Timeless

Chapter 1 That was nearly four years ago...

"She does too." She pulled up her sleeve and showed her Mark to Nicolas. "And it isn't fair that she has to suffer for defending me on my expiration date." She seethed and glared at him coldly. His eyes grew and looked as if they were beginning to tear up.

"I-I'm sorry Heartman... I wish you the best..." He said quietly and he and his friends sat in the back of the bus. Jessica sat back down where she was earlier and slumped in her seat. I sat next to her and fingered at my sleeve.

"You didn't have to do that you know.." She smiled slightly, and for a moment she looked like her old self again, Bold little Jessica. She sighed then looked at me.

"Neither did you. Why is it fair that you get to deal with that butthead alone when it takes two to drive him away?" I grinned and put one hand on her shoulder as she began to look sad again.

"Look... So what if it is your final countdown? What better to do than to make it count? Live a little? Make it worth remembering for centuries." She grinned, her eyes gleaming mischievously.

"Break some rules? Touch up our world with a bit of randomness?" Her hand came out of her pocket of her jeans and she blew on her hand and glitter flew everywhere. We both giggled a bit, then I pretended to look a bit sick. "Brook-worm? You alright?"

"Yeah... just a little carsic-" Now! My finger pressed down on the button of the silly-string can and I 'sillied' all over her and she laughed.

"Girls," A voice on the speaker growled then the speaker itself squeaked. We looked up. "Stop ruining my bus." The bus driver had said it so emotionlessly that it was hilarious even just listening to. I smiled at Jessica, she had a happy look in her eyes, but the farther you looked, the more sadness and fear you could read in them.

"I'm going to try to make this the best day ever for you." She blinked at me. I forced myself to hold her gaze, even though her expiration date kept on nagging it's existence into my brain.

"It makes everything in the world brighter in my eyes, thinking that you would waste your day staying by my side, just because we are roommates. Thanks Brook.." She smiled and hugged me. I'm going to try to not let anything happen to you.

What are you doing Brooklyn Amoris?! It's her expiration date! Leave her, after today she means nothing to you.

I grimaced, not only the emphasis the nagging voice had put on Amoris, but also at the fact that no matter what I tried, they still could get in my head. It surprised me that they would keep up with me for four years. What's with them and the expired? Wasn't the only 'expired' person who is still alive Iris Levine? But even then, the Society had admitted it was a joke... hadn't they? Was it possible to live past your expiration date? The thought shook me. What if Jessica didn't die today? I smiled slightly at the thought, even if it was more trouble than it was worth.

The bus came to a stop and jerked, causing our bodies to sway with it until it stilled and allowed us to collect our things. I waited my turn in the miniature traffic jam in the single aisle in the middle of the bus and jumped down off of the last step and turned around and looked at Jessica, who was staring at the ground blankly. I could tell she was afraid by the way her fists gripped the back-pack straps so tightly that her knuckles were white. Annoyed groans and murmurs sounded from the bus's interior and I wished I could duct tape their mouths shut. With a deep breath, Jessica jumped down beside me and looked at the towering figure of our Middle school and gulped, her face was as white as snow.

"Ready to travel into the unknown?" She smiled faintly as I recited our saying from the first time we were allowed to leave the orphanage together. This time she wasn't grinning at me with her eyes brightly shining, her own form seeming to radiate excitement, mischief, and adventure. She bit her lip and whispered as we walked into the daunting building.