Paused in Time

Introduction

You peer at the locket in your hands with confusion clear in your eyes. You traced your fingers over the rim taking in the heart shape. You didn’t get it. You hold it up to see the sun reflecting off the silver metal making the dust around it visible. Pulling your sleeve over your hand you rub it comically smirking to yourself as the thought of a genie popping out of the locket amused you. Now focusing on the clock in the middle of the locket you sigh and stuff the locket into your pocket before slinging your bag it on to your back. What’s so special about this locket? Getting off the stairs in front of the school you begin to make your way home.

“Take this,” your mother begs. She hands you a strange looking locket. You raise an eyebrow but don’t question her.
“A locket?”
“Yes!” She giggles but her expression suddenly turns cold. “Protect it, protect it with your life __” She orders grasping your hand in hers. Your mum had always been quirky and her mood quickly changes but you could tell she meant business. You nod. That was the last conversation you had with her, before she left you and your dad.

You scowl. Why did she have to leave? Stuffing your hands into your pockets you sigh. You could feel metal of the locket against your knuckles. Her locket. Yanking it out of your pocket you get ready to throw it away.
“STOP!” What? Your turn to see a familiar boy. “I mean…” He trails off as he walks towards you. “You shouldn’t throw away a beautiful locket like this.” He smiles at you tilting head slightly giving him an almost puppy like look.
“Drew?” You question. He has been in your class for a while now, ever since your mum gave you that locket he has been around, almost where ever you go. He takes the locket into his hands for a moment and examines it before his eyes seem to light up. He mutters something and hands it back to you.
“It really is beautiful, you know.” He points out finally pealing his eyes away from the jewellery.
“My mum gave it me.”
“I thought so,” you give him a questioning look and he shrugs “Read the back.” Flipping over the silver locket you see carved into the back.

Love mum x

You smile to yourself and hold it to your chest.
“Oh mum,” You mutter holding back tears. You hear Drew curse under his breath. An arm wraps around your shoulders.
“Hey, __, it’s going to be okay, I’ll walk you home”

The two of you walking silence for most of the way.
“Hey.” Drew cuts though the silence.
“Hm?”
“I just remembered, I don’t know where you live” You could tell this friendship you had just made was going to last a while.