0000d 00h 01m 37s
My legs are shaking underneath my table. I’m not sure if it’s because I don’t want to be here, or if it’s because I just want this over with.
There is no way I can do this. I can’t stand to be without AJ.
0000d 00h 01m 29s
I glance around at the faces surrounding the room.
Of course my Meeting would take place in the gross, overcrowded cafeteria where everyone can see me. It’s already bad enough that everyone knows what happened on the beach.
0000d 00h 01m 06s
Somewhere within these 4 walls, someone has the exact same countdown on his right wrist. They’re going through the same pressure as me.
But their actually excited.
0000d 00h 00m 54s
Everyone told me I should be excited, not full of hate. Yet I still find myself wiping my sweaty palms on my dress, it is too perfect to ruin, but don’t care about anything anymore.
0000d 00h 00m 30s
Something deep within me tells me to stand up, the invisible rope tugging harder at me. I do, drawing the attention of my tablemates, and the people in the other chairs around us.
They all know too.
They smile encouragingly up at me.
Sidney gives me thumbs up.
Wesley grins.
But it’s not a real smile.
It’s a you-took-my-brother-away-from-me grin.
I chew my lip, not caring if I smear Sidney’s 4-hour project.
0000d 00h 00m 25s
That same feeling pulls me towards the center of the room. My stomach drops away from me as I take a step in that direction. I can’t believe I’m doing this knowing that AJ is at Pearl’s View.
0000d 00h 00m 20s
I can’t bear to look up.
Not when I know everyone’s eyes on me.
I continue in that direction.
With each step the tempo of my heart picks up.
19
Faster.
18
Quicker.
17
More rapid.
16
It’s racing.
15
Oh my goodness, this is it. It used to be the moment my life changes forever.
I finally have the courage to look up.
My eyes search frantically around the cafeteria, searching for someone who looks as nervous as I pretend to be. For someone who’s heading towards his future with no sense of direction like me.
0000d 00h 00m 10s
The invisible rope directs me to the left.
I turn to accommodate.
5
My heart has given up entirely.
4
I stop walking.
3
There is silence.
2
Everything is about to change.
1
Deep breath in.
YOU ARE READING
Living on Blue Time
Short StoryFrom the time we are born there is always a clock. Wherever we go there is always a way to keep track of time. When we are born, the bright blue digital timer embedded in our right wrists is beautifully blank until we are ten years old. From that da...
