Chapter Text
30 days, 12 hours, 0 minutes, 2 seconds
I love her. She's perfect, smart and funny. She's the one. She has to be. The young strapping man repeats to himself in the mirror. His brain agrees with him but his heart seeks more, maybe too much more.
He takes a deep breathe making sure not to completely exhale for he may need that air later for when her parents ask what he plans to study at University. He grabs his coat off the mahogany chair and is on his way to his future in laws house.
The young man asks the limo driver to turn the radio up thinking music may calm his nerves but what the radio produces is the complete opposite.
"The future of the company Modest Living is in the hands of none other than 20 year old Louis Tomlinson. Will he follow in his father's foots steps or will he become a common? A source says we have 30 days until we find out."
The driver turns off the radio before anymore rumors come out.
"Sorry sir, I didn't expect any talk of you to even appear yet", the drivers voice is laced with sympathy. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to be the son of the richest man on the planet, he surely would have caved by now, that's why he has faith in Louis, he's a strong boy.
"Its alright Nigel, we'll be hearing a lot more of it eventually." Louis tries to make light of the situation.
"Well it's all rumors now so it doesn't matter right sir?" Nigel's grip on the steering wheel tightens, timers are meant to be private and if Nigel crosses the line he may be fired.
"Yes, just rumors." Louis replies pulling his cuff over the glowing numbers on his bracelet.
The car ride from Louis house to Grace's is quick. Quicker than Louis can fully prepare himself for.
He has met Grace's parents multiple times before but this time is different. This time Louis isn't simply visiting for fun but for a business deal, Louis has been in an arranged marriage before he was even born. The Ethans, the second richest family on the planet, have decided to form an alliance between the two families thus fore becoming the richest family that will surely continue on for many more generations.
In 30 days if Louis' timer ends whoever is with him is who his soulmate is. The timers will stop at the exact same time. If his soulmate is not Grace she will not be there, if she is, she belongs there.
The bracelets are drawn to each other so even if you're in a different continent somehow someway fate will bring you two together. If you don't have a soulmate, which does happen quite a few times, you become a common.
Most commons live in basically the streets and worn down houses, they are hard workers and struggle with money and bills. Only the fated are privileged.
10 days 2 hours 15 minutes 46 seconds
Grace sighs as the dance instructor repeats the same footwork to Louis for the what feels like the thirtieth time. Louis' temper is running thin, he's in tights and a pink, not pink ,salmon tank top Grace forced him to wear.
"Salmon is pink, its the same thing. Its just faded." Louis proclaimed to Grace but she insisted to be right and explain the color wheel of pink to Louis while he ignored her and Imagined the news paper covers that he will surely be the hot topic of.
...
"Fuck!" Louis hits the floor. He grabs his throbbing ankle as the dance instructor turns to Grace and tries to convince her Louis is incapable of dancing and she can not help so she quits.
The middle aged blonde woman stalks out of the room and Grace gives Louis "the look" and he prepares himself for her "Do not use that language, Why can't you try harder, we need to learn to dance together for the party in two weeks and you act like its nothing when really its important' speech.
The Ethan's throw a party once a year where the entire family comes together and parades around their children in a dance to gloat and brag about how great they are. Grace has expectations from her family to be perfect and she is, all except for Louis. He's the worst and best thing to happen to Grace. The best because one day he will be the richest man in the world and the worst because he acts like a child who can't do anything right.
...
1 hour 2 minutes 46 seconds
If awards could be given for 'trying to ignore important events while they happen' Louis deserves them all. The young man is sitting a dark theater by himself, a perk of the timers, watching a romance movie. He has been avoiding eye contact with his timer all day but he's sure the end is near. Louis is dressed in what the media say is his absolute worst, when he never felt more confident.
A pair of black track pants with white stripes and an Adidas jumper he just bought. For extra precaution he wore a beanie to cover his hair and hopefully drive away attention.
As he sits in the dark theater he runs a few scenarios through his head. If his timer runs out while he is in the theater, which he is hoping, he won't have to deal with running into anyone.
For the past half hour Louis hasn't encountered anyone except the cashier whom he bought his ticket from. Every scenario he plays through of who his soulmate is not one of them is Grace.
10 minutes 19 seconds
Louis is squirming in his seat, after drinking two water bottles to calm his nerves he has to use the restroom. Louis grips the arm rest bouncing his leg hoping he won't have to get out if his seat.
"Just a little bit longer" he repeats to himself. If Louis goes to seek a restroom the chances of him running into someone is extremely high. The chances their Grace , he hopes are low.
2 minutes 8 seconds
Louis is bent over on the floor and is actually thinking about peeing his pants.
"No one knows I'm here, I'll just call Nigel to take the town car and pick me up"
His mind has a million thoughts in his head. The problem with Louis is not that he doesn't want a soulmate, he just doesn't want it to be Grace. She's wonderful and a great girlfriend, for someone else. He feels in his heart, he has for a while, she's not his other half. There's more for him and even if its less he'll love it.
57 seconds
He can't take it anymore. The pain in his abdomen and the gravitational pull to someone else is to strong. He runs out of the theater into the lobby, vans squeaking against the floor. The bathroom in sight, he doesn't even care if he runs into someone he is going to explode.
Louis pushes open the men's door and a faint grunt replies. Louis starts for the urinals but he hears another grunt and turns around. On the floor is a a boy, not older than him wearing such tight jeans Louis would cringe if he could. He turns back around then remebers to himself
"Fuck' manners"
And faces the boy again as he's trying to get up but becoming unsuccessful as he slips once again hitting the floor
"Oops' the boy says leaning on his elbows.
Louis walks towards him as if he isn't a stranger, a greasy hair'd one for that, and offers a hand with a shy smile.
"Hi,"
The boy looks up and meets Louis eyes. Green. All Louis is worried about isn't using the restroom but wondering if the boy he is staring at is seeing him as the color green. Louis never met anyone with green eyes before, he is simply captivated.
The boy takes Louis' hand and the boy seems to look down at his wrist where the timer is placed which reads...
"Louis!" His heart drops.The familiar voice booms through the rest room. Grace runs in, her hair tied back with precise makeup.
She ignores the green eyed boy and places her hand on what she would believe is Louis' hand. She grins at a now blank face Louis. The boy squeezed Louis'hand for reassurance, since it looks like he needs it, and Grace looks down and turns her wrist to see her timer.
She has
2 seconds.
She looks up to Louis her heart beating fast. This is her moment. Grace is finally officially Louis' soulmate and nothing can take that away from her.
Louis pulls his hand away to reveal Grace is not holding his hand but the "oops" boy's hand and not only does Grace's world come tumbling down but silently so does Louis'.