The Girl who borrowed from Tomorrow

Out of Time

Sapphire’s breath caught.

“From… when?” she repeated, almost unsure she heard him correctly.

David glanced down the hallway. Students were still passing, but fewer now. The noise was thinning, leaving space for something heavier to settle between them.

“Not here,” he said quietly.

Sapphire didn’t move. “You’re not just going to say something like that and walk away.”

A faint smile touched his lips—not amused, just acknowledging her resistance. “Then walk with me.”

For a second, she hesitated.

Then curiosity won.

They moved down a quieter corridor, one that led toward the back of the school. The noise of students faded behind them until it was just their footsteps and the distant echo of doors closing.

David stopped near a window overlooking the empty field.

“Take it out,” he said.

Sapphire’s guard went up again. “Why?”

“Because it’s reacting to you,” he replied. “And if I’m right, it won’t stay quiet for long.”

Slowly, reluctantly, Sapphire reached into her bag and pulled out the watch.

For a moment—

Nothing.

She almost felt foolish.

Then the screen flickered.

Both of them noticed.

The faint symbols returned, shifting faster this time. The irregular countdown blinked into existence again, unstable and restless.

Sapphire’s eyes widened. “It’s doing it again…”

David stepped closer, studying it carefully—but he didn’t touch it.

“Yeah,” he murmured. “That’s not good.”

“What do you mean not good?” Sapphire snapped, her voice rising slightly. “You clearly know what this is, so explain it!”

David didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he looked at her—really looked this time. Like he was confirming something.

Then he said quietly:

“That watch doesn’t measure time.”

Sapphire frowned. “Then what does it do?”

A brief pause.

“It bends it.”

Silence.

The words didn’t fully make sense—but they felt real.

Sapphire shook her head. “That’s not possible.”

“Neither is a watch syncing to someone who wasn’t meant to find it,” David replied calmly.

The watch pulsed suddenly—stronger than before.

A sharp flash of light.

And then—

Everything around them… stuttered.

The sound of wind outside the window cut off mid-motion. A student in the distance froze halfway through a step. Even the faint hum of the building seemed to drop into nothing.

Sapphire’s heart pounded.

“What’s happening?!”

David didn’t look surprised.

“It’s starting,” he said.

Sapphire looked around in panic. “Why is everything—”

“Because,” David cut in, his voice steady, “for a few seconds…”

He looked directly at her.

“…you just stepped out of time.”

The watch glowed brighter in her hand.

And for the first time—

Sapphire wasn’t just watching time move.

She was standing outside of it.

The world froze.

Everything—sound, movement, even the wind—stilled like a paused scene.

Sapphire’s breath came fast. “What’s happening?”

David didn’t panic.

He stepped closer instead.

“Don’t be afraid,” he said quietly.

His voice felt different now—softer, steadier… closer.

Sapphire turned to him. “You’re not even surprised.”

“I’ve seen this before,” he replied.

“Then why does it feel like I’m the only one losing control?”

“You’re not,” he said.

There was a brief pause.

Then, more gently—

“You’re just the only one it chose.”

Sapphire’s grip tightened on the watch. “Why me?”

David didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, his eyes searched hers—like he was deciding how much truth she could handle.

Up close, Sapphire noticed something she hadn’t before.

He wasn’t just calm.

He was… careful with her.

“Because,” he said slowly, “you notice things other people ignore.”

Sapphire blinked. “That’s not a reason.”

“It is to this,” he nodded toward the watch.

Another pulse of light flickered between them.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

The silence wasn’t awkward this time.

It lingered.

Sapphire became suddenly aware of how close he was standing.

“How long does this… last?” she asked, her voice quieter now.

“Not long,” David replied. “Time doesn’t like being interrupted.”

A faint smile tugged at his lips. “It always pulls itself back together.”

Sapphire let out a small breath. “Great. So I just… stand here and hope I don’t break reality?”

That made him chuckle softly.

And that surprised her.

“You won’t,” he said. “Not while I’m here.”

The words hung in the air longer than they should have.

Sapphire felt something shift—not fear this time, not confusion.

Something unfamiliar.

Something steady.

Before she could respond—

The world snapped back.

Sound rushed in. Movement resumed. The distant student completed their step like nothing had happened.

Sapphire staggered slightly.

David reached out instinctively—his hand brushing her arm just enough to steady her.

The contact was brief.

But it wasn’t unnoticed.

Sapphire looked at him.

“You always catch people like that?” she asked, trying to sound normal.

“Only the ones about to fall,” he replied.

A small pause.

