Timeless (Enoch O Connor x OC)

6: September Sunshine

The talent show was over and the chairs and stage were put away promptly.

Emma walked with me around the garden as we talked about anything and everything. Favorite colors, animals, and so on. Eventually, she asked me how old I was.

"Eighty-six," I said, "this is my fourth loop."

"Wow," she exclaimed, "you're younger than me yet you've been around the whole world. I wish I could do that," she said with a dreamy expression.

"I'm sure you will be able to one day," I replied reassuringly.

"Not while I'm trapped in a loop with the threat of Hollowgasts and aging forward," she said sadly with a sigh. I shuddered at the mention of Hollowgasts, I'd come across one once on my way from Russia to Derbyshire. Luckily the ymbryne that had been traveling with me had distracted it for long enough for me to run away but I never did forget the rancid smell and its deep snarl.

We walked in silence for a few minutes after that. Around me in the garden were Millard, Bronwyn, Hugh, and Victor playing football while Horace and Fiona watched. Claire and Olive sat at a small table and were playing tea party. I looked around for Enoch and caught a shadow sitting by a tree. He sat there by himself fiddling with his Homunuculi. I thought of going over and sitting with him but before I could Claire came up to us.

"June, Emma will you join our tea party?" she asked, "we have real tea and everything."

She was much too sweet to be denied anything she asked for so we agreed and followed to the table.

Fiona and Bronwyn had come over as well as Claire poured everyone's tea into small teacups. Once everyone was settled down Emma spoke up.

"Now that it's just us girls," she said, "when are you going to admit you like Hugh?" she demanded of Fiona.

Fiona turned bright red and simply giggled. Rather than answer Emma she just made an indignant face and pointed at Emma.

"Me?" gasped Emma theatrically, "I don't like anyone, I'm above all of them."

I raised my eyebrows at her mockingly. At this she turned at me.

"Well, what about you June?" she asked accusingly, "don't think I haven't noticed you gazingly longingly at Enoch."

"What?!" I shrieked while blushing, "I have done no such thing besides I've only been here for about 24 hours."

"Mhmm," Emma murmured disbelievingly but before she could keep interrogating me Olive spoke up.

"I'd rather not talk about boys as they are very bothersome," she said, "can we just enjoy our tea?"

I wholeheartedly agreed as Bronwyn began telling a funny story about the time Millard fell out of a tree but no one could tell if he had broken any bones as he was invisible.

A little while later Victor came up to our table with Millard behind him. Millard muttered something into Victor's ear and then pushed him towards us.

"Um uh hi," said Victor nervously, "we were wondering if you would like to play football with us?"

Emma looked over at me eyebrows raised, I gave her a nod and she jumped up.

"Of course we would," she said as she pulled me out of my chair and we ran over to where they were playing.

The goals were made of two small trees weaved together to create nets which I could tell Fiona had made. The teams were made and it was me, Millard, and Bronwyn against Emma, Victor, and Hugh.

Horace acted as the referee as he set the ball down in the middle and we began playing. I was definitely not good at football however I did have my peculiar ability so I decided to use it to my advantage. Hugh dribbled the ball towards our goal passing it back and forth with Victor while Emma guarded their goal. Millard ran forward and took the ball from them while I follow in pursuit. He reached their goal and was about to score when Victor swooped in and took the ball back heading directly for our goal guarded by Hugh. He kicked the ball and just as it was about to go into the net, I clapped.