The Choice

Today was a normal day, until suddenly it wasn't. I had felt off all day, but I had just attributed it to a bad night's sleep. Though, honestly, I can't really remember if I'd slept badly or not. I spent almost the entire morning feeling like there was something I was forgetting, and everything just kind of felt wrong. So maybe it wasn't so normal.

I turned eighteen today. I don't know why that feels significant, but it just does. However, I don't think that is why I feel different today. But something has changed. I saw that bus accident reverse itself. One second the bus was coming right at me as I ran a red light, t-boning my car. And the next, the bus and all the cars behind it were going backward, and my car was flown back behind the white line, staring up at the red light that I know I ran, watching as the bus safely crossed the intersection. Nobody else seemed to see it though! No one else got out of their car like I did, eyes wide and looking all around like a crazy person. Everything seemed fine, normal, like nothing out of the ordinary just happened.

I have two theories.

The first is that no one else was aware of time reversing and that I was the only one who could remember what really happened.

The second is that I've literally lost my mind.

Honestly, I don't even know which would be better.

Even now, an hour later, sitting in a coffee shop with my best friend, I still don't know what to believe.

"Ariadne," Delia says my full name, which she doesn't do often, but it still seems too unfamiliar, "You look a little..." she seems to struggle to find the right word to describe me, "Crazy. What's wrong?"

I bite my lip; should I tell her? What if she doesn't believe me? What if she thinks I'm insane? Just about every memory I have has Delia in it someway. She's been my best friend for as long as I can remember. There's no one I can trust more in this world. I take a deep breath, and tell her about the bus that should have killed me, but somehow didn't.

When Delia is concerned, this small crease appears between her eyebrows. It's a sight I know well, but today it looks, for lack of better word, strange. I don't know what is going on with me.

"That doesn't make any sense," she says, slowly, and I can almost see her brain trying to understand, "That isn't possible."

"I know it's not," I sigh, "But it happened, Delia, I swear it did! But no one else seemed to notice!"

"Maybe," she frowns, "I don't know, maybe you did it."

"What are you talking about? How could I reverse time?"

"Super powers?" her tone sounds like she's joking, but she still has the crease in her brow.

I laugh sarcastically, "Yeah, I turn eighteen and then BAM! Super powers! Come on Delia, you watch too many movies."

She folds her arms over her chest defensively, "Hey, you're the one seeing crazy things. I don't hear you coming up with any theories."

I frown; she's right, I am seeing crazy things, "Let's just forget it. It's been a weird morning and I just want to relax and not think about it."

"Perfect!" Delia's manner instantly changes, and she's back to my happy-go-lucky best friend, "Because I have some fun stuff planned for you, birthday girl!"

I smile and let Delia pull me out from my own head.

-------

It turns out that a few hours with Delia was all I needed to get me out of my funk. We walk back to her car, arm in arm, wearing matching grins, as the sun sets behind us. I feel more like myself again, the strangeness of this morning all but forgotten.