I slowed down as I saw the crowd of people getting on the bus and got in line to board the bus. I greeted the bus driver with a smile and quickly weaved myself to the back of the bus and sat down beside an old man with a pair of owl spectacles. I bid him morning and settled in for my ride. I quickly realized that I was excused from school since today was my “Day of Appointment.”I smiled as I decided that today was the perfect day to go to the skate park and see if any of those hot guys with the killer moves were my soul mates. I smirked at the idea of a guy with better skating moves and tricks than me.