Then, quieter—

“Or the ones who don’t realize they’re already falling.”

Sapphire held his gaze for a second longer than she meant to.

Then she looked away.

Her heart was no longer racing from fear.

And somehow…

That felt more dangerous.

Sapphire tried to steady her breathing, but something had changed.

Not just the watch.

Not just time.

Something between her and David.

She adjusted her bag slightly, avoiding his eyes. “So… what now?”

David didn’t answer immediately. He was watching her again—carefully, like he was studying not just what she said, but what she felt.

“Now,” he said, “you stop pretending this is normal.”

Sapphire let out a quiet, almost nervous laugh. “Trust me, I stopped pretending a while ago.”

That earned the smallest smile from him.

“Good,” he said.

They began walking again, slower this time. The hallway had mostly emptied, leaving them in a quiet space that felt… separate from everything else.

“Does this happen every time?” Sapphire asked. “The freezing… the glitches?”

“Not exactly,” David replied. “It depends on you.”

She frowned. “On me?”

“The watch responds to your state,” he explained. “Your thoughts. Your emotions.”

Sapphire stopped walking. “So you’re saying I caused that?”

“I’m saying,” he corrected gently, “you triggered it.”

She shook her head. “That’s worse.”

David stepped a little closer again—not invading, just enough to keep her from drifting too far into her thoughts.

“You didn’t break anything,” he said quietly. “You just… opened something.”

Sapphire looked at him, searching his face. “You talk like this is normal.”

“It’s not,” he admitted. “But it’s not random either.”

A pause.

Then she asked the question that had been sitting in her chest:

“How do you know so much?”

This time, David hesitated.

Not long—but long enough for her to notice.

“I’ve been looking for that watch,” he said finally.

Sapphire’s expression tightened. “Looking for it… or waiting for it?”

He didn’t answer directly.

And that told her enough.

Her voice dropped slightly. “So you knew this would happen to someone.”

“Yes.”

“And you didn’t think to warn them?”

“I didn’t know who it would choose,” he replied.

Silence settled between them again—but it felt different now.

More personal.

More real.

Sapphire crossed her arms slightly, not out of anger, but to hold herself together. “So I’m just… lucky?”

David’s gaze softened. “I wouldn’t call it luck.”

“Then what is it?”

He looked at her for a moment—longer than necessary.

“Something important,” he said quietly.

The way he said it made her chest tighten—not painfully, but enough to make her aware of it.

Sapphire looked away first.

“Important sounds like pressure,” she muttered.

“It doesn’t have to be,” he said.

Another pause.

Then, more gently—

“You don’t have to carry it alone.”

That made her look back at him.

There was no performance in his expression.

No hidden mockery like Felicity.

No expectation like her mother.

Just… presence.

And that unsettled her more than anything else.

“Why are you helping me?” she asked.

David didn’t hesitate this time.

“Because I don’t want to see you get hurt by something you don’t understand.”

Sapphire held his gaze.

“That sounds like you care,” she said quietly.

A faint smile appeared again.

“Maybe I do.”

The air between them shifted—subtle, but undeniable.

For a second, neither of them moved.

Then, in the distance—

“Sapphire!”

Anita’s voice.

Both of them turned.

Anita was approaching quickly, her expression a mix of concern and curiosity. But as she got closer, her eyes moved between Sapphire… and David.

She slowed down.

“…Am I interrupting something?” she asked carefully.

Sapphire immediately stepped back a little. “No. We were just—”

“Talking,” David finished smoothly.

Anita’s gaze lingered on him. “I can see that.”

There was a brief silence—sharp, observant.

Then Anita turned to Sapphire. “You disappeared. I was looking for you.”

“I’m fine,” Sapphire said quickly. “I just needed air.”

Anita nodded—but she didn’t look convinced.

Her eyes flicked once more to David.

“Right,” she said slowly.

David straightened slightly. “I should go.”

But before he left, he looked at Sapphire again.

“Don’t ignore it,” he said quietly.

“The watch?”

He shook his head slightly.

“Everything.”

Then he walked away.

Sapphire watched him go—longer than she intended.

Anita noticed.

Of course she did.

“…Okay,” Anita said after a moment. “Who is that?”

Sapphire hesitated.

Then quietly—

“David.”

Anita raised an eyebrow. “And since when does ‘David’ look at you like that?”

Sapphire blinked. “Like what?”

Anita gave her a knowing look.

“Like you just became his problem… and his priority.”

Sapphire didn’t respond.

But her silence said enough.

Because deep down—

She felt it too.

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