The Time Capsule

Chapter 1

2009
Beginning of Spring

    Dallas Myers was contemplating what his future would look like if he decided to go to college on the west coast when he heard a moving truck. All his thoughts vanished when he heard her laughter. He dropped his headphones around his neck from where he sat in front of his computer.
   That sound. He hadn't heard that laugh in what seemed like years. 
    Dallas stumbled to his window, careful not to trip on any school books that were forgotten and discarded all over his wooden floor.
    Across the street, right in front of his house, a large moving truck blocked him from seeing anyone. The front door was open, but Dallas was unable to see anything beyond it. Three men that reminded Dallas of lumberjacks started unloading the truck carefully. Furniture of various colors and patterns were carried inside and he couldn't help but feel a tug of familiarity at such choices of furniture. 
    "Thanks you guys!" A lady in about her mid-thirties came out of the house, hands buried in her shorts' pockets. Her auburn hair was carelessly tied up into a messy bun at the top of her head. Her thick pointy framed glasses were pushed up her nose as she smiled.
    She raised one hand to her forehead, shielding her eyes from the sun and looked directly at Dallas. "Dallas is that you!" He froze.
    No doubt in his mind of whose quirky voice that belonged to. Ms. Lancaster chuckled, clearly noticing that Dallas didn't want to be caught lurking from his own window. He waved back at her, smiling and blushing. 
   "Is your mother home?" She yelled, and just as he was about to answer, the second-floor window flew open. The breeze pushed her long brown hair back and out of her face. "Mom who are you talking to?" 
   She leaned over the window's railing, her eyes roaming Dallas front yard. "Honey, remember Dallas from middle school?" Ms. Lancaster asked as she pointed to him.
   Dallas had forgotten how light her brown eyes were, especially when they captured the sunlight. They were like bottomless pits of honey. She gave him the type of smile that is seeing on toothpaste commercials, making his heart skip a beat.
  "Of course." She said, her words breezed out her mouth, flowing away with the wind.              "Corinne!" Dallas' mother screamed, letting the rest of their block hear that the Lancaster's were back. 
   Both women ran towards each other before colliding into fits of giggles and shrieks. Dallas looked away from the scene of two best friends reuniting and back to the window from across his. She had disappeared and for a brief second, he thought he had hallucinated her. Except he wasn't and she was really here again.

~

   Dallas tried to keep up with his mother's rambling, but his own thoughts were rambling in his head.  She went over to the Lancaster's for a cup of wine which no doubt turned to the entire bottle. 
   Ms. Lancaster and his mom were high school friends, more like inseparable best friends. However once Mr.Lancaster found himself at a new job position in New York, they were forced to separate. 
   "It's just been so long since I had somebody to talk to, somebody to rant about your father." She mused, mixing the salad and the dressing in one hand and yet another cup of wine rested on her other hand. 
   "Why are they back?" He asked, setting down the plates. "Lucas," Mr. Lancaster, "cheated on Corinne." She replied with enough resentment that had him raise his brow.
   "And with his secretary, I mean what a cliche." Dallas's mom shook her head, disbelief and anger laced in her voice.
   He wondered how she was dealing with it and if she was fine. His mom, tilted her head back, chugging whatever was left in her cup before setting it down and cupping the salad bowl with both hands. 
  "I always told her that Lucas was a piece of shit." She said, clearly drunk already or else she wouldn't have cursed in front of him. "Can you believe he fought for the custody of the dog rather than his daughters?  A real bastard if you ask me." She exhaled, shaking her head.
  For Dallas luck, school started in twenty minutes meaning he had an excuse to end the rambling early. 
 "Sorry mom, I don't want to be late for school." He left a light kiss on her forehead before running upstairs to grab his school bag. 
   "You didn't even touch your food!" His mom exclaimed and he quickly promised to eat at school as he rushed out the door.
   His friend's house, was a couple of doors down so they pretty much walked to school together. At the brisk pace he had going on, he was able to reach his place in less than a minute, he came out his front door with a sandwich in his mouth.
   "Senior year is beating my ass," Ethan Cortez said between mouthfuls. "It's barely the beginning of the second semester." He laughed, patting his back.
   They continued walking down the street, the sky turning a cotton pink with each passing minute. They only lived ten minutes away from school, and after a couple of turns and shortcuts, they were cutting through a field that was right in front of the school.
  To Dallas surprised, it was greener than the last couple of days. What once was dead yellow grass was now dark green. He knew it was the first day of Spring but he was still curious at how fast the grassy field changed.

