Parallels | Dylan O'Brien

23 - O'Brosey

New York
-Dylan O'Brien-

I wished Lydia had stayed the night and I wished I had woken up to her instead of an empty and cold bed. But I guess I can't always get what I wanted. Instead of waking up to the girl I've fallen for, I wake up to dozens of texts from Tyler, asking me when we get to hang out and if I'm free today. I think about it for a second. Do I want to hang out with him or with Lydia? I'm really deliberating on going with the latter, but I can't drop my best friend for a girlfriend. That's bro-code. I can't do that.

To T. Pose – Today, 10:44am
Yes, am free today. What do u wanna do? :)

I drop my phone next to me on my bed and throw the duvet off of me. Time to get started on the day. I get dressed and go through my hair with my fingers. That'll do for today. I don't think I'll be seeing much of Lydia since Posey doesn't want to be in one room with her anymore. Honestly, I don't really get why he's so upset with her. She has done nothing wrong. At all. In fact, I believe the only one doing anything wrong is him. He's being an annoying little asshole.
I make my way downstairs where I find my sister on the couch with a tabloid in her hands. What's she still doing here?
"Don't you have to go to work?" I ask, tilting my head a little to the right. Julia works at the cinema downtown. She doesn't earn much, but it's enough to take trips and go out or buy clothes.
"No, Holly took my shift," she explains and goes back to whatever gossips she was reading about.
"Wait, Holly as in Holland Roden?" I question, remembering seeing a certain strawberry blonde girl that looked a lot like my strawberry blonde girl.
"Yes," she replies sassily as if it's so obvious that I would know she's talking about that exact Holly.
"Doesn't she work for the Moons?" I dare to ask, even though I know I'll get a snarky reaction.
"Yeah, she does," Julia answers with a deep sigh. She clearly wants to be left alone, so I make my way to the kitchen. And when I do so, I glance to the tabloid Julia is reading. Just once more. I don't know why. A giant title catches my eye: SMOOCHES AND TOUCHES AT THE CLUB. DYLAN'S MYSTERY GIRLFRIEND. With my head tilted a little, I grab the booklet from my sister's hands, getting angry curses in return. A big, blurry picture decorates the front cover, hearts all over it and the title just on top. In the corner of the picture reads a smaller text: DYLAN O'BRIEN SEEN KISSING A MYSTERY GIRL. NEW GF OR JUST A ONE NIGHT STAND?!
"Where did you get this?" I ask her angrily and curiously at the same time. This isn't me on the front cover. Neither is it Lydia. It is our Lydia though. The Lydia who got abducted from here and placed into the universe my Lydia comes from.
"It was stuck between the paper that got delivered this morning?" it comes out in a question, rather than a statement. I throw her the tabloid back and search around for the paper. It lays in the center of the dining table, so I go over and read it. In the far-right corner, I see 'Los Angeles' where 'New York' should've been. What kind of sorcery is this? I try to break my head thinking how this could be possible. How a paper and a tabloid from a whole other universe ends up here.
"Doesn't it freak you out?" I ask aloud, forgetting Julia has no clue about what has been going on.
"Does what freak me out?" her voice is a lot calmer and less annoyed than before. It's like she's actually interested about what I'm talking about.
"Right, I-... I need to tell you something, Jules. It's going to sound mental, but you have to hear me out." I sit down next to her on the couch as she stares at me intently. She nods softly, urging me to continue. I inhale deeply, getting all of the strength and courage I need to tell her this.
"See this?" I ask her, holding up the tabloid with my name all over it. Julia squints and nods. "This isn't me, but it is the Lydia you know. Your best friend since primary school." Julia takes the magazine from me and shakes her head.
"No, Dyl. That's Dylan Minette, that dude from Teen Wolf," she argues with me. I raise my eyebrows and point to the corner where it says my full name. Her eyes widen.
"This is me from another universe. A universe where Tyler and I did get the roles of Stiles and Scott in Teen Wolf. Where I did become an actor. And the Lydia you saw yesterday, she's from that same universe. A couple weeks ago, during Lydia's birthday party, they somehow got switched and now our Lydia, the one we've known for so long, is stuck in that universe." Julia looks a little skeptical at me. Her eyebrows are furrowed in confusion and I wished I hadn't said anything.
"What? Dylan, that's ridiculous," she whispers it a little, as if she's actually considering the story as truth. She isn't sure yet, but she's getting there. I can see it in her eyes.
"You can ask Posey or Lydia herself later on. I'm going to ask them if they know how this could be possible," I explain, pointing at the magazine. Julia licks her lips and takes a deep breath.
"This is crazy, Dyl. But you're my brother, and I believe you." I meet her eyes again and smile a little.
"I know it's crazy. I thought so too when Lydia rambled on about being switched from universe, but I looked it up and it could actually be possible," my sister nods again, listening intently to every word I say. I'm glad she believes me. I wouldn't want my sister to think I'm absolutely mental.
"Do we ever get them switched back?" she then asks. I nod my head.
"Yeah, we have to cast this Latin spell over her during a full moon and that's supposed to work to get our Lydia back," I pause for a second after my explanation. I'm not entirely sure if I want them to be switched back. "Do you want them to switch back?" I wonder out loud.
"I-... don't know, actually. I kind of like this Lydia. She seems a lot more fun and caring than our Lydia," she honestly tells me. I don't think I want them to switch either. I've grown to love this Lydia so much. Like, I actually totally love her, and I am absolutely, totally and completely head over heels in love with her. "Do you want them to switch back?" Julia's voice makes me snap out of my thoughts. I have to think about what she just asked, but then I straight up answer.
"No," my elbow rests on my knee and I bite on my thumbnail out of nervousness. "But I'm scared Lydia might want to go back to where she came from. I think she actually likes it there." I glance across the room, not daring to show Julia how I'm truly feeling, how sad I actually am about it.
"Maybe you should ask her," Julia concludes, and I think she might be right.