A Twist Of Time

seventeen

The night's sweet kiss faded with fear's terrorizing hug. I could hear multiple noises made by the countless soldiers patroling around; their leather boots stomping on the damp grass. My hair was flowing freely through the wind, and I was alone; very alone. I managed to slip out of the palace at 3AM without saying goodbye to anyone. Thinking of seeing Margaux and Jane again was something difficult, but hey, I belonged to 2016 and they belonged here. They were dead in the 2010s.

A horse pulling a carriage made its way past me. I sighed. I then thought of where I was going to stay and started having double thoughts whether or not should I really leave. My pride wasn't worth getting shot by the Japanese for.

And I ran. I ran back. I won't going to care if Sergio was going to ask me why I didn't leave. I just wanted to stay in the palace.

I snuck inside the same door Jane once helped me out of when I arrived here. Luckily, it was still open and no one woke up and closed it. Or no ghost bothered to lock it to mess with me. I was walking back to my room silently, my feet touching the floor in light steps. "I'm back," I silently whispered to myself.

"You sure are."

Who else was the guy who always showed up when I didn't need him, want him, or expect him? It was like some sort of cycle wherein he just shows up like an annoying pimple.

"Sergio, now's not the time. Hold your guilt tripping for tomorrow because I am really sleepy and you're not going to help."

Then I realized how rude I sounded. Be calm, I told myself.

"You were actually serious when you said that, I didn't know. I thought you were joking," he retaliated with a bitter laugh.

"What can I say? I'm a woman of my words."

He fell silent then exhaled frustratedly. "I'm sorry."

"For what? Insulting me in the middle of a garden when I was trying to help you?"

"Yes, that, and being an inconsiderate person. I need your help, please."

"Why?"

"Manuel's dead. He died in America. His corpse is to arrive here in a couple of days."

I stayed silent. Manuel was his best friend, losing him must've been hard, and confiding it to someone who he's only known for a month was worse. He really did need my help.

"What kind of help?"

"Just help me get by. Please."

His silent crying could be heard through his words.

"I will. And I won't ask you anything for return," I said. I was willing to help him but I didn't know how.

"Thank you."

He walked towards me and hugged me, his grip tightening. I calmed him down with his tears staining my shirt. "It's alright."

It had to be alright.

I was able to convince him to go to bed right after our untimely encounter, of which I had a hard time doing so. He was still crying, hiding his head under a pillow.

After a few words to calm him down, I was able to go back to my nearly stripped room. I remembered how my hands arranged everything back to their place earlier, and I didn't expect that I would come back. Now I was there with my hands tightly gripped on my pockets.

I was acting so inconsiderate. I didn't do anything with pure empathy because, well, I didn't know how to. I have never lost anyone I loved in my life, I have never been heartbroken wherein I came to the point that I cried for days. No.

So when Margaux and Jane decided it was best to bombard my door with knocks two hours later, I opened it without complaining. The expressions on their faces were a hard mix of anger, anxiety, and sadness.

"You didn't tell us you planned on leaving," Jane hissed. She grabbed Margaux's arm inside and closed the door. "Why did you do that?"

"I couldn't think of anything else to do about our fight. And I'm not from here, how many times do I have to tell you?" I retorted.

"Does that give you the permission to make him suffer twice the luggage he's carrying right now? Valerie, you could have been more careful with your words!"

"I know, I know. It was stupid and my pride was too high. I really am sorry. I didn't want that to happen to him. And I saw how sad he was about Manuel's death. I just want to tell him it'll be alright. I'm at a loss for words. But I'm too shy to."

Jane sighed. "Sergio's inauguration ceremony happens later night. You can come to make it up to him. Why should you be shy? You insulted him on the very first day you made it here."

"Jane, if I made him suffer, then I'm a hundred percent sure he wouldn't want to see my face among the thousands of people celebrating his presidency. I have no right to do that. It's just—wrong."

"Yes, you do," Margaux said, barging in. "He gave us this letter. It says that you are formally invited to the event later."

"You're quite lucky. Margaux and I's invitation was already written in a single typewritten paper, while yours is handwritten and just for you," Jane added.

"Give me that." Margaux handed me the letter, my hands trembling. "I was expecting to see some sort of eviction notice. I was a jerk to him last night."

"I can't judge since I wasn't there myself, but I'm guessing you probably insulted or was cold to him at some point?" Margaux asked with an exasperated sigh.

"Exactly." I looked around nervously. "Fine. I'll come. But if he tells you to make me leave, I wouldn't bother following."

"He won't. I've known him for so long, he would never be mean enough to tell you to get out. And you'll be wearing black later during the ceremony. It's for formality."

"Formality?" I asked skeptically. "Or another one of your little tricks?"

"Formality," Jane answered.