Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
" — out?" The sound of silverware hitting plates clinged to Star's eardrums. Her eyes drifted from Gabriel's ocean blues to her surroundings. "Gabriel, what the fuck?"
"Shhh," he hushed, keeping her hand in his and they ducked into a nearby booth that still needed to be cleared. He turned around to the server leaving a table she'd been waiting, "Excuse me, can we take these? Thanks."
"Wha ... " Star watched as he took the menus from the server and handed one to her, covering the lower half of his face. "Gabriel — "
"Shhh," he hushed again, checking his watch, then staring at a couple seated a few booths ahead of them.
Star followed his gaze and she saw a young man, with a nice clean shave, crooked smile, seated across from a girl. Star couldn't make out her face, but the brown hair almost looked — "Why is my hair brown?"
"Can you keep it down?" He had a monotone, eyeing his watch. "And technically that's not you. It's 2016."
"Why the fuck are we in 2016?" She asked, watching his eyes flit between the time on his watch and 2016 Gabriel paying the bill. "Hello, McFly?"
Setting the menu onto the table, Gabriel turned to her, "This is where we first found out about the Sweven update."
Her brows furrowed, "The fuck is that?"
"It's mad complicated but — " he stopped speaking when 2016 Gabriel plopped across from Gabriel into the booth. "Where'd she go?"
"Out for a smoke, she thought it'd freak her out," 2016 Gabriel answered, motioning towards Star. "He picked pasta night, didn't he?"
"Dude, shut up," Gabriel chimed before the two of them checked their watches. "Seventy-two seconds left."
"Until what?" Star looked between the two versions of Gabriel.
"That's the amount of time —"
"Or allotted time —"
" — that we have until the timeline could shift."
Star blinked, "And why are we here?"
"You and I are about to learn about Sweven," 2016 Gabriel answered.
"It's VR game you get trapped in," Gabriel finished.
Star scoffed, "Okay, I know you're serious because you took us to the future and all, but how the fuck do I get trapped in a frickin' video game?"
"We don't know," they answered together.
"I've tried to stop you — "
"We."
" — we've tried to stop you," Gabriel corrected. "But no matter what we do, you play the game anyway so I thought — "
"We thought."
"You see, you're wrong, stop correcting me. I thought I could use past me — but future to you, me — that showing you you're gone — "
" — could stop you from falling into the game." They glared at one another.
Sweat was building up in Star's armpits, she began to fan herself. "But the timeline — "
" — 'always reverts back'. We know." They looked at their watches.
2016 Gabriel stood up, buttoning up his jacket, "Just remember." He looked at Star, "We're doing this because we love you."
Star parted her lips to speak but 2016 Gabriel walked out of the diner. She watched him meet up with her future self, greeting her with a kiss on the lips as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and they walked down the street in the snowfall. "So um, what year are you from?"
He met her eyes, "2019."
She caught her breath, "I gotta play that game — "
"Star."
"How do you win?" She asked, "What's the objective?"
"I don't know, I've never played it," he admitted.
She was confused, "Well, maybe you should — "
"Are you crazy?"
"Hear me out," she paused, holding her hands out in defense. "You keep trying to get me to not play the game, right? But what if the path is trying to get you to do the one thing you haven't tried?"
"I wouldn't even know where to find it, it's been banned. You're not the only one who's gone missing. Valeria — "
"Valeria what?" Her voice was stern yet unsteady.
Gabriel clenched his jaw, "She went after you."
"And?"
"I haven't been able to get ahold of her but it hasn't been confirmed, you know how she is."
"What if you're what the game needs?"
He paused, "Time manipulation?"
"That'd be useful in any game — anything, if you really think about it." She scooted out of the booth and held out her hand, "C'mon."
He eyed her suspiciously, "Where are we going?"
"You're going to put me back in 2014, exactly where you got me from because I still haven't had dinner yet. And then you're gonna find a game, bring it to 2019 and play it in real time," she optioned, still holding her hand out for him.
He stood up, taking her hand, "If it doesn't work, I'm trying again."
"Whatever, now just do your thing," she closed her eyes and clenched her fist.
He glanced at the customers staring at the two of them, "Uh, we have to be in the dark."
She opened her right eye, "Why?"
"I dunno, it's just how it works," he explained, taking her to the back corner and into a bathroom.
She reached for his hand before he could turn off the light, "Were you gonna tell me?"
He smacked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, "Tell you what?"
She gave him a look, "You know what."
He flicked off the light switch, "You're not ready for part of your life yet."
