Lights flicked on, my eyes squeezed shut not adjusted yet to my new setting. I brushed my blonde hair off of my face as I sat up. “Wake up Sleeping Beauty,” dad said with excitement as he kissed my forehead. I just groaned in frustration, not wanting to get up at all. Today was a huge time for me, I was going to finally see who my “true love” is. I’m really not into the whole falling in love thing like every other girl in this world. “Come on you have four hours left before you find out.”
“See dad, the thing is, I don’t want to find out. I don’t see the point in this stupid thing.”
“It’s not stupid Claire, it’s traditional.”
“Why does it have to be a so called ‘tradition’ what if I told the council I didn’t want to date or marry anyone.”
“No one has ever gone against the council, what makes you think you can?”
“Ughhhhh! Dad just never mind, leave me alone so I can get ready,” and with that he left.
I looked down at my bracelet seeing that I had exactly 3 hours and 49 minutes left. I watched as the time counted down which caused my anger to grow inside. The council was formed almost 80 years ago and when they were formed so was the Hourglass Project. The Hourglass Project is the dumbest thing anyone could have ever created in my opinion but to everyone else it’s a gift from God. I am a 17 year old girl that only cares about when the new season of Supernatural is on Netflix and the only time I go out is to play volleyball with Derek, the schools biggest geek but my best friend since fourth grade. My thoughts were interrupted by a flash on my T.V.
Mrs. Terrie, the council's leader was making the same announcement she made everyday. “Fellow citizens we are pleased to see how well our Hourglass Project is working for everyone. Today is a brand new day which brings a brand new love to our young civilians. We are looking forward to seeing everyo-,”at this point I stopped listening as did everyone else. It’s like this girl could never talk about anything else.
I stood looking in the mirror trying to figure out what to do to my hair. Eventually I gave up and just braided it hoping dad would approve of my ‘effort’. I plugged my headphones into my port near my closet and listened to one of my favorite songs. I was into older music, I like to think I was born at the wrong time. I started singing the lyrics aloud not knowing how loud I actually was. “THIS IS MY FIGHT SONG TAKE BACK MY LIFE SONG PROVE I’M ALRIGHT SONNGGGG,” my dad walked in on me holding a camera infront of my face laughing hysterically.
I groaned in embarrassment wanting to take the camera out of his hand and smash it against the wall. “C’mon you have to go to school.”
“No I don’t have to,” I said exaggerating on the have to part.
“Yeah you kind of do.”
“You just like torturing me don’t you?”
“Oh I love it,” he said grinning.
I kissed my father goodbye and ran out the door just in time to see Derek running down the street.
“Claire wait! Please, I need to tell you something,” he yelled eventually catching up with me.
“Okay what is it I’m listening.”
“Well you know how some of us are supposed to ‘find our true love’ today.” I nodded rolling my eyes not in the mood for this talk. “Don’t roll your eyes at me, I am bringing you some good news.”
“Fine, just please hurry.”
“Then I guess I’ll make this quick. They’re running off.”
“What,” I said somewhat shocked yet confused.
“Everyone that’s supposed to get their bracelet linked with someone else’s, they’re running away.”
“They’ll get caught” I said looking at my feet as we walked.
He grabbed my arm to stop me,”I’m running with them. There is a signal chip in these things it only reaches so far. We’ve tested it and it works, I knew how much you hated the Council's project and I figured you would want to come too.”
I looked at my time left and saw that I only had an hour and a half left. I took deep breathes trying to process the thought of running away from the place that I called my home. When my mom was younger she tried to run after spending three years with my father. She loved him but she didn’t want some braclet making my decisions for me, she’d constantly try to get him to go with her but he didn’t know what they’d do so he stayed. They caught her just before she was completely out of range for them to track her. Running away had a big price to pay, someone had to die.
In a panic she told them she was expecting so they’d give her a little bit of time. They had let her go but dad told me that night she came home terrified, saying that they had to have a baby before she got caught. But right after I was born they inserted some type of poison that killed her instantly. It’s such a shame that I never got to see her but it was her actions not mine.  
I looked at Derek saying,”you and I both know that’s a stupid Idea, you know what happened to my mom. I won’t let that happen to you, you are my best friend I can’t lose you.”
“Then come with me, with us. That way you won’t have to lose me. Claire I really want to make you happy and I think if we do this you’ll be way happier.”
“And my dad,” I questioned.
He let out a long breath and scratched the back of his neck,”You’ll have to let him go.”
I thought about it but I could never do that to him. What if he came too? No that’d be too suspicious. “Then I need to figure out a way to talk to him because I can’t leave him without having an explanation.”
“Already covered,” he said handing me a his slide pad which resembled a regular tablet but it was for those without signal. I just looked at him and sighed, nodding my head that I wanted to go. “Thank you,” he squeezed me tight and I hugged back really nervous about this. “Just meet me at the training station seven minutes after class starts. We are going to pull the fire alarm so while everyones in a panic we’ll run, I’ll tell you that part later,” I just nodded not talking anymore, only thinking about my father.
The bell rang and I scurried to find my seat behind Brandon Wooden a.k.a the hottest guy in school. I noticed I only had 30 minutes left. What if he was my ‘one’? I started to rethink the whole ‘running away,’ for once I actually wanted to stay. See I’ve had a crush on Brandon since the very first day I met him. He had dark brown waves in his hair and his eyes were emerald green but he had the cutest dimples ever and it made me melt every time he smiled. Derek thought it was just a stupid crush and that I’d get over him but I haven’t yet. I noticed that lately Derek has been very overprotective of me when it came to guys.
My thoughts had been interrupted when Mrs. Coulpe came in crying. She always was upset about something, yesterday her husband said no to her for the first time in forever so she was furious. Apparently today she couldn’t find her favorite shirt. Here are my thoughts on this lady-- she’s a deranged woman who wants anything and everything, her husband was forced to love her because of this stupid program and everything in her life has to be Cinderella perfect. The only good thing about her is that we don’t have to do work in her class because she’s too caught up in her own life.
TIme had went pretty quick and I noticed almost 30 minutes had passed, all the sudden the alarm sounded and my stomach flipped hearing the screeching noise. While everyone scurried about I ran towards the training station. I looked around trying to find Derek before I got in trouble but he was no where. Someone shouted in terror and the shot of a gun was sounded. It came from behind me. I ran around the building to see Derek on the ground, blood draining from his limp body. My breath hitched in my throat and I dropped to my knees in shock.
“Derek,” I breathed out. He looked at me, gasping for a breath of air.
“Claire,” he gasped, spitting up a bit. He motioned for me to come closer and I did as he wanted. People soon gathered to where we were. I let my hot tears roll down my cheek onto the ground. “Don’t cry please. You knew this would happen and I should have listened to you,” I shook my head looking into his cold eyes and pale skin. One of the teachers tried to pull me away put I jerked away from the strong grip. Derek softly caressed my hand and said the words that only he and I could hear. “Claire, I love you… I always will..”
“I love you too Derek,” I said right as his life left his body. Two beeps sounded and I looked down to see both of our bracelets flashing saying that the wait was over. My best friend was my one and only. Mrs. Terries hologram popped up on my bracelet saying, “Congratulations on finding that special someone! We look forward to seeing you at tonight's ceremony. We’d love to hear from you about how this went for you. Enjoy your new found love,” her voice faded out and I couldn’t help but cry harder.
I heard something move in the bushes on my left and as I looked I saw an officer's cap. Fury grew inside of me and I knew that my mission now is to stop this. Stop this project, this unfairness, this whole ‘you have no choice’. I need to stop time before it stops me.