It's time

Three

(Past - 2 years ago)

Age: 16

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It's another beautiful day, and I'm walking through the local park, absorbed in another book. Despite the near perfect weather, there's barely anyone here. Just a few parents with buggies and a guy standing a short distance ahead of me, admiring the view.

But that's the way I like it. No screaming kids, banging out-of-date music, or stupid teenagers in gangs. Just me and an extremely cute guy with his arms around me, holding me close to him.

Wait, WHAT???

Confused, I look up and am met with laughing eyes, a mischievous smile and a mop of unruly hair scattered by the wind. Hmmm... I'm getting a strange case of dejavu, for some reason. He seems uncannily familiar.

Reality crashes over me like a wave.

I'm standing in the middle of a public park, in view of countless others, in the arms of a complete, absolute, utter STRANGER.

Oh sugar.

Appalled, I push myself away from him. Or at least I try to, but I find that I can't move.

What the hell? Is he going to kidnap me?

I look up at him, and he tilts his head to one side, an uncertain smile hovering on his face.

Is he going to kiss me?

 Maybe I should slap him, throw a tantrum, or knee him where...

"Sorry, this is a really weird question, but do I know you?"

I look at him in surprise. He felt it too?

Suddenly, his eyes light up and his face breaks into a huge,boyish grin.

Hmmm... that seems familiar too. What the hell is going on with me today?

"I know, you're that girl that wanted to go on the swings, but there were a group of older boys there and then they left so you finally got one but then realised that you didn't know how to push yourself.

I glare at him, at that stupid grin of his. Maybe I should slap him.

He sees the look on my face, eyes narrowed, mouth upturned in a fierce scowl, and realises his mistake.

"That didn't come out right"

"No, it didn't" 

He laughs nervously, "if looks could kill..."

I stare at him, unamused.

Coughing, he runs a hand through his already messy hair, whipping it up a bit more.

Hmmm...

Maybe I do know him, but from where?

I think back, family weddings, annoying relatives, parents friends?

Nope, nada, nothing.

Wait, what was it that he said again?

Swings?

Yeah, he did mention those, about me wanting to go on them, a group of boys, didn't know how to...

Me not knowing how to swing? That would have been years ago, when I was...

My eyes widen with surprise as I remember that day, on my sixth birthday, when my overprotective parents finally decided that I was old enough for the 'big boy swings' as they called them. 

I know, pathetic right? Well that's my family for you.

but how would he know about that, unless...

 A slight gasp escapes from my lips, and I blink twice before realising that he's watching me watching him.

Have I been staring at him the whole time? 

Oops.

He's looking at me curiously, like I just sprouted wings or something.

I look pointedly back at him, raising an eyebrow as is to say, which I basically am, what the hell are you looking at me like that for?

He takes the hint, and looks away, staring intently at the sky instead.

"Sooo..."

I frown again. What now?

"You remember?"

I look at him in surprise. That was, well... unexpected I guess.

"Ummm... you know, you were looking at me, then you seemed to recollect something and I just figured that maybe you..."

I chuckle, amused. "Yeah I remember"

He smiles back at me, relived at my sudden change of mood.

"So...", he breaks off, both of us studying the other, and suddenly I'm very aware of the closeness of our two bodies, practically pressed against one another, of my heart speeding like a runaway train with a drunkard driver, of my untidy hair scattered by the wind, repeatedly stroking the side of his cheek.

He seems to realise it too, yet he does nothing. We just stand there, together.

I will my feet to move, to take a step back, but they fail to listen to me. Maybe he's having the same problem.

His eyes look at me intently, the gentle blue swallowing me up into a sea of compassion and wonder, his face mirroring that which is reflected on mine.

His hand moves up to my face, his breathing slow and deep. Controlled.