Stopping the World

Galilei was right. It was a little odd to be here, but we were placed back in September of last year.

It was refreshing to know that I wasn’t the only one who remembered things. I realized this when Michael called.

“Hey,” he said. “So, have you spotted him yet?”

“Mookoo, I was just placed back,” I said. “I’m still in my dorm room, and it’s still at the part where it was new to me because I don’t really have anything unpacked yet. Which is kind of weird considering the last time I saw it.”

“Yeah,” he said. “Well, one good thing that may come out of this is that you’ll know of your class assignments and all, plus maybe remember a few tests...”

“Yeah, I doubt it,” I said. “All of that information is in and out of my head as soon as I finish with it. So I’ll practically have to learn it all over again.”

“Well, I was put back in my apartment,” he said. “In fact, back to the moment right after Anna asked me to go to her parents’ house for Thanksgiving. She’s in the shower, right now. Kind of ironic, huh?”

“You’re very attentive to details. But yeah, but at least I have a clue of it this time,” I teased. “That grants me access for not having to go back for another holiday.”

“Okay, fine. But only one. Try not to skip out on all of the others,” he said seriously, but I laughed. I knew this would be one of the only times I’d be happy from now on, though. “Let me know how it goes, with seeing Nick. You can always call me if you need to talk or anything. I know this will be hard for you.”

“Thanks Michael,” I said, before hanging up, finding our conversation finished for now. I sighed, before Rachel walked into the room. I got up from where I was sitting on my bed to hug her.

“Whoa, I was gone for like, ten minutes. Miss me already?” she joked. I stuck my tongue out at her before sitting back down on my bed. “Why so glum darling? We’re not even a month into school yet, so you’ll have a rude-awakening as soon as we get into it.”

“It’s not that,” I said, before thinking about what I wanted to say. “It’s just... I miss the way things were, you know?”

“Oh, I know. I kind of miss high school too now that we’re here,” she said, not knowing the actual meaning behind the words. “But we’re college girls now! Woo!” I laughed at her spirited-self.

“Yeah,” I agreed, though not as into it as she was.

>>------------------------------------------------------->>

I passed Nick a few times on my way to classes. He showed no signs of knowing who I was, and it was making me sad thinking about it.

“Sucks, doesn’t it?” someone said, and I turned to see that it was Amberly. This was one of those moments where I had just passed Nick and he hadn’t even looked at me. Amberly wasn’t as friendly with him as she had been before, seeing as she wasn’t tagging after him instead of me, which I found a little odd. I guess she only did that when she saw he had an interest in me, but now that he doesn’t... it didn’t really matter. “But don’t worry; there are other fish in the sea. Those that you better not tell your secret to.”

“What do you want, Amberly?”

“Haven’t you realized that something’s been missing ever since you came back?” she asked, and I oddly enough knew what she was talking about. “Ta-da! Here you go!” She handed me the box the contained the world, and I placed it into my overly large bag. I knew one of these days I would find it. Or I figured that someone, like Amberly, or even Darwin or Galilei, would give it back to me.

“Thanks,” I said, unenthusiastically. “What a gift.”

“Hey, you’re lucky Galilei was lenient and even gave it back to you at all. My dad didn’t want that. But unfortunately Galilei has more power over him, so it was ultimately her choice.”

“So, what? Are we like, besties now?” I said, mocking her tone of voice. “Seeing as you were the one that gave this back to me?”

“Ha, don’t give yourself that much credit,” she said. “But in a way, yes, we have to be. Seeing as I’m assigned to be one of the people who keeps an eye on you.”

“Who’s the other?” I asked, though I figured she wouldn’t tell me.

“Not important,” she brushed it off. I was right. “But there are those times that I won’t be around you. And then there’s the fact that Daddy doesn’t trust me completely, considering what happened last time.” She flipped her hair. “Anyway, what is important is that I help you get a new wardrobe. Because if I’m going to be seen around with you, well... you can’t be dressed like that.”

“What’s wrong with the way I dress?” I said. She didn’t answer, and continued on.

“Anyhow, it’s best that you just move on from Nick,” she stated, sounding bored with the topic. “He’s the one that caused all of this trouble in the first place, no? So no need to mope over him.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to understand what Nick and I had,” I said. “Because you don’t. If you did, you wouldn’t have said what you just did.”

“Touchy, touchy,” she said.

“Why do you even remember everything that happened, anyhow?” I asked her. “If Darwin was smart, he would’ve wiped your memory clean too. If anyone exposes what happened, it would be you.”

“Whatever. He wanted to, but then he realized I was one of the only people that could keep an eye on you,” she said. “Plus, it wouldn’t help if I was even more confused when I visited him than I already am. He hates when I don’t understand things.”

“Don’t blame him,” I said honestly. She sighed.

“Look, Marley, I know you don’t like me that much...” she started. “But okay, believe it or not, I can help you.”

“What do you mean? You mean, other than how much you already have?” I questioned sarcastically.

“Haha, okay. But you won’t be sarcastic after you hear what I have to tell you,” she said seriously. I raised an eyebrow.

“Continue...” I trailed off skeptically, not sure what she was going to say. She smiled.

“I know of a way for you to get Nick to remember. Without getting in trouble, and without the results being reversed.”

She had to be lying. I mean, why would she want to help me after she clearly expressed she sided with her father on all that had happened? But when I looked at her, she had a look of hope on her face.

Was she telling the truth? Could I really trust her?

I really hoped the answers to both of those questions was yes, because otherwise, life would just continue as it was, without Nick. And it was going to suck if this last bit of hope wasn’t real.