Playing with Chronos
s i x
Michaela sighed as she changed the TV to another boring channel in Blake’s apartment. He was in the bathroom, preparing himself to go to work, and Michaela was only just home from the zoo herself. She couldn’t figure out why the two of them, in the alternate timeline, had decided to become a couple when their timetables were so different. Michaela worked normal hours during the day, and Blake left after an early dinner to go and manage the bars he owned, often coming home quite late and even sometimes missing Michaela in the morning if she stayed the night. And that was something she was struggling to be comfortable with. She had been pushing away Blake’s intimacy and affection, and she knew he was getting suspicious. But she had only ever viewed him as her loud, obnoxious friend, and it was challenging to see why her new self had seen him as something more.
“You look comfy there; you’re welcome to stay the night,” Blake offered as he walked out of his bedroom and headed towards the kitchen counter to collect his wallet and keys. Michaela looked him over, agreeing that the grey shirt over his tidy blue jeans looked nice on him, as well as how he had tamed his hair a little, but that was it. She didn’t feel butterflies or any swooning emotions like she should as his girlfriend.
“Thanks, but I think I might head home and visit Zoe on the way,” Michaela replied, already feeling awful about how she had visited him after work. It was a strange sense of obligation, and she had to vent to Zoe about it again. Blake pressed his keys and wallet into his pocket before leaning on the back of the couch.
“Well if you do see her, can you talk to her about whatever’s on your mind? I don’t like seeing you upset,” he said before giving her a peck.
“I will,” Michaela promised with a weak smile.
“Good. Because I want you to be happy again,” Blake admitted as he stood. “Like that day at the races, remember that? You couldn’t stop smiling, we had so much fun.” Michaela paused as she tried her best to recall attending a horse-racing event with Blake but her mind was blank. She couldn’t, for the life of her, retrieve that memory. Which was fair enough, since she hadn’t technically experienced it, but Zoe had insisted that she was supposed to be able to remember both timelines.
“Yeah, it was a really good day,” she agreed, hoping she was correct. “I’ll do my best, okay?” Blake nodded and bid her goodnight before leaving. Michaela gave him enough time to drive away before she flicked the TV off and left, heading for Zoe’s house. When she arrived she was pleased to hear that Jayden was working late at the office so she could talk freely to Zoe.
“I know it’s difficult, and even I have been making mistakes, but we have to try to fit in,” Zoe explained as she walked over to one of the shelves in her living room.
“But I don’t have enough memories with Blake! I feel so awkward trying to be his girlfriend,” Michaela groaned while rubbing her aching temples.
“I asked Jayden about your relationship, the best I could without sounding like I knew nothing, and he said that you were always open to his boisterous personality, that you’ve always thought his jokes were funny,” Zoe explained and Michaela scrunched her face up at the thought. “I know, I couldn’t really believe it either. It must be a flow on effect from when I stopped your father yelling at you. Maybe you became more easygoing and then you were able to get along better with Blake?” Michaela sighed as Zoe lifted a photo album off the shelf.
“You should have left him shouting at me. This is too much, I’m really struggling.”
“But look at this,” Zoe said, diverting her friend’s attention with the photo album. Inside was a collection of photos from her wedding day. “I didn’t get to live it, technically, but look at how perfect everything is! Even some of the other lawyers at Jayden’s firm can’t stop talking to him about it!” Michaela smiled at the photos, pleased to see that things had worked out in the end. Zoe’s father had walked her down the aisle, her dress was flattering, and there were even a few shots of Blake and Michaela enjoying each other’s presence.
“Well, at least you and Jayden still ended up together. I guess you’re meant to be,” Michaela remarked and Zoe beamed widely.
“I know. Even though we changed things so far back, and you’ve ended up elsewhere, I pretty much stayed in the same place! It’s kind of strange,” she agreed before realising that Michaela was zoned out, staring at a picture of her and Blake. Zoe reached out and gently touched her friend’s arm, bringing her back into reality. “You’ll be fine. You can start fresh and be happy, you just need to give him a chance.” Michaela nodded, agreeing that she would try to fit in to her new world.
“You look comfy there; you’re welcome to stay the night,” Blake offered as he walked out of his bedroom and headed towards the kitchen counter to collect his wallet and keys. Michaela looked him over, agreeing that the grey shirt over his tidy blue jeans looked nice on him, as well as how he had tamed his hair a little, but that was it. She didn’t feel butterflies or any swooning emotions like she should as his girlfriend.
“Thanks, but I think I might head home and visit Zoe on the way,” Michaela replied, already feeling awful about how she had visited him after work. It was a strange sense of obligation, and she had to vent to Zoe about it again. Blake pressed his keys and wallet into his pocket before leaning on the back of the couch.
“Well if you do see her, can you talk to her about whatever’s on your mind? I don’t like seeing you upset,” he said before giving her a peck.
“I will,” Michaela promised with a weak smile.
“Good. Because I want you to be happy again,” Blake admitted as he stood. “Like that day at the races, remember that? You couldn’t stop smiling, we had so much fun.” Michaela paused as she tried her best to recall attending a horse-racing event with Blake but her mind was blank. She couldn’t, for the life of her, retrieve that memory. Which was fair enough, since she hadn’t technically experienced it, but Zoe had insisted that she was supposed to be able to remember both timelines.
“Yeah, it was a really good day,” she agreed, hoping she was correct. “I’ll do my best, okay?” Blake nodded and bid her goodnight before leaving. Michaela gave him enough time to drive away before she flicked the TV off and left, heading for Zoe’s house. When she arrived she was pleased to hear that Jayden was working late at the office so she could talk freely to Zoe.
“I know it’s difficult, and even I have been making mistakes, but we have to try to fit in,” Zoe explained as she walked over to one of the shelves in her living room.
“But I don’t have enough memories with Blake! I feel so awkward trying to be his girlfriend,” Michaela groaned while rubbing her aching temples.
“I asked Jayden about your relationship, the best I could without sounding like I knew nothing, and he said that you were always open to his boisterous personality, that you’ve always thought his jokes were funny,” Zoe explained and Michaela scrunched her face up at the thought. “I know, I couldn’t really believe it either. It must be a flow on effect from when I stopped your father yelling at you. Maybe you became more easygoing and then you were able to get along better with Blake?” Michaela sighed as Zoe lifted a photo album off the shelf.
“You should have left him shouting at me. This is too much, I’m really struggling.”
“But look at this,” Zoe said, diverting her friend’s attention with the photo album. Inside was a collection of photos from her wedding day. “I didn’t get to live it, technically, but look at how perfect everything is! Even some of the other lawyers at Jayden’s firm can’t stop talking to him about it!” Michaela smiled at the photos, pleased to see that things had worked out in the end. Zoe’s father had walked her down the aisle, her dress was flattering, and there were even a few shots of Blake and Michaela enjoying each other’s presence.
“Well, at least you and Jayden still ended up together. I guess you’re meant to be,” Michaela remarked and Zoe beamed widely.
“I know. Even though we changed things so far back, and you’ve ended up elsewhere, I pretty much stayed in the same place! It’s kind of strange,” she agreed before realising that Michaela was zoned out, staring at a picture of her and Blake. Zoe reached out and gently touched her friend’s arm, bringing her back into reality. “You’ll be fine. You can start fresh and be happy, you just need to give him a chance.” Michaela nodded, agreeing that she would try to fit in to her new world.