The Watch

We waited quietly in the cafe. In the bookstore. On the train. We waited as the hours, the minutes, the seconds counted done. Today was the day. The day my best friend would finally met his soul mate, his one true love. For the past two months he wouldn’t shut up about it, "just two months to go.", "just a month to go", "only a week to go". It was adorable really. How excited he was for it, after all he been waiting 18 years for this.

It wasn’t till last night that I spoke to him about it, since I had been on a few dates with my own soul mate, then helping out with family - moving isn’t fun even if it is just done a road or two - so this meant I really didn’t get the chance to say ‘hi’ let alone ask ‘how much longer?’. It was about 11PM when he called. “It’s tomorrow, it’s tomorrow!” he said excitedly, in fact it was more a set of a squeals than spoken words.
"Hey, that’s great! What time at?" I asked, I was pretty excited for him too. Ever since he learned what the watch was he was fixated with it. It became everything to him. Every New-Years it would be ‘Not that long now, not that long.’
“Lunch! I think, that or just after it.” He said with, surprisingly growing excitement. His energy for it seemingly endless, only ever expanding. “Only… only could you come with me? I mean I’m a little nervous now, and what if I get too excited to talk?”
"Of course I will, just try calm down and get some sleep for your big day." And with that we said our good nights, and I laughed a little at how cute he was acting over this and the thought of how adorable it’ll be when they met for their first time. The smile he’ll have as he see him or her for the first time will be unlike any other. This’ll be the happiest day of his life.

We got the train the next day and he was silent, apart from the little noises of excitement. When we got off, we went to the bookstore. I was wanting a new book ‘cause I’ve read every one of my own back to front multiple times and buying books always calmed his nerves. He would focus on looking for a book that spoke out to him. One that also must pulsed like neon, almost fated. Once that was over we went to the cafe, I needed something to eat - badly.

When we got there only fifteen minutes were left, and just kept pointing to it going “It’s happening soon! Soon! I can’t wait, I can’t wait!” We ordered tea to drink and something to eat. When the tea came ten minutes were left. “Only ten minutes to go, just ten minutes!” When the food came, only five minutes were left.

4 minutes. I was eating, he still had his eyes on the watch.

3 minutes. I was reading, he was tapping the desk nervously.

2 minutes. I was reading, he was tapping now with excitement.

1 minute. I was reading, he was tapping his feet now too.

30 seconds. I was still reading, he stood up and ran out. He seen two other people across the road, one of which must be his soul mate.

25 seconds. I stopped reading, and followed him.

10 seconds. A loud, deafening in fact, screech is heard fallowed but a thud. He was hit, his watch facing me.

5 seconds, 4 seconds, 3 seconds, 2 seconds, 1 second, 0 seconds.

The two in front people took each other’s hand, and the boy covered the girl’s eyes as they walked away. None of them were his soul mate. The watch wasn’t counting for his true loves arrival. It counted down till he got hit with the bus, and down to the very second his very last breath.