The Ticking of Time

Chapter 1: Ingrid's POV

One minute, 37 seconds.

My legs are shaking, my breathing is short and stuttery. I can't do this, there is no way I can. None.

One minute, 29 seconds.

I examine the room, glancing at the faces surrounding the room. Of course, my Meeting would take place in the gross, overcrowded, obnoxiously loud cafeteria.

One minute, six seconds.

Somewhere within these four walls, someone has the exact same countdown on their wrist. They're going through the exact same pressure as me. They feel the exact tightening in their stomach and the queasy feeling I have.

54 seconds.

My parents insisted I should be excited, not nervous and timid. Yet I still find myself wiping my sweaty palms on my dress. This is bullshit. Why now?

My god, I can't believe my mom talked me into wearing a dress. I mean, shouldn't my soulmate meet me as I normally am? All plain jeans, blah shirts, and wild crazy brown curls. No makeup. Nothing? Just my normal everyday self.

30 seconds.

Something deep within me tells me to stand up. So I follow, drawing the attention of my tablemates. They all know too. They smile encouragingly up at me. I chew on my lip slowly, racking every possible outcome this could turn out too. I could trip and fall, making a fool out of myself, my soulmate doesn't like me, I could spill food on him, or water, or something that would ruin any chance with him. I have a gut feeling this won't turn out like it is supposed to. But I know I just need to get it down and over with.

But still, the thoughts race to my head. What if I just stay here and don't listen to my gut feeling? What would happen then? Would we still meet, or will the clock splay on my wrist glitch out?

25 seconds.

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.

20 seconds.

I continue in that direction. Each step feeling like I am being held back by a force, my feet painfully drag against the white tiles, chatter is overheard, whispers, and laughter. No one gives me a second glance as they eat and laugh. Although, with each and every step the tempo of my heart picks up. 

19. Faster.

18. Quicker.

17. More rapid.

16. It's racing.

Holy fuck this is it. The moment my life changes forever.

My eyes search frantically, my breath speeding up, my heart feels like it is running the mile all over again in 6th grade. The feeling I had felt earlier pulls me slightly to the left, turning to accommodate it. My eyes glance around the room shyly, I inhale deeply, my lungs feel tight, my heart is in knots. My entire body is in knots.

5. My heart has given up entirely.

4. I stop walking.

3. Now, just waiting is left.

2. Everything is about to change.

1. Deep breath.

0000 y 00 d 00 h 00 m 00 s

Someone bumps my shoulder softly. And a beep is heard from my wrist. I twirl around and my gray dim eyes meet ocean blue ones.

"Why hello there pretty lady, do you need something?" The boy speaks with confidence in his voice. Heat rushes into my cheeks, I hear a soft squeak out of my voice, I can't seem to form any words. All I hear are the conversations around me and the beeping of my watch. He looks down at my wrist, finally realizing the beeping is coming from that. He then looks at his wrist, a puzzled expression crosses his face. He grabs my wrist with a warm hand, he turns my arm around and looks at the timer. The beeping is still heard, as it goes off the cafeteria goes quieter, realizing what is going on. The boy looks me up and down with a sad expression then examines his clock again. He then sighs heavily and turns his wrist to face me. It reads:

0001 y 38 d 19 h 42 m 11 s.