Sitting at the breakfast table, Jax looked sideways at the official envelope, perfectly propped against the napkin holder. In swirled curlicues, his full name had been handwritten in caligraphy. He stared hard, straining his eyes and noticing how the ink contrasted against the paper, shimmering with a silver sheen. Just like yesterday and countless days before, he had been greeted at the table with breakfast and the light purple card. Beginning at age 4, all children in the village would receive lavender envelopes every day until their 18th birthday.

"Thank you for breakfast." His tone was more sullen today. He had missed his last 4 Destinations. He could tell his parents were disappointed, though they hid it well behind their hugs and encouragement. He knew better. Who wanted an Unknown for a son? He had 2 more years to reach Completion. It wouldn't be impossible, but if he kept on this current path of continual failures, his Course would be forever fixed.

His mom approached and hovered close. Too close. He didn't want her pity today. She ran her fingers through his hair, speaking tenderly, as if he were a baby.

"You'll reach today. You will. Study the Coordinates and just... get there."

He desperately wanted deep down to believe it - to hear, absorb and project his mother's hope onto his Course today. But Missing once was common. Twice? Not so abhorrent, but certainly unpleasant. Four. Four times he had missed - in a row. How worthless could one person be?

"Yeah, just get there, runt."

"Shut it, Cros!"

"What? I'm just saying. Four times? Come on. It's almost like you want to die alone."

Their mother interrupted firmly. "Crosby, enough. Jackson, you're fine. Just open the envelope, finish your breakfast and start analyzing how to reach the Coordinates."

The chair scraped the floor as Crosby pushed away from the table in a huff, mumbling under his breath. "They can't all be like me. Not one missed. Six more months and I'll be on easy street."

Jackson heard every word and agreed. He could never be like his older brother: smart, chiseled, efficient, and driven. He longed for those qualities himself, but he was grateful for the realization that there were other qualities that weren't shared between the two of them: arrogant, cold, selfish, and bitter. What did it matter? Easy street? Sure. But at the risk of being like that? For the rest of his life? No, thanks. Maybe being an Unknown wouldn't be so bad.

His mother watched as he stared out the window, brow furrowed with thoughts churning and racing across his face. Without another moment of hesitation, Jax grabbed the envelope, ripping it open with his teeth. He grumbled under his breath, as he noticed the precious paper inside had torn with his overzealous attack.

Fitting the two pieces back together, he mouthed the words:

"stolen kisses. burning match. copper penny. 7:38"

It was already past 7:38 am and he hadn't felt the rush of euphoria, nor had he felt the literal pain of defeat. He had until 7:38 p.m to find and resolve all these clues in order to reach his Destination. Had he reached the last four Destinations this week, it probably would have been very clear which direction he should proceed today. However, in the same way that one slight miscalculation plotting a course could end with disastrous results, his four days of errors had led him to a seemingly insurmountable task. Left or right? North or south? Stay or go? He thought back to childhood stories with predictions, destiny, Oracles and the like. Why had they always made it seem like Destiny would win in the end? Shouldn't he reach 7:38 pm - with all three clues resolved, no matter which direction he took?

That's what they said. That's what they all said. Four days of failure had proven them wrong.

It didn't matter. He got up from the table, determined to do what he thought was right today. He wouldn't let any clue stir or sway him. He would stick to his course, be himself and accept what the fates would decide.

On their walk to school, Cros teased him mercilessly. Most days he would ignore the ribbing but today was proving to be too much. He was a little too raw, and his nerves were on edge. Every minute that brought him closer to 7:38 was one minute closer to finality.

"Hey. I'll see you there. I'm gonna grab a drink." Without waiting for a response, Jax harshly opened the door to the convenient store to his left. The bell jingled, and startled a young punk huddled in front of the candy aisle. The scruffy kid shoved his hands in his pockets quickly while his shifty eyes scanned his surroundings sporadically. Jax went to the back and grabbed a frosty blue sports drink. He thought about the little punk. Should he? Shouldn't he? The kid was probably no more than 11, and the store clerk seemed oblivious. She was stocking the shelves, dancing around with earbuds in her ears. It was probably just some candy.

He sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Hey. Hey! I'm ready to check out." He slid the drink onto the counter and reached into his pocket for some money.

The girl turned around. She had a smile that seemed to emanate from her whole being. He stood up a little taller. She didn't seem like his usual type. She was a little plain, but that could have been due to the dreary work smock awkwardly framing her body and grey bandana tied clumsily around her head. But her eyes - and that smile - they seemed to warm him from the inside out and draw him in.

"That will be $3.00," she bounced to the register, taking the $10 from his hand.

He leaned in a bit, and then wavered. No. He had to meet his Destiny. He couldn't get sidetracked. Grabbing his drink roughly, he started towards the door.

"Oh - wait, you have change coming!"

He looked over his shoulder and called back, the slow burn fading a bit. "No, keep it. That should cover whatever that kid put in his pocket."

Moments later, she darted out of the store and called out.

