The Butterfly Effect

Complicated

It was Friday afternoon Arionna, Brianna and I were sitting at the fountain and eating lunch. My Aunt surprised us by having a delicious sushi spread delivered. 

"So we're thinking of running for Prom court." Arionna squealed

"It's so convenient that he turned your girlfriend ask into a prom-posal." I said smugly, still upset he wouldn't let me help.

"Well Prom is literally right around the corner from your birthday Sriyah, which is in less than three weeks I might add." Arionna had became grossly annoying since her and Anthony became official. 

I couldn't figure out if I was really annoyed at her or annoyed at myself. I had been dying to confront Damien about what I overheard in the closet during my eavesdropping session but things didn't go as planned. Monday morning I saw him hanging out with Grace Clifton again, which probably wouldn't have bothered me if she wasn't so pretty. Damien had been hanging around her all week, and whether or not I wanted to admit it to myself I was kind of jealous. And not looking forward to having to sit next to Damien in class after lunch.

"So are Damien and Grace a thing now?" Brianna asked as the two walked across the quad laughing and talking.

"No, of course not." I answered quickly "They've just been working over time, Grace is on yearbook too." Damien loved taking pictures. That was his thing. He was really into art. One time when we were little he used to draw pictures for me, but when the camera was invented he took this amazing photograph of me playing in a garden. It was a beautiful day, the sun was- "What the-!?" I stood up faster than my hands had time to process what I was doing and I dropped my plate. How did I remember something like that? 

"Siryah what's wrong?" Arionna and Brianna stared up at me.

"Um...N-nothing I think I'm going to head to class early. I'll catch you both after school okay." I left before they had a chance to say anything. I wasn't sure when I would tell Arionna about my crazy flashbacks, but I definitely knew that I wasn't going to tell Brianna. 

All week I had been having crazy flashbacks like the one I just had and they were really starting to freak me out. When I met Derrick at Van Cleef & Arpels, I felt this strong sense of deja vu, but these flashbacks