Destiny Is Overrated

Aria stared at the the box she held in her hands, trying to make out what to say. Her parents anxiously scanned her face, waiting for her reaction to their birthday present. She didn’t know what to say - she didn’t expect this.

In her hands, she was holding a TiMER.

A TiMER was a device that was sweeping the nation. It was like an iPhone, it was a craze amongst everyone. The purpose of the electronic machine was that as soon as you put it on, it would begin to countdown the time until you met your soulmate. Aria didn’t believe a simple invention like that could tap into your heart and find your destined pair. It was impossible - she believed in true love more than technology.

She tried to fake a smile. “Thank you mum! Thank you, dad! It’s exactly what I wanted.”

They smiled happily and hugged her. Aria hugged her parents back, knowing that even if it was lying, she had just made them happy. She hated to see her parents devastated - it made her feel guilty.

She walked to her room and closed the door, making sure to lock it. She put the box on the bed and stared at it.

“Guess it’s just you and me now,” she mumbled.

She plopped down on to the bed and continued to look at it. The curiosity inside of her was eating her up alive, but she neglected it, keeping her distance from the present. Her eyes couldn’t help but wander over at moments to the box next to her.

After minutes and minutes of thinking, she couldn’t help herself anymore. She needed to know if it would really work. She wanted to know if there really was someone out there for her - someone who would really love her.

Because she had never experienced love before.

She ripped open the tape on the box and grabbed the instructions, scanning over them quickly. Put it on, and watch the clock countdown. When your TiMER beeps, you have made eye contact with your perfect match. If your perfect match does not yet have a TiMER, the device will stay blank.

Aria ran a hand through her pastel blue hair, sighing. So there were two chances. Her pair could have the device everyone was craving, or he couldn’t. And if he didn’t, then the birthday gift from her parents would have been nothing.

She pulled on the flap, opening the lid to reveal what looked like a watch. She picked it up, turning the device around with her fingers as she examined it.

Hesitating a minute, she put on the watch and turned it on. She bit her lip and began to pray it would countdown.

The screen was blank for a moment, and she sighed, ready to rip it off of her wrist when suddenly numbers flashed on the screen.

The TiMER was counting down.



“Mum, I already told you,” Aria mumbled into her phone. “I’ll be back home soon!”

“But we already bought the cake and guests are starting to arrive! Can’t you hurry up?”

“I’m just out for a stroll, mother! Calm down, I’ll be home soon. In fact, I’m turning around now. The guests can wait - it is my birthday after all.”

She heard her mum sigh and then hang up the phone. She rolled her eyes and turned on her heel, ready to return home.

She kept her attention on the floor as she walked, trying to avoid the weird looks people gave her when they saw her. Everyone always thought it was unusual when someone had colored hair like hers - but Aria enjoyed it, because it made her feel different, and herself.

She continued walking when suddenly, her face met a stranger’s chest and she toppled over to the ground. She grumbled and suddenly watched a hand stick out to her. She reached for it and pulled herself up. She was quite surprised at the strength the random passerby’s arm had.

“I’m so sorry - I didn’t see where I was going,” Aria mumbled, keeping her gaze to the ground in embarrassment.

“It’s okay, I wasn’t paying attention either,” the voice said. Aria couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the stranger’s Australian accent. She finally looked up at him and was almost knocked over from what she saw.

The man - or boy, before her, looked no older than seventeen. He had light-colored hair, it looked between the shades of a very light brown and blonde. He had bright eyes, the color of the sky. Rosy pink lips that drew her right in. He had a small lip ring pierced in his bottom lip. He stood about half-a-head taller than her. She couldn’t help but feel out of words as her chocolate brown ones met his blue ones.

Beep, beep.

The sound of two TiMERS going off immediately snapped them out of their trances. Aria looked down at her TiMER, not believing it could be hers. But surely enough, instead of numbers removing themselves like a timer, she read 00:00:00.

“Your TiMER went off,” he noted.

“So did yours,” Aria replied with a chuckle.

“So does that mean you’re my - you know, soulmate,” he asked.

Aria bit her lip. “I - I don’t know.”

The boy stared down at her with a frown. “What?”

“I don’t know, this device could be faulty -”

He smirked and laughed. “Your TiMER just goes off as well as mine and that’s what you’re worried about.”

She blushed a bit and nodded. “Yeah, I mean, how could this even work?”

“If you don’t believe in it, then why are you wearing it?”

“I could ask you the same question,” she shot back, trying to sound more playful than rude.

He shrugged slightly. “Was a dare.”

She sighed and nodded.

“So…”

“Go on a date with me,” he finally spurt out.

Aria’s eyes widened. She didn’t believe someone as handsome as him could be her one true pairing. It was impossible. But somehow, as he stood before her, determined to see if it would work, she wondered if maybe he was.

“A date,” she asked, her voice coming out a bit more shocked than intended.

“Yeah, a real date. We can get to know each other and see if this device really is a piece of crap or if it’s real,” he said with a shrug.

Aria almost lost it when the two corners of his lips twitched up to form a smile. Her knees began to feel a bit weak.

“I’m not sure, I-”

“One date won’t kill you, you know,” the boy stated smartly.

“Fine,” she gave up, letting out a long sigh. “But it better not be something cheesy like a movie and fancy dinner date or I’ll stomp right out,” she joked.

His smile widened. He pulled out his phone and unlocked it, holding it out to her. Aria smiled and typed in her number, silently praying that someone like him could really be the one to love her.

“Thanks, Aria,” he said, looking down at his phone to read her name. “Don’t worry about fancy dates and all that - I’m more laidback than that. We can just rent a movie or play video games while we eat pizza.”

She grinned, showing her dimple. He was just like her.

“Alright, but I’m holding you to that!”

The boy chuckled and nodded.

After a few moments, he finally dismissed himself. “Well, I guess I’ll see you later, love,” he said, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. “I’ll text you the details.”

Before Aria could react, he sloppily kissed her cheek and began to run off. She felt herself turn a bright red and she couldn’t help but smile slightly.

“By the way,” he yelled from afar. “My name’s Luke.”

She began walking off, smiling to herself giddily like an idiot. She was incredibly happy right now, and took back everything she ever thought about the TiMER. It had led her to this moment that was making her so cheerful.

As she walked back home she couldn’t help but think about Luke with his breathtaking eyes, his adorable smile, everything about him seemed too good to be true.

She heard her phone vibrate in her pocket. Turning it on, a notification popped up on her lock screen. A text from an unknown number.

“hope I see you soon x - Luke ”