"Wait a second!" With a sparkle in her eyes, she jogged to catch up to him. "That was just my rotten little brother. I'm not sure why he does that. He can run a tab and just write it in the books. But..." She tapped her temple several times. "He's not the sharpest tool in the shed, if you know what I mean." Her musical laughter was infectious. Reaching out, she handed him $7 in change, brushing his palm and sending little sparks through his body. "Plus, $7 seems a bit excessive for stolen kisses."

A warmth radiated through Jax' body. He recognized that signal. "What did you say?"

"My brother, the criminal. That's his M.O." Embarrassed, she laughed again, looking down at her smudged shoes. "He always takes those little bags of Hershey's kisses."

Stolen kisses! One down, two to go? Was it really possible that hope could return so swiftly and so certainly? He could kiss her - this messenger of sweet news! For a moment, he longed to stay, longed to explain, longed to see that smile again -but there was no time. Jax accepted the change from her, thanked her quickly, and turned to jog to school. He was back on track! He needed to stick to his schedule and reveal the meaning of the next two clues. The rush of relief that flooded his body was overwhelming.

Throughout the day, he searched for any flash of copper on the ground. Pennies everywhere - but not one gave him that significant thrill. Every time he thought of his Course - her face would fill his mind. The way she bounced while working. The way she ran to him, breathless. The way her eyes lit up when he offered to pay for her brother. It was silly. She was just a random girl - why did the memory of her stir his curiosity so deeply? Was she really worth losing yet another day? What good would come of it - when he was 18 and Unknown? Would she follow him into anonymity? Unlikely. The choice was logical: stomp out as many burning matches he found and weigh his pockets with pennies galore.

By 5:46 p.m., he was distraught. He had wandered the streets, extinguishing cigarettes, sacriligeously snuffing out candles in churches and collecting every coin that caught is eye. He hung his head, feeling his hopes float farther and farther away. What a cruel joke of fate! To give him the smallest glimpse of rescue from those chocolate candies this morning, only to rip it away as the hours crept closer to the Destination. Surrender tantalized him, mocked him, and beckoned him to admit defeat. He unceremoniously yanked up his pants, weighed down with copper coins, in a rebellious act against the world. Time to get rid of this menacing hope.

One by one, he tossed the pennies into the fountain - each one symbolic of the dreams that he would never achieve. He would have another opportunity tomorrow, and they would continue until he was 18, but the likelihood that he would find his way would become more and more far-fetched as he missed one Destination after another.

"Hey, Hershey kisses!"

He paused, holding the penny in his hand. Turning to the sound of that voice, he felt that familiar, warm glow in his chest. As she walked closer, his spirits lifted slightly. Why not enjoy the final hours of this day with her? What good did it do him - running away from her this morning?

"Hey there."

"Tossing all your dreams away?" She had just finished work. As she got closer, she pulled the smock off and tucked it under her arms.

He looked at their identical outfits and laughed. Both wore a fiery red t-shirt and jeans. "Ha. We match." They both glowed with the light of infatuation, and wondered if the other felt that same release of butterflies.

"That we do!" She looked up at him and smiled, a soft expression of concern on her face. "Rough day?"

"Try 4. Today will be 5."

A look of pain crossed her face. "Hm. Today will be 3 for me. For the life of me, I can't figure it out. I've been logical. I've been analytical, but.." she shook her head, unable to finish her sentence.

They stood at the fountain in silence, a million questions burning inside of them. It wasn't necessary to speak them out loud, because they shared the same mind, and they knew it. Everyone knew what would happen at 18 if this continued, but no one really knew what to expect. The girl reached over and took a handful of coins from his palm. One by one, she started to toss them into the fountain as well.

When all of the coins lay shimmering at the bottom of the fountain, he raised his eyebrow and turned to her. "So, then let's not be logical."

She giggled. "Ok. What should we be?"

"Emotional." He winked at her, grabbed her hand, and headed to his favorite spot to watch the sunset.

They stood together on a hill of tall grass - surrounded by golden light, bucking the system, and watching the minutes countdown to 7:38. They might feel the pain of defeat, but it was nice to hold each other's hand and face it with someone who understood. As the sun started to dip beneath the hill, the girl ripped off her bandana and shook her hair free, prepared to face the next few moments head on. The rays of the setting sun lit up her red curls in a copper halo around her face.

"Wow!" His eyes widened in awe at the most beautiful shock of hair he had ever seen.

She turned her head in his direction. "Oh, this? Yeah I normally keep my 'coppertop' tucked away as much as possible. It can be a bit shocking." She giggled and ran both hands through her hair, tossing the heavy mass into a metallic mane around her face. "But tonight?" He caught the bandana as she tossed it in his direction. "It just felt like the thing to do."

He reached up and twirled a ringlet around his finger. Waves of euphoria began to crest inside his brain and overflow down multiple pathways into his extremities. He searched her face and recognized her expression of sweet, contented bliss. His phone alarm momentarily alerted them to the time- 7:38 p.m.

"I'm Jackson." His smile radiated the promise of the future. "I think I'm supposed to get to know you."

She blinked lazily, caught up in the hope of what tomorrow would bring. "I'm Penelope, but you can call me- "

He smiled. "Penny."

Image Source: Pennies from Heaven text divider , edited by @dreemsteem

Image Source: Wishes into Fountain , edited by @dreemsteem