The Time Capsule

Amber

Selena was quiet as we checked into the hotel. Quiet as we unpacked our bags. Quiet as we ate dinner. Just quiet. It reminded me of high school. How I’d watch her from afar and never see her talk to anyone, or even listen that much. She just existed, but barely. Like a ghost.

And tonight, it was happening again. James must have mentioned something to her. I don’t know what though since I was asleep for most of the plane ride.

“Selena, what’s wrong?” she was currently sitting by the window, staring out it.

Her head snaps up to me, “nothing, I’m perfectly fine.” She smiled reassuringly, which I knew was her lying habit.

“Did James do something?”

her face drops at his name, “when isn’t he doing something?”

I take a seat next to her, “Selena, you can’t let him keep getting to you like this. I know you’re stronger than this.”

She laughs a dry laugh. “you do huh? And how would you know that? Because I let a jerk play me, because I was depressed all through high school, because I never spoke to anyone? You know nothing about me Amber.”

Though her words hurt immensely, I ignored them for now. “I know the girl who never let anyone get away with hurting her friends. The girl who would always take the blame to protect us, who kept us out of trouble and always stood up for what she believed in. I don’t know what happened that summer to tear you down. But I do know that somewhere in there is the girl that we all knew.”

Selena doesn’t say anything in reply, just turns away from me. I walk over to the bed and crawl in. Might as well get some sleep if the girl isn’t going to talk.

Before I even close my eyes, Selena answers my unasked question, “he cheated.”

I sit up in bed and stare at the back of her head, “what?”

“you said no one but us knows what happened that day. Well now you do. I caught him cheating on me.”

I was unsure of what to do. Should I comfort her or just let her be? “why did you close yourself off?” I ask hesitantly.

“because I knew that if it came down to it, you’d choose him over me. So I just accepted that and dealt with things by myself.”

That’s what she thought? That I would have stayed friends with James rather than her? How could she even think that? “I would never choose James as a friend before you Selena. Unlike him, you were always there when I needed someone. You actually cared about me, about us.” I try to explain to her the best I can, “plus, I know for a fact you didn’t really deal with things.”

Selena shrugs, “I did what I had to do.”

“Girl, we’ve got an early start tomorrow, why don’t you just call it a night?” I watch as she silently walks over to her bed and slips in. with that, I turn off the lights and let the darkness engulf us.

I woke up early the next day to call Peter. Never was I someone who liked ending things without the conversation being finished. And for sure, our conversation was not finished. I stand out on the balcony and enjoy the view. In a weird way I actually missed the rolling hills of just hay.

When someone picks up the phone, it’s not Peters voice. But rather, another woman, “hello?”

“oh hell no, it hasn’t been even a week since we broke up!” I say more to myself than her.

“who do you think you are?”

“This is Peters phone, right?”

“yeah. And I’m his fiancée.” She states, sounding pissed off.

I didn’t know what to do or say. How do you react to that? “well, I’d break up with him if I were you because I had been dating him for the last six months.” I hang up the phone before she can say anything more and block the number. What a way to start the day.

Already up and awake I head down to the dining area to grab some food. Greg was just leaving his room at the same time and I jog a little to catch up with him.

He was focused on his phone, and didn’t notice me walking with him. I slow down a bit and then run and jump onto his back to get his attention.

Sadly, Greg just laughs and catches me in a piggy back ride position. “Well good morning to you Amber.”

I try to smile to reassure myself but fail. “morning it is, but good it is not,” I mumble. We show up to the cafeteria place with me still on his back, “mind setting me down?”

“right. You’re so light I kind of forgot you there.”

“yeah, yeah. You couldn’t have done that twelve years ago.”

He just smiles and goes through the line to fill his plate with food. When we finally both get what we want, we take a seat by the fireplace.

“so, what’s wrong?” he asks, taking a bite of his food.

“Which jerk-face should I start with?” I ask.

Greg doesn’t have time to answer, as one of the jerks enters the room, “someone called?” he jokes.

“Don’t joke with me James Watson. If I were you I’d get out of here right now.”

James looks at me strangely and then to Greg, “not a good morning,” Greg says.

“oh. PMSing or just Ambers general fits?” James asks and I did the first thing that came to mind. I poured my hot coffee over his head. “What the shit Amber?!”

“I told you to leave.”