The Event

  I glanced at my wrist, where the beeping numbers were. 0:0:0:17:35. I watched as the 35 changed to a 34 then 33. I bit my lip and looked away. A sick feeling turned in my stomach. I had less than 18 minutes. The Event was coming.

  At 15, and having 17 minutes left, I was an early conversionist. No one else my age was even close to their Event. You were 21, at the very least. My mom’s Event wasn’t until she was 28. That’s when she met my dad and fell in love. All because her event gave her the ability to make someone fall in love. And I had no idea what mine could be.

  Neither one of my parents would know either.

  When I was 7, my mom died. My dad, heartbroken and confused, got drunk one day and left, leaving me in the foster system. I barely remembered either one of them, except for the smell of booze. A smell I hate.

   “Ali?” Daniel called for me, waking me from my horrid visions of my event. “Have you even been listening to me this whole time?”

  My cheeks turned pink. “Sorry, Daniel. It’s just… my Event is in 15 minutes. Unlike you, I don’t have anyone to tell.” I replied sheepishly.

  Daniel looked at me, guilt brimming in her clear, blue eyes. “I’m sorry, Ali. I –I hope your event goes ok.” With that, she scooped up her lunch sack and trash and walked out of the cafeteria. I sit at the now empty lunch table, staring at my tray. Even though Daniel tries, she can’t be a real friend. She’s only forced by her real parents. My 5^th set of foster parents.

  Remembering the miserable fact of my life took a few minutes, leaving me with 7 minutes left on my countdown clock. I picked up the remaining bits of my school lunch, I threw it into the trash can before exiting the cafeteria. I walked down the empty halls to a door that lead outside. I pushed it open and fled outside to a picnic table.

   Silently, I let tears roll down my cheeks. The pour out of my eyes like an endless waterfall. Splatters hit the table top. Then I stop. I glance at the sky and see rain falling from the clouds above. But as I stopped crying, I realized two things. First, my timer stopped. Everything was at zero. Second, My Event passed, and I can control the weather.

  Only I have know one to tell.

~

I went and saw paper Towns today. I went with my sister, 2 friends and their sisters. The movie was funny and I enjoyed it as it wasn't nearly as sad as TFioS. It was exactly like the book, but still good.

Emily