In Time

-Thirty One-

10 April 2017, Monday

------

It was recess break. Something was strange about this timeline that I was in; Jon, George and Aus seemed to not be acquainted with one another at all.

Usually George would be the one gathering the three of us before recess break for weekly updates on the latest 'current affairs' in school, but this time she trailed off behind a clique of girls. She smiled and laughed heartily, but something told me that she never really fitted in with the other girls. George had never been the one to talk about shopping or fashion or makeup.

Aus on the other hand seemed to be marginally happier than when I knew him from the previous timelines. He and Mimi were certainly not shy about showing their affection for each other publicly; both of his hands were exploring freely around her waist while Mimi giggled, apparently enjoying his attention. I could see scowling students as they walked past the couple and I might have to share the same sentiments as them. Apparently the classroom corridor didn't rank high on the 'list of appropriate places to show PDA'.

Walking towards the canteen, I spotted Jon sitting alone on at a table on his own, digging into a set of Fish and Chips. That was a rare sight; there would usually be groups of girls giggling close by over Jon's innate awesomeness or at least a couple of them mustering up their courage to ask him for an autograph. I remembered one particular girl asking for a signature on her hand; I didn't want to think about her hand hygiene after that.

I went up to him, remembering that I'd something important to tell him. He looked up from his food, an annoyed expression forming when he realised that I was the intruder.

"You again? What do you want this time? Itching for a fight?" he set his fork straight down into his half-eaten chips.

This was definitely not the Jon that I knew.

Jon was cocky at times but he was never rash or aggressive. At the lowest point of my life in middle school, I let Jon in not because he was annoyingly persistent in trying to befriend me, but because I could sense his genuineness behind his seemingly arrogant front. Jon was a friend that I desperately needed back then.

He pushed me to do things that I wouldn't normally do. We signed up for the annual school marathon together; he ran beside me and pushed me on when I was on the verge of giving up. He encouraged me to join the school orchestra despite my conviction that I sucked at the violin. He dared me to speak to George on the first day of high school despite my great awkwardness with the opposite gender.

I realised that I really missed him, and perhaps, I really needed him. But the old Jon was gone, just like all the other people I'd once known in this timeline.

"I just want a word with you."

He cocked an eyebrow, not convinced of my intentions.

I helped myself to the seat opposite him. "Would you believe me if I told you that we were once friends in a different time?"

Jon scoffed and followed up with an overly-pretentious laugh. "Who are you kidding? Who in the right mind would want associate themselves with you?"

It hurt just a little bit, hearing that straight from my best friend. But we weren't friends anymore, I didn't know him anymore, I tried to convince myself. But this wasn't about our friendship. It was almost like a formal business transaction. I only wanted answers.

"Johnathan, I just have one question for you. Do you love Diana?"

Jon scowled. "What do you mean? Are you challenging me right now? I'm warning you punk, Diana is mine so keep your eyes off her. I'm this close to shoving this fist into your face right now," he cracked his knuckles.