Jovial Memories

Chapter 7

            Mandy's vision came into view, and instead of finding herself in her home in the Year Dimension, she found herself sitting on the grassy hill towards the left of her house with Dustin by her side. He looked at her, his eyes reflecting in the moonlight.

            Mandy felt herself warm up immediately.

            "Hi," she squeaked quietly.

            "Just in time for our date," Dustin replied. They were sitting on a plaid picnic blanket on top of a large grassy hill. It was summer time, or so Mandy guessed, considering it was warmer out, and her jacket was able to keep her warm.

            Mandy laughed to herself. Even a jacket was needed in the summer...

            Between them, Dustin had placed a candle, and the flame danced gracefully in the air. An aroma of vanilla came from it, making Mandy remember her days with Dustin. She remembered his hair, how he smelled of maple, his long-sleeve plaid shirts, his dark gray hoody. Why couldn't he still be here now?

            They sat silently, the only sound coming from crickets and the quiet of the neighborhood. The large evergreen trees loomed in the distance, but Mandy was not frightened by them. She had grown up by the woods. There was nothing to fear.

            "Hey, look. Fireflies," Dustin pointed out.

            Mandy's eyes focused on the tiny sparks of light soaring through the air. Despite catching fireflies with friends, she had faint memories of catching them with Xander in her backyard, laughing as her father and mother took pictures of them both. Mandy guessed she was in preschool around that time. She hadn't even met Jessie yet.

            "They're beautiful," Mandy admitted, entranced by the spectacle of light.

            Dustin nodded, interlacing his fingers with hers. His hands were warm, and immediately, she felt herself warming up to him too. She scooted closer to him and leaned her head against his shoulder. He smelled the exact same way he had years before.

            Oh, why did you move? Mandy wondered desperately. She kept telling herself this wasn't her Dustin, but it was. He acted exactly the same, he looked the same, and he loved her all the same. It was beginning to get hard to tell what was reality and what wasn't. It also was getting harder to return after experiencing these moments.

            Dustin's lips gently pressed against the top of her head, and Mandy returned the favor by kissing him full on the lips. They interlocked almost automatically, and she remembered how well they had locked before. It came so naturally, so easy.

            As they pulled away, Mandy grinned, watching more fireflies go by. The candle still flickered, providing them with a tiny amount of light.

            Though they barely spoke, Mandy enjoyed the quiet of the situation. Every time she thought of going back three years before and seeing her old friends and family, she never really thought of planned activities or conversations. She thought mostly of just sitting there with them, acknowledging that they were there. No words were needed.

            Mandy tensed, thinking of returning back home. She didn't want to be with her dad for the weekend and return to school on Monday. She just wanted to stay here with Dustin forever in this Year Paradise.

            But she knew she'd surely be scolded by Agent Byrant, and besides, she barely knew how all this worked. If she were ever to make the decision to stay permanently, it'd be far from now.