“That was the first time I purposefully took us anywhere. I feel really good but I might black out.”
“Hopefully, you’ll get used to it.” added Alaska.
“What if I don’t?”
“Oh well?”
“You’re like the most comforting girlfriend ya’ know tht?”
“I know right.”
Ugh. I love how spiteful she is.
“No. No. No!” Ophelia said erratically.
“What’s wrong Ophelia?” asked Vanessa
“Don’t you hear it?”
“No?” Vanessa asked confused.
“Exactly. If we fixed the timeline, he should be here and the party should still be on. We should be having the time of our lives we should have been dating for like a little over a year by now.”
“Check your phone to see if he’s still dating Jocelyn.” Alaska interjected.
“Nope. No Jocelyn. No one. Now he’s just single. There’s no trace of any girl anywhere.”
“I guess you’ll have to call him then?”
Ophelia was on the phone for about 3 minutes. With each second I could see water push against the flood gates but she held them closed. Maybe she was hiding being an ugly crier. Maybe she just wanted to seem strong for us. Whatever the reason, I wanted to make sure she was okay whether the gates opened or not.
“So apparently we broke up a month ago. 'Cause he wasn’t sure if this relationship was what he still wanted... Maybe a year ago but not now. I still invited him but he didn’t come.”
“Then let’s do that.” I stated
“What?” asked
“Let’s go back to 2014. At the very least we could give you a year with him rather than a couple of months?” I said.
“Thank you so much Oliver.” she screamed jumping to hug me. Finally she seemed happy.
“Let’s go.” I said with my eyes blinking me in and out of consciousness.
“No Oliver. I’ll take us, you rest this trip. I have more stamina than you.”
And so my very considerate girlfriend and I essentially did the same mission but we didn’t have to drive anywhere because this time last year he was at her house so all we had to do was hide in the front yard. I was sleeping in the bushes like a homeless person with Alaska and Van watching over me while they talked. Ophelia came over to us and told us it worked again. They were dating and for sure. They were fourteen and it was young love but it was something. (Also note, when we time travel we remain the same age. We don’t get younger accordingly. Lucky for us Ophelia hadn’t changed much since she was about 14 but anything past that would be pushing it.)
And so we returned once again.
The same results occurred but he broke up with her again. Their relationship never even made it to a couple months. Well luckily his family still lived here in 2014. So we can go back to a whole bunch of days. And so we did. We tried every family braai, beach day and restaurant visit. Heck, we even tried another wedding. But no dice. There was always some excuse. The distance, another girl, him not knowing what he wants. All of it for nothing. We had exhausted our options our window for how old Ophelia looked was closed. She now had to live with her choices.
“Let’s go back to the end of 2013. When I was beginning to look like I was 14. Please Oliver... Alaska... I need you guys.”
“Sur-.” I mumbled exhausted and almost blacking out.
“No! I’m sorry Oliver. I know she’s our friend. But today alone she’s destroyed countless timelines. Ended countless existences and who knows what she’s done to our bodies with all of the trips back and forth. We’re all at risk here. It stops now. Ophelia, you could die if you keep this up. You’re not one of us. Your body wasn’t meant for this and Oliver can’t go on. He has practically killed himself for you today. I’ve lost someone to time before. Not again. So no more going back. Please? For us?” Alaska pleaded.
Icebergs crashed and fell. And so did she. Without a second thought. Through the tiring ache that rang throughout my body. The modern atlas ran to Alaska. Holding her, comforting her and supporting her as if she were Gaia. Vanessa quickly followed suit but she was weighted by her fatigued.
“What the fuck is wrong with me? I can’t even see that my friends were risking their own lives for me and I kept pushing them. No wonder he doesn’t want me. I’m a selfish piece of shit who can’t do anything right. I don’t deserve you guys or him. No wonder I’m destined to die alone.” Ophelia knelt down and finally her floodgates opened.
I gestured over to her to join our crying circle in the bushes outside her house. As a group of friends we all kinda mourned and realised how fucked we really were. It seems awkward and stupid but it felt good. To just be vulnerable with the people in your life like that. We had an open connection to each other and that just let us be as close as friends could be as possible.
“I’m so sorry. I’ve just been chasing the same ghost for years and today it became tangible ever so slightly. So years of lust came out. It’s just been really difficult.”
“Ophelia life is really difficult but it’s also so much more so. We live for more so.” Alaska said.
“That’s so true. I guess you guys are my more so?”
“Aww.” replied Van, Alaska and I in unison.
“So guys, my parents still aren’t gonna be home for a while you guys wanna just hang out?”
And so we did. We had a party for Ophelia and tried to celebrate her birthday, moving onto a new stage in her life and not dying today. All sadly really normal teenager stuff. We ended up just talking for hours and just having a great time with the people we cared about. (I’m sorry with how sappy and stupid this sounds but it’s honestly my definition of a great with my close friends.) And so ended the night of heartbreak and time travel.
Soon my mom picked up Alaska and I. We sat there in the car just reflecting on our seamless night.
“I hope she’s gonna be okay? I mean just like that she’s better. I mean she was willing to risk her life earlier what stops her from taking it?”
“Eh I don’t know. I think you’re overthinking this.” She said with her menacing yet benevolent grin.
“What’s with that grin? Spill it.”
“So... I might've kinda sorta taken her to the essence of time and spent an hour talking to her. Showing her just how vast the timelines were, what all the bubbles and butterflies meant and how we see the universe. I showed her how for every moment she saw with this guy she missed out on one with another. I showed her what her life could be like without him and all the new people she might meet. Sure it’s possible I destroyed the futures I showed her but it comforted her. I showed her, there could be life after him and that some things weren’t meant to be because time wants to happen. That love changes and can move on. That no one is stuck in any moment at anytime. Well not stuck involuntarily. I believe that”
“Aww. That’s so cute, you big softy. I love that we’re all friends. But wait, since when do you believe in something?”
“Oliver, we all believe in something and love is my something.” she said with instead this time a benevolent smile.
“Oh. Well I believe in us.”
“Don’t try to one up me in how cute we are.” She said as we shared an innocent and endearing giggle.
We just gazed at each other lovingly after that. For light carried love between the daylily and her honeysuckle now. And so the night ended with her refusing to let me too close to her house as usual. But i didn’t care anymore because all I could do was appreciate the leaway she gave me.
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