Back In Time

Chapter 16

So, that's what they did. Since Jared obviously couldn't stay in a spiritual form for long, it was really the best option. It would be unique to the timeline as well, since they were the only self-aware one, like Evan mentioned earlier.

The first thing they did was make a list of rules, boundaries they would not cross throughout the biggest lie either of the boys ever made in their lifetimes:

1. You're allowed to be mean, since you're acting as Jay who was Connor, but you cannot let it get to your head. You have to remember yourself throughout all the lies. You are Jared Kleinman, not Connor-Murphy-duplicate.

2. Remember that Jay and Evan apparently wrote emails and were best friends since last summer. That means that you, Jared, and Evan, were best friends since summer. Don't fuck that up.

3. You're never allowed to admit the truth. If you admit the truth once, that you aren't actually their son, then you're screwed. Even if you get caught not knowing something, you can't blame it on not being Jay. Because... well, you are Jay.

4. Make sure to meet up everyday after school in the computer lab. The first day you meet up, you're going to discuss what your emails are so you can communicate without trouble. Remember, you don't need to come home every night. You're Jay, someone who was so morbid, he faked his own death.

"Hey!" Jay didn't like that little addition to rule four. Can't blame him.

Anyway, those were the main four. There were some more things, but they were so minor, they weren't worth listing. Like:

5. Be an asshole to Alana. (Jay asked for this one.)

6. Try to be as least mean to Heidi as possible. (Evan prompted this.)

Jared was obviously stressed out about this, but at the same time, he knew it was the only option. They'd have to stay here forever if they had to keep on making the dimensions "somewhat different". This would be concrete. 

He was the one to sign up to enter the alternate dimension, anyway. Alana asked him if he wanted to follow after Evan and Connor. The fact that she knew the alternate dimension was colliding, Jared didn't know, but it was either him or Alana, and Jared knew Alana would end up yelling at Evan the entire time, so. 

Jared signed up for this. Maybe it was fatal, I mean, Jay was dead. The answers were finally starting to become... seen. Possible.

And that's because Jared was there. 

A clone.

"Are we sure about this?" Evan asked, looking over at Jay, Jared, and Connor. "We don't... we don't have to do this."

"It's the only answer, Evan," Jared said. "We have to."

"It's not the only answer-"

"I'm fine," Jared replied. "We have to do this."

"I have an idea," Jay said. "I'll follow Jared around. Tell him how to act like me, all of that. Connor, you follow Evan. That way they'll both have support systems."

"I have to go with you?" Jared asked as he looked over at Jared. "You're too much like Connor."

Jay scoffed, "Sorry, but there's no spirit of your boyfriend, so you have to settle with yourself."

Evan and Jared's faces both lit up when Jay said that, but neither noticed the other. Jared shook it off pretty quickly, but since Evan was stressing out about his blush, it really only got worse.

"We aren't together!" Evan yelled.

"Yeah, we're-!"

"Whatever." Jay just laughed.