A Different Set of Events

Chapter Twenty

Right then I realized Angus had kept quiet this entire time. All of the sudden he threw his fork down on his plate and left the table. Bon put his head in his hands while clenching his napkin.

"Fuck," he muttered. Malcolm glared at me. I knew they'd all be pissed.

"When were you gonna tell us?" Malcolm asked as he got up to follow his brother. Margaret had her head down but put a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"I still don't believe it," Mark said leaning back in his chair. I kept my mouth shut not wanting to cause further damage.

Malcolm followed Angus to his room and shut the door. Angus sat in his chair across from him and leaned back in stress. "I don't know what to say Mal," he said. "I don't know what the fuck to say."

"Then don't say anything."

"I've had the best time with this girl, and not only will she have to leave for America, she'll have to leave for..." Angus stopped to count in his head. "Forty one years from now."

"Beats all Ang."

"In her time, I'm not even within range of her, age or country."

"I know."

"Another girl that had to leave, a fucking- TIME TRAVELER of all things, and she doesn't tell anyone." Malcolm mulled it over. He was upset she didn't say anything but- what could she say? They didn't believe her now, they certainly wouldn't believe her then. Wouldn't even let her in the house.

"Look Angus, I'm just as upset and confused as you. But there's not much she could do. It's not like we would have believed her a month ago and she needed a place to stay. I don't blame her for that. But now I made her promise that she wouldn't leave and... she should have told me then," Malcolm said frustrated. Angus put his head in his hands and sighed.

"Better let her off that promise," he mumbled. "I'm never gonna see her again then. After she leaves I'll have no way of contacting her."

"Well, maybe you could..." Malcolm started.

"What?"

"I don't know. But if what she says is true, if she time traveled here, maybe she can come back sometime."

"She said she just woke up here, even she doesn't understand how it's possible. Chances are, Hannah's never coming back." Angus leaned forward and kept his head in his hands. The frustration in his eyes was replaced with sadness and defeat. He looked at Malcolm who looked back at him with empathy. "I love her, Mal."

Eventually everyone at the table went to their own rooms. I lay in bed cursing myself for being so stupid and for time traveling in the first place. It's possible I could go to sleep tonight and wake up in 2016 and never see them again, or I could be stuck here for twenty more years. Only time would tell.

I heard a knock on my door but I didn't answer before they came in. Malcolm walked up to me. "Can I talk to you a minute?" I nodded and braced myself for getting told off. He sat on the swivel chair and I faced him on the bed. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?" he asked quietly.

Surprised by his calm attitude I stuttered my answer. "I-I p-panicked. When you all asked where I was from I d-didn't want you to think I was mad so I didn't mention the time traveling."

"What about when you promised not to leave? You couldn't say, 'I'm from the freaking future, I can't promise anything?'"

"I didn't want to disappoint you. Or Angus," I mumbled looking down.

"It's a little late for that."

"How is he?"

"Well he let out all he could before sitting there in defeat and-" Malcolm put a hand on mine. "He's really upset. He's afraid he'll never see you again."

"I've been afraid of that from the start!"

"Well can't you come back?" I shrugged.

"I don't even know if I can go home."

"He needs someone to talk to you know. Another girl comin' and goin' in his life-"

"Another girl?" Malcolm's eyes widened.

"I didn't mean it like that," he said. I smirked to myself deciding to have a little fun with this.

"How many girls came and went?"

"Only a few, but you're different."

"Did Angus pay you to say that?"

"Of course not!"

"He doesn't think I'm different?" I smiled.

"Of course he does, the hell are you talking about?" I shook my head.

"Nothing, just messing with you." He smiled a nervous smile and squeezed my hand.

"All I'm saying is that he's tired of girls leaving 'im after spending all that time with them. Mind you most of that time is in the bedroom," he chuckled. "But I've never seen him so eccentric before. He really does like you, please trust me on that."

"How can I know for sure?" The door opened quickly and a figure stood there in the dark.