The Time Capsule

Selena

After I told Amber everything, I went back to my room. She didn’t seem surprised about anything that happened, but was worried on how I was doing. And that’s just it; I don’t know how I’m doing. When I kissed James it just felt…right. The sparks and emotions came back from all those years before. It was like my first kiss all over again, and in the same spot.

But then he pulled away. And this is James Watson we’re talking about. He never pulls away. I’m sure it’d take him a while to notice if it were a guy kissing him instead of a girl because of how into it he gets. So what does that mean?

He tells me he loves me but doesn’t want to kiss me? At first I thought it was sweet because he was looking out for me. He knows about my past and doesn’t want to do anything sudden. Then again, he could just be disgusted with me. In all honesty that could really be the answer.

And as I looked at him, his blue eyes wide open and staring at me in shock, I noticed the little heart carved in the wood behind him. I remember the day we put our names there. It was when his mom left and James ran off. I found him sitting in that exact same spot, he wasn’t even crying, just sitting there. We talked for about an hour that evening and he wanted to carve our names to show the world that we were best friends. The same spot is also where he was sitting when he asked me out. That day he insisted on drawing a heart around our names. This time to show the world that we were dating.

It stayed our spot for months. And I guess is still our spot today. Though the only memory that I connect with it is him and I officially breaking up. It wasn’t a pretty site either. Mostly contained me screaming at him and James just taking each and every word. He hadn’t even put up a fight. Months after that break up, maybe years, I had spotted James sitting there. I remember wanting to go and talk to him but didn’t the courage to do so. I was still mad at him for what happened and wasn’t in the mood for an argument. Instead, I crossed out our names the instant he left, though they are definitely still detectable.

And that leads to today, when he’s professing his love to me. All I could think about were all the moments we had in those same spots. The good and bad moments. The ones that made me smile and cry. When I saw the crossed off names I don’t know what happened. I apologized and ran. The only problem, I don’t think he knew what I was apologizing for.

Before I could come up with a way to tell James the truth there was a knock at my door. Amber entered without me saying anything. “hey, could you help me in the kitchen? I’m trying to bake some things for tomorrow but I think I started making one too many items at once.” I roll my eyes and nod, getting up from my spot on the bed.

I spent about an hour helping Amber make the cake and some cookies for tomorrow. It was sweet that she even thought to do that. The boys had long been home, though I’m not quite sure where they are or what they’ve been up to. Greg just entered for a moment to inform us that they were back. When I once again went to my room, something had been added to it.

Sitting on my bed was a small letter, a dress and a rose.

Selena,

Please get dressed and be ready in twenty minutes. Step out your door and then follow the notecards.

There wasn’t a name signed but it didn’t take a genius to know it was from James. I look down at the dress again, expecting it to be some skimpy piece of cloth. I was surprised when I found it to actually be quite conservative. It covered more than I usually covered, which I wasn’t used to. But he’s the one that doesn’t want to see any skin, so I guess it’s his loss.

Once the twenty minutes were up I open my door. Right there in front of me is a notecard with something attached to it. I pick it up and smile the instant I read the words.

I love the way that you can sit and read a book while letting the rest of the world carry on as if none of us exist. In the corner a small charm shaped as a book was taped.

I continue my way down the stairs just to spot another one. I guess he really meant follow the notecards when he’d written it before.

By the time I got to what seemed like the end of the cards, I glanced around my surroundings. I was in Greg’s back yard tree-house. Which for Greg meant some high-tech guest house. At least that’s how I always saw it.

As I wait for James, or anyone for that matter, to appear, I reread all the notes

1. I love the way that you can sit and read a book while letting the rest of the world carry on as if none of us exist.

2. I love that a plain white daisy is your favorite flower

3. I love that you’ve always stuck to the rules, even if they seem a little stupid and pointless.

4. I love that you’re secretly great at soccer and that I’m the only one who knows it.

5. I love that you wear glasses to make yourself look smarter. Though I know you have 20/20 vision.

6. I love that you’ve continued with your passion of writing.

7. I love how easily you care for others, even strangers.

8. I love your smile and how it always seems to brighten up the day…at least my day.

9. I love they your eyes twinkle when the moon is shining on them just right.

10. I love that you’re always up for a game of War

11. I love that you don’t wear much make-up. You look beautiful without any.

12. I love how you’ll run out in a storm and dance in the rain, no matter who’s watching

13. I love that your biggest dream is to become a wife and mother, and not a lawyer.

14. I love that you know exactly what you want in life, and never fail to get it.

15. I love that you were there for me when no one else was

16. I love you


Each card had a different charm on it, representing what was written. I couldn’t help but smile as a few tears fell down my cheek. This was definitely one of the sweetest things anyone had done for me.

“you’re not supposed to be crying.” James says from behind me. I turn to see him standing there wearing a casual suit.

I wipe away the tears and smile wider, “don’t worry, they’re happy tears.”

He pulls out a chair for me at the table, I take the seat and then he too sits down. “Happy birthday.” Since it wasn’t anywhere close to my birthday I gave him a confused look. “This is making up for all the birthday’s I missed.”

“oh! That’s why there’s sixteen charms.”

James nods, “I kept getting you presents, hoping I’d get the courage to talk to you. But I never did.”

Throughout dinner the smile never left my face. I couldn’t recall one time that anyone did anything close to this. And the one person who does do it is the least likely to.

“How do you know I haven’t stopped writing?” I ask him as he pulls out the dessert.

“you shouldn’t allow people to read your stories and then get them published under a pen name.” I bite my lip, embarrassed that he’d figured everything out. “plus, I’m in the publishing business.”

“you didn’t-” I couldn’t finish my sentence, afraid of his answer.

“it came in when I was beginning at the place and ended up in my pile.” I groan, putting my head in my hands. Out of all the people to publish my story, it had to be James Watson. “Don’t worry about anything Lena, I won’t let your secret out.”

I gulp as he says my nickname but didn’t say anything. For some reason it didn’t bring up the same emotions it had a week ago. “Thank you.” I tell him, “for publishing my book and keeping it all a secret.”

“wouldn’t have let it happen any other way. Now a question for you,” I nod, motioning for him to continue, “how did you know about my mom?”

“I get the New York Times. Didn’t know you’d pay so much for an obituary.” James shrugs at that last comment. “Anyways, I read her name and everything and couldn’t imagine not going up for the funeral. I remember having this whole speech written out, what I was going to say to you when I saw you…everything was planned. But once I spotted you I couldn’t get myself to go and talk to you. I didn’t even know if you had seen me there. Turns out you did though.”

“how could I miss you? You were the only person there under 40.” We both chuckle at that. James reaches over and rests his hand over mine. “is there any chance, Selena, to make this work? To make us work?”

My smile fades. “I-I just can’t James. My life is in Florida, yours is in New York. And after Rick…I don’t know if I ever want to do that again.”

The look on James’ face broke my heart. He worked so hard to just get a chance and I’m not even giving him that. I can’t. I’ve been hurt to many times in the past to go back to the first guy to ever hurt me.

Once a cheater always a cheater, right?