#fridayflash

thirteenOhclock

“I can’t go to sleep before twelve oh one.” I tell him. We are sitting on the benches next to the café and watching the river.

“Why? Seems like a crazy thing.”

“I need to make sure that the next day is coming.”

It’s eleven fifteen.

“What if you’re tired?”

“I get all anxious before it hits, like right before.”

“Like now?”

I nod. “Maybe this day will fool everyone and just keep going. Like we will look up and say ‘Oh look, it’s thirteen oh clock already’.”

He shrugs. “Maybe it is all just one continuous day.”

“I don’t like that.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

“So will the day be on its best behavior since you’re watching it?”

“Maybe.”

“What if it wants to rebel?”

“I need it to change, to be a new day. If the days change that means I can too.”

“What’s wrong with you?”

“I leave. People, places, things.”

“All the nouns.”

“I can’t feel like everyone else.” I look at him now. I don’t know how long he has been looking at me. “I can’t love someone forever. Barely for a year in fact.”

“Are you warning me?”

“Maybe. I should.”

“Are you going to run?”

“I ran here. I’ve always been running to right here.”

“So stop running. Simple.”

“What if I can’t find it here either?”

“Forever?”

I nod.

“Listen.”

I hear a few musicians down the street, people talking, laughing, singing.

“That’s Forever Love.” He tells me. “The soundtrack to Forever Love.”

It’s twelve forty five. “I’m terrified.”

“Everyone is.”

Silence. The guitars. The coffee mugs being sat down on tables next door. His breathing.

“What if I can’t stop running?”

“You can.”

“I can’t.” I look at my watch. “It’s twelve oh one.”

“No.” He stands and holds his hand out for my tiny one to hide inside. “It’s just thirteen oh clock.”