Time to Fall

Chapter Two: Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again

TW: Cheating, Vivid accounts/ inner monologue about toxic relationships/ past romantic trauma, mention of physical and emotional abuse (but not depiction). Please be advised and careful, and if you have had experience in a toxic relationship please remember that you are loved and supported. You know yourself best. Proceed with caution.

The first thing Connie noticed was a splitting headache. Had she gotten drunk or something? Because this felt like the worst hangover in the history of hangovers. God, she didn't even remember drinking. She must've had something strong. Maybe a Zombie? She usually made a conscious decision to drink those though. She'd remember that, right? Where even was she?

Then it hit her. She'd been at Tim's birthday party, right? Oh god, had she gotten drunk at Pizza Pete's? That would be terrible. Tom would disown her! Poor Tim would be scarred for life. But then she felt something wrapped around her. She furrowed her brows. Her and Kit cuddled, but this was different... Kit's arms weren't nearly that big. She looked over her shoulder. That was...

"Tom?" Connie muttered, still out of it.

It was at that moment that she felt that she was holding something. She blinked, looking down at it. The hourglass! Right! The one under Jane's seat. It all started to flood back into her memory. The radio, the voice... then she'd blacked out. She hadn't partied too hard at all. Some weird shit had happened, but this time at least it wasn't her fault. She felt Tom stirring beside her too.

"Jane?" Tom mumbled.

"No... Connie." Connie blinked, confused.

Okay, where was she? Was she... she was outside. They were on the ground outside. She looked around. Great. There was Tom's house. She was on the ground outside Tom's house. Why did this all seem vaguely familiar? And why did the garden look so good? Tom had given up on it after Jane...

"Wha- Connie?" Tom stiffened. "What happened..."

"Last I remember, we... you said you wanted to go to my art show, and we heard this creepy voice asking us if we really wanted to..." Connie rambled, too tired to English properly.

"There you are!" A lilting female voice called out. Both of them could hear footsteps. They looked up, and... no...

"Jane?" Tom blinked.

"What are you doing outside, Tom?" Jane tutted teasingly. She then looked over to Connie. "Hey, Connie Bear!"

"Hey Jane..." Connie mumbled, stiffening at the use of the name. Jane was the only person to call her that, because she'd seen a production of Spelling Bee and it had reminded her of Connie. She hadn't heard it since... crash. bang.

"Did you two go out for drinks last night?" Jane chuckled, offering Connie a hand and helping her up. Connie looked her in the eyes. How could this be real? But she took the hand, keeping the hourglass in her other hand.

"Uh... yeah..." Tom lied, too stunned to make up his own excuse. They would never in a million years go for drinks together, but... if Jane thought it was plausible, it'd do.

"Go clean yourselves up. You both look like you had long nights." Jane sighed. "I can't have Tim seeing you like this. I can only take so many questions from a four year old without losing my cool. Besides, Connie, you've got to look nice for the showcase!"

"The showcase?" Tom's breath hitched in realization, taking her hand and getting on his feet, brushing himself off. Somehow, they had really gone back in time to Connie's art showcase. He was being given a second chance to go.

"Yeah. I... guess you don't have to look nice, since you're not coming." Jane sighed, looking at him disappointedly. "I don't see how you can be so unsupportive of your sister and then just take her out for drinks like that will patch everything up. Sorry for doing this in front of you, Connie, but Tom, sometimes I swear-"