my future roommate

Chapter 5: I'll kiss you till you drop

I have never met you before in the past Tine and I am pretty sure you have never met me before either. So, what connects so deeply that we can see each other even through different space and time?

Tine's POV

Sarawat left just a few minutes later and I just sat there in my now very empty apartment. He was gone but I could still see his stuff in the apartment, stuff that I couldn't touch, which included the piece of paper where Sarawat had left the news headlines for the next 3 days. The reality of what had happened was now sinking in.

I had just met a guy from the future.

But just like Sarawat, I had the same question — Why were we able to see each other. So many people came and left this apartment in the last few months because they thought there was a ghost here and yet Sarawat says I am the only one he could see in the apartment. So why me?

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The next morning, the first thing I did was check the newspaper headlines on my way to college and just as I had guessed, It all checked out — word for word.

Sarawat seemed genuine. I saw him Google the old news articles on his phone and write them down. His phone looked more advanced than mine. His screen was sharper than mine. His internet slowed faster than mine. Even the Google homepage and logo seemed different from what I had seen. There weren't flying cars in the future but there were a lot of smaller differences. I was so adamant about the fact that Sarawat was a ghost, that I didn't look at all these differences before.

Exasperated, I sat down in the classroom, and Fong plopped down next to me.

"You okay, Tine? You look like you have seen a ghost." He laughed. "And yes, I absolutely mean that joke.

"Trust me there is no ghost around me at all."

"Then why the hell have you not invited any of us to your very swanky apartment? I feel like you are hiding something."

"I am not. I am just very tired between classes and part-time jobs."

"Didn't you sell your Rolex last month? I thought that would help you get through for atleast half of the year. You haven't gone back to your usual shopping habits have you?"

"How would I even go shop for myself when I am barely making ends meet? I put all the Rolex money into the year long lease for the apartment. I hardly have much money left but hey.. at least I will have a roof over my head for a year."

"Tine, just let me help you, please. Everyone wants to help you but they are too scared to bring it up because they think you might take it the wrong way"

"I am okay Fong. I am surviving just okay. If I really get into a ditch. I will let everyone know"

"Promise?"

"Yes of course"

I was actually already in a ditch, but may be I was too proud to take anyone's help. I had left the house on my own accord. It was all my decision to leave everything behind and I didn't want to drag anyone else with me. I had a roof over my head, my college tuition was already all paid for dad when I started college and I was able to pay for two meals everyday — okay sometimes may be just one, but I was doing considerably okay. If only the part-time jobs paid better.... That's when I remember one of the news headlines Sarawat had written on that paper.

If Sarawat was really from the future and he had access to information that I didn't, may be I could trust him on that a little bit and use it to my advantage?