    The dimly lit hallways were buzzing with news as Dallas and Ethan greeted some of their friends and some classmates. They were steps away from passing the office where the bored office ladies were. As soon as someone steps foot inside, their eyes immediately roll to the back of their head with a big sigh. They prefer to keep the lights off, making it seem like they were closed. However, as they neared the office, all you can hear was laughter. The lights were on which gave an illusion of a warm, welcoming place.
     "Oh sweetie it's so good to have you back!" One of them exclaimed, Ethan and Dallas shared a crazed look. When have they ever being excited to see someone?
     But amidst all the buzzing in the hallways and the chats between the office ladies, a name rang through his ears. Right in front of them, standing there in the office where the front ladies were flanking around her, and with her back to them stood Autumn Lancaster.

~
     Autumn Lancaster was back. The school's sweetheart who left out of nowhere their Freshman year. She loved talking to everyone despite their grade level, yet she kept to herself. You wouldn't find her in the stands during a football game, or in the middle of the cafeteria laughing as if everything in life was alright. You wouldn't find her in parties by the keg, or in the middle of the dance floor during a formal.
     No, you can find Autumn in the back of the library with a book or two. Or if you were Dallas, she can be right across from you every day. However, they were days you couldn't find her at all because she was everywhere.
     Her silky brown hair was longer than he remembered, it reached right below her waist. "Did you know she was back?" Ethan asked, elbowing him gently.
   "She barely got back today." He nodded.
   "Are you going to talk to her." He pressed on. Ethan knew how he felt about Autumn, has always encouraged him to talk to her, to make a move but he never did.
   "Here's your schedule darling." One of the front office ladies handed her a light brown piece of paper, a soft thanks escaped her lips.
    Before Dallas's brain could react, golden-brown eyes met his and Ethan's.
   "Hey fishy." She said, her round lips forming a smile as Ethan made to hug her.
   "How come you're back?" Fishy asked a nickname, of course, given to him by Autumn.
   "All the other swim teams sucked." She half lied, her eyes moving to his face, a small smile tugging at the end of her lips.
   "I supposed you're keeping the team in check." She raised her brow at him. Dallas's mind was a blank canvas, his blood begging for someone to start painting on it.
 "Dallas?" Ethan patted him on the back nervously. "Yes." Was his only answer, heart thundering in his ears.
  "Autumn I'm going to the mall after school with Chris and the girls." Her sister said coming into view, her friends flanking behind her.
   She was the opposite of Autumn, her auburn blonde hair was shaded significantly lighter than Autumn's. Her eyes were an icy bright blue, clear enough to be crystals, in contrast to Autumn's honey brown eyes. They both had freckles, however, Autumn's were so faint against her pale skin you could hardly see them, and hers were a light shade of brown.
  Summer's appearance was more to her father's side. There were little similarities between the twins, not just look wise but personality-wise too. Summer was a bit shyer yet that didn't stop her from being well known and liked at school. She was invited everywhere, to parties and football games and she would always be there.
 "Hi Summer." Ethan smiled cheekily. Autumn rolled her eyes while Summer just gave him a small rosy smile. At least he had the courage to talk to her.
 "Actually I was thinking of going to the mall too, I want to look for a job." Autumn started, "Can you give me a ride?" 
  Dallas started to feel out of place like he wasn't part of this conversation. 
 "Sure, meet us in front of the field." She said, in a whisper sort of tone.
  Summer gave him a piercing glance before barely smiling her goodbye at Ethan. They watched her walk away, her small figure hidden by her friends, Chris, her boyfriend, swinging his arm around her neck. A hint of jealousy lingered in Ethan's face as they swaggered away. 

  The bell rang, and before any other words could be exchanged between them Autumn was carried away by some of her old classmates, wanting to know why she left in the first place. Dallas stood by his locker, seeing the way her smile seemed genuine yet sadness lingered in her eyes. 
   But at last, he hoped that this time around things would be different. Autumn Lancaster was back along with all his feelings for her.