Parallels | Dylan O'Brien

38 - Not Again

Los Angeles
-Dylan O'Brien-

"I can't believe you have to leave again," Lydia softly whispers to me as we're cuddled up on the couch. I had just gotten back from shooting on location, and I already have to go back. There are a couple of scenes that have to be re-filmed and I really wish they didn't. I can't believe that even twenty-two years later, Lydia is still with me and we've built up our careers, and our families. I'm a forty-eight-year-old actor, still asked for a lot of movies, still booking a lot of movies. But with the most gorgeous, and successful wife and three beautiful children, I feel like I can do everything. Lydia now has her own event-managing business. She's taken over from uncle Richard, seeing the dementia has hit him too hard to work in the business anymore. To work at all. We built our own house, and our own family. Three beautiful children; Zoë Posey, Lili Holland, and Stiles J. O'Brien. Zoë is eighteen now, and she's grown into a gorgeous young lady with aspirations and big dreams. She has my nose and my hair color, but Lydia's green eyes. Lili is three years younger than Zoë, fifteen. With her mother's hair and eyes, she looks nothing like me. Only her character resembles mine: mischievous and caring. Also a little crazy. Our youngest and toughest guy I know, is Stiles Justin, Stiles J. He's twelve years of age and is well on his way to become an actor, like his dad. Although, after seeing how much I'm gone for my job, I think he might've given that dream up.
"What?!" I suddenly hear behind me. Lydia and I both turn our heads to find our three children near the door. They all look sad, except for Zoë, she looks beyond angry. They heard. They must've heard. Lydia and I glance at each other before getting up and walking towards the three. It's past four, they just gotten back from school.
"Hey, kids, how was school today?" I ask them, scratching the back of my neck, hoping it'll change the subject. I wish they didn't hear that. I wish I didn't have to leave again. Sometimes, I even wish I wasn't an actor and I might've ended up like Parallel-Dylan. Would it be a parallel, then?
"Don't change the subject, dad," says Stiles. This boy is so mature for his age. He definitely gets that from his mom. I can't wait for the day he brings a girl or a boy home and actually treats them right instead of playing with their hearts like the boys from our generation used to do.
"Do you have to leave again?" Lili asks, a sad tone in her voice. Seeing them like this actually breaks my heart. Why does my job have to suck so bad?
"Yeah," I whisper, hoping they don't hear me. I don't even dare to look at them, I'm just staring at my sock-clad feet. I wish I could stay home for once. Just for a week. "I'm sorry, guys. I need to reshoot some scenes as they weren't as great as we hoped."
"Dad can't help it, guys. This is his job and you are mature and grown up enough to understand that," Lydia comes between us and I finally dare to look up. But just at her. She smiles at me, and I smile back. At least my wife always has my back.
"Yeah, I understand," says Stiles and he smiles at me too.
"I don't," the eldest makes me look at her. She hasn't said anything since she walked through that door, and I was actually waiting for the bomb to go off. "Can't you just tell them you have family stuff to do?" she yells at me. I understand her reaction, but I wish she'd understand that I have to keep work and private life separate.
"I can't, Zo, you know that," I try to explain, but she just shakes her head.
"I do know that, dad. But it's my first lacrosse game this Friday," tears spring in her eyes, there's the bomb I've been waiting for, "You said you'd be there!" she screams as tears roll down her cheeks. I reach forward to take her into my arms, but she steps backwards.
"I'm going to be there, Zoë. I'll make it back in time, I promise!" I tell her, and I don't mean to yell, but I do. My voice raises like it has never done. Not towards these kids anyways.
"You always promise that, but you never stick to your promise, dad!" she shouts and turns on her heels to storm towards the stairs. "I just wished I lived in a world where you had a normal job!" she shouts and the last thing I hear is a loud bang, but it's not from her door shutting. It can't be her door shutting. That was way too loud to be a door being slammed shut. I glance over to Lydia, whose eyes are wide, she definitely heard it too. The two of us run up the stairs, and I'm pretty sure Lili and Stiles follow behind. We storm into her room where we find Zoë lying on the floor.
"Zoë?" I question. She looks lost and confused. I scan her face and her body. I swore she was just wearing a sundress, and not ripped skinny jeans and a band tee. Lydia glances over at me, and I think she's thinking the exact same thing.
"No, it's Posey, you know I hate the name Zoë, dad. Where the hell am I?" the girl in front of us asks. Oh no. No, no, no, no. This can't be happening. Lydia stumbles back and crashes into my chest. She's thinking the exact same thing. And when she looks up at me, I can see how terrified she is. This isn't good.
"What's happening, mom?" Lili questions as she clutches to my arm, Stiles holds onto Lydia's arm. They can sense something's off. They can tell something's happened.
"Where am I? And why are you staring at me?" the girl shouts as she gets up and pushes past us.
"Not again," I mutter as I turn around to go and find my daughter, or my parallel-daughter. It's going to be the same story all over again, isn't it? At least now we'll know how they're doing. On the other side of the parallel.

A/N: Cast for the kids
Camila Queiroz as Zoë Posey O'Brien
Sadie Sink as Lili Holland O'Brien
Noah Schnapp as Stiles J. O'Brien