It was my imagination, right?

The lack of sleep finally getting to me after all these years. That's why I had a timer on my wrist, counting down and this indescribable ringing in my ears. Right?

It was unreal, the ink continuously changed before me on my arm.

Startled I rubbed my arm, hoping that if it was some kind of allusion it would disappear. But it didn't do anything except count down.

13 days, 12 hours, 36 minutes, 45 seconds

44 seconds

43 seconds

Why's it counting down?

Quickly, I ripped the blankets off of me, the cold air piercing my skin as I jumped out of bed. Katie, she would know what it was. She was the one who had told me everything about my curse so far. She definitely knows what this is...right?

I let out a startled sigh, pushing my hair back and rubbing my face. Think think think

The golden chain shimmered in the sunlight, and the more I stared at it the more I felt as if I was being beckoned towards it.

Going back in time, that would help. But to when?

I couldn't risk changing anything too much, so moving to far back was out of the question. But I had to do it too before the timer had started.

Last night, I have to figure out what this timer means and it seems to have started at some point last night.

And so with a flick of the wrist I grasped the pocket watch from the bedstand and held it in front of me, staring at my reflection in it.

I had time traveled before, once, by complete accident.

It had been an abnormally cloudy day, and the wind was practically howling as it rushed past 10-year old me. Perhaps it was the howling wind that pushed James's red ball into the street, causing him to go chasing after. And causing the entire incident to unfold.

I had been sitting by a tree, reading a book on the stars when I first saw the ball float by into the street. At first I paid no attention to it, and went back to reading.

But then there was a flash of blue and brown. James. He ran onto the street to get the ball when a truck following the winding path hit him.

He wasn't looking, and neither was I.

But once his crimson blood pooled onto the highway my attention had floated back onto him. He was lying there, arm bent in an unholy position, coughing up blood.

The more I stared at him the more I thought about my parents and the accident. I didn't want to be helpless like I was then. I didn't want him to die.

I didn't want anyone to die. Not when there was a chance I could help him.

So I dropped my book and ran to him, watching him choke up his last breath, the life leaving his blue eyes. I saw it then, what death really looked like.

My hand grasped the time turner and twisted, like a reflex. I had never twisted it before that moment, I wasn't sure what it could do. But then I heard it, a voice calling out to me.

-The continuous flowing sand stopped, and slowly the small golden grains of time trickled upward. The flow of time had turned-

And when it was over and I opened my eyes the whole scene before I had changed. I watched once again as the red ball flew onto the highway, stopping by my feet. Glancing around I saw the truck, in the distance making its way to me. James was there, rushing towards me and screaming out words that were hushed over by the wind.

He wasn't dead, there was no blood underneath me. So I ran towards him, grabbing the cloth of his shirt before he had the chance to run on the highway.

The truck came as I fell onto the ground, James protected underneath me. When I looked up the truck was gone, but the red ball was splat onto the ground where his corpse had been. James thanked me continuously, and ever since then he's been stuck to my side like glue.

Maybe now I should do the same thing, turn time back. Stop the time from counting down. I mean when has time counting down ever been good?

I shook my head and closed my eyes as I began to twist the time turner backward. Just to last night, that's all I needed.

When I opened my eyes everything before I had transformed. I was sitting on the couch with Juniper like the night before.

But the time must have been off because she was now asleep, her head lightly resting upon a pillow and body curled up. I glanced at her, eyes traveling from the top of her head to her pink colored lips that were parted.

The smell of strawberries and vanilla grew stronger at that moment as if a perfume had been sprayed in front of me.

I felt the urge to move closer to her, but I knew that wasn't an option. Not now at least.

Slowly I shifted, getting up from the couch. Sheesh, she had a bedroom. Why sleep on the couch? Why-

My thoughts were cut off instantly as she moved, her body turning away from the couch and facing me. A frown creased my forehead as I grabbed the gray throw blanket on the side of the couch, delicately laying it on her.

She's probably cold.

I turned, half of me hoping she would grab hold of me and ask me to stay. But she didn't, and so I made my way out of the room and down the hall to Katie.

Katie knew more about the curse then I had. When she had brought me in she gave me lesson after lesson on what to expect. But a clock counting down? I definitely didn't remember that one.

I turned my arm, and to my horror the clock was still there. 13 days, 11 hours, 50 minutes, 24 seconds.

I had turned back time, yet the clock was still counting down. Worry flashed throughout my mind as I opened Katie's door.

Katie was sitting in her desk, scribbling away like a madwoman. Did she not sleep either? God what was wrong with this house.

"Oh, Aspen. Why are you awake?" she leans back in her chair. Her hair was pulled back into a bun, but some strands had escaped and were now springing outwards.

"My curse" I walked over to her, sitting on the side of the bed and lifting my arm to her. The time could be seen clearly, still counting down.

I watched Katie's expression, knowing that no matter what she said to me her expression would tell me the truth. But what I saw was...shock and regret?

My frown deepened at this. I didn't understand it, any of this.

"When did this show up" her voice is soft, but there's a certain sense of seriousness to it that catches me off guard.

"I'm not sure" It was true, I had no clue. Sure I had time traveled back to this time in hopes for it to disappear. But Katie didn't need to know that, seeing as if I told her id just get in more trouble.

Katie nods slowly, eyes watching the timer tick down before she spoke out, "Everyone with the curse has a timer woven in the skin. It's always there, just activated when the person meets their soulmate."

If there had been any doubt that Juniper was my soulmate, it was confirmed now.

"I see..." I guess that this time thing has something to do with her. But what could it mean?

A yawn escaped my lips as Katie spoke up. Her voice was soft, and she spoke slowly as if she didn't want to anger me, "That timer...your father had one too. So did your grandfather. Its a countdown connected with your soulmate. When times up, a bad fate will encounter your soulmate."

A bad fate?

Like that of my parents, and their parents before them. I let out a sigh as I shook my head, "Is there any way to stop it?"

Katie bit lip as she nodded, placing the paper she was holding on the desk, "a way not most are willing to do.."

My heartbeat increased at those words, and the thought of the two paths played into my mind. My father must have not been able to do it, so this must be the right thing to do. Whatever it is.

I waited, staring at her, "and how's that?"

"Break her heart"