Timer

Jack's POV

Tick, tick, tick. You can’t hear it, of course, but everyone’s timers are counting down, seconds ticking off at the exact same time. Counting down the days, hours, minutes, seconds, until you meet the person you’re destined to fall in love with. It works, too, I don’t know anyone who hasn’t liked their soulmate. And the best part is, as soon as you look at them, your timers go off and make a song. Everyone turns and looks at you, smiles, congratulates you. And my timer has six days, five hours, twenty three minutes and sixteen seconds left.

Soulmate is a funny word. Most people date before their timers go off, and are perfectly happy in those relationships. But everyone says that there’s something special about that one person, your soulmate. Hell, I’ve been with my fair share of people, probably more than my share. But, in all honesty, none of those relationships can ever really work because everyone holds out for their perfect one. It’s just sex, a couple dates, and a cute nickname before you say goodbye, Jacky, Barakitty, Captain Jack.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the timers. They’ve made it so that people don’t get into relationships that end in divorce and suffering. The only inconvenient thing is that you’ll never have met your soulmate before. You’ve never spoken a single word to them , or even said hello in the streets. The moment you find out that they’re your one and only is the exact same moment they first appear in your life. No pressure, right?

I work in a bar and grill near a residential neighborhood, and we don’t exactly have regulars, so I’m not quite sure how I haven’t taken my soulmate’s order yet, to be honest. Nobody ever knows anything about their soulmate. You might think that you have a type, and your one ends up being the complete opposite. It sometimes isn’t even love at first sight.

I’m excited - everyone is, ever since we got the timers in our wrists when we were fourteen - and nervous. Most people have the benefit of knowing if their soulmate will be male or female, based on their preferences. I don’t have that luxury. There’s a fifty-fifty chance for me.

When you talk about it enough, it starts to sound really cheesy. “My soulmate”, “my one”. It’s not like that at all, really. Sometimes, people don’t want to believe a person is their soulmate. Hell, my friend met her one in a bar fight a couple years back, and now they’ve been dating for quite a while. The way you meet them can define your whole relationship. I’ve laid out clothes and been planning for that day for a month now.

But hey, who knows. Maybe it’ll be love at first sight and we’ll ride off into the sunset together. You never know what could happen. All I have to say is that the timers always have worked and always will work. They match you up with the person that is perfect for you, no questions asked.