I should've been happy.
Correction: I was happy. Sitting across from Lena at our usual lunch table, sunlight bouncing off her hair like it had a personal grudge against physics, yeah, I was living the dream. She was laughing at something Josh said, and the sound had that wild, unbothered edge I loved.
But under all that, something gnawed at me. Like a thread being pulled loose, one tug at a time.
"Are you okay?" Lena's voice snapped me out of my head. Her eyes narrowed in mock suspicion. "You look like you just failed a math test."
I forced a laugh. "Just tired."
Tired. What a convenient little lie.
Josh grinned, poking my shoulder. "Bro, if being in love makes you look like that, I'm staying single forever."
Lena rolled her eyes at him, then turned back to me, her smile softening. "Seriously though. You've been spaced out all week."
I shrugged, stabbing at my fries like I'm taking out my frustration on them. "Just stuff on my mind."
Like the fact that someone once said you wouldn't live past twenty-five. Like the fact that I can't stop hearing it every time you laugh.
She bumped my knee under the table, grinning. "Well, unstuff your mind. We're watching a movie after school, remember?"
I smiled like everything was fine. Like I wasn't already drowning in a prophecy I didn't even believe yesterday.
But the truth? That was the first day I realized I'd never look at Lena the same way again.
⟡ ✧ ⟡
After school, we're walking down the quiet streets toward her house. The sun is low, painting everything in soft gold. Lena's talking about some new movie, her voice light and teasing, but I can't focus. My chest feels tight, like I'm carrying a secret too heavy for my sixteen-year-old body.
"So," I start, trying to sound casual, "that fortune teller thing you mentioned… what was his name again?"
She stops mid-step and laughs, shaking her head. "Seriously? You're still thinking about that?"
"I was just… curious," I mumble. My fingers grip the strap of my bag too tightly.
Lena smirks, like I'm adorable and ridiculous at the same time. "Jason Marek. That's all I know. Dad threw the guy out before he could even finish his prophecy, and Mom freaked for, like, two months. Till my Dad managed to bring her back to her senses. It's just a stupid story, Ash."
I nod, forcing a smile. "Right. Stupid story."
She bumps my shoulder playfully. "See? Nothing to worry about. It's over, done. Don't look so serious."
But I can't shake it. My stomach knots, my hands feel cold… like something is coming, and I have no idea if I'm ready.
She changed the topic to the new movie again, humming a bit as she talks. I nod, laugh when I should, but inside, the seed of fear has already taken hold.
And I don't tell her that I plan to find Jason Marek.
Sometimes I wonder if I'm making a mountain out of nothing. Josh and Lena have both called me an overthinker more times than I can count, and maybe they're right. Who even believes in fortune tellers in this day and age? Prophecies, curses… it all sounds like something out of an old paperback novel.
I tell myself that. I repeat it like a mantra. But the truth? No amount of logic can shake this weight in my chest. Since the moment she told me about that prophecy, it's been there. This quiet, gnawing dread I can't explain. God, I hate feeling like this. I hate not knowing. Maybe I'm crazy, but I'd rather be crazy and safe than sorry. I need to find out the truth.
⟡ ✧ ⟡
Later that night, my room is quiet except for the hum of the laptop. The glow from the screen paints my face in pale blue. Lena's text from earlier, full of silly emojis and movie plans, sits unread on my phone. I can't bring myself to reply.
I open a browser and type in the name: Jason Marek.
Results pop up slowly, like each one is testing me, daring me to look further. Old forums, blurry photos, a shop listed in a city two hours away. The shop looks small, unassuming, almost like it doesn't want visitors, and that makes me feel worse.
My stomach twists. He's real. He's not just a story.
I scroll through more pages, finding faint mentions of readings, some complaints, some testimonials. Everything is just vague enough to send shivers down my spine.
I glance out the window. The street is empty. The only sounds are my parents arguing downstairs, voices sharp and cutting, doors slamming. Their fighting is a constant in the background of my life, louder than it should be, and somehow, it makes this moment even heavier.
I text Lena something sweet, something to pretend I'm normal. "Don't worry, I'll bring snacks for movie night. You ready?"
Her reply comes instantly: "Always. Can't wait. Don't get lost, liar."
I smile faintly at the message, but the fear in my chest doesn't fade. Every fiber of me knows I have to go. I don't know why. Maybe curiosity. Maybe desperation. Maybe both.
The next afternoon, I stop by the Carters' house to drop off a small gift for Lena. No special occasion, I just thought it's boyfriend-duty to give gifts to my girlfriend now and then. And there he is, Nate, leaning against the doorway with that familiar grin, arms crossed. My heart does a small flip. I've known him forever, but standing there as Lena's boyfriend, it feels different.
"Hey, Ash," he says, voice easy but carrying that subtle weight of authority that always made me straighten up without realizing it.
"Uh… hey, Mr. Carter," I say, trying to sound casual. My palms are sweaty.
He tilts his head, eyes scanning me like he can see straight through to my nerves. "So… you're dating Lena now?"
I swallow hard. "Y-Yeah. We, uh… we're together."
His grin widens, but there's a flicker of challenge in his eyes. "You planning on breaking my daughter's heart, Ash?"
I laugh nervously. "Uh… no, sir. That's… actually my nightmare."
He chuckles, shaking his head. "Good. Because she's important. And so are you, don't forget that. Take care of her, alright?"
I nod, words sticking in my throat. "I'll take care of her. I swear."
Nate claps me on the shoulder, firm but kind. "Alright, that's settled. Don't get too cocky though. You're still my favorite almost-son, but that could change if you mess this up."
I laugh again, relief bubbling through me.
I leave the Carters' house later that evening, pretending I'm heading home to my grandparents, but the truth is, I'm boarding a bus to meet Jason Marek. My heart pounds, every mile feeling heavier than the last. It's strange how love became fear, and fear became something I couldn't escape.
⟡ ✧ ⟡
The lie tastes like ash the second it leaves my mouth. I was visiting my maternal grandparents this Sunday. That's what I told Lena. But every step away from her feels like betrayal carved into my bones.
The bus ride is endless. Every stop another tick in a countdown I can't see but feel throbbing in my veins. My hands won't stop shaking. She's happy. She's alive. She's laughing. The thoughts loop like a broken record, cruel and mocking.
I have to know.
The shop is smaller than I imagined. Forgotten. Crushed between two tall buildings like it's been hiding there for decades, waiting for me to find it.
The bell above the door sighs a single mournful note as I push it open.
Inside, the air is thick, wood and incense and something burnt sweet, like melted wax clinging to my throat. Shadows nest in the corners, stretching long, reaching for me.
He's there. Jason Marek.
He looks up before I can speak, as if he's been waiting for me all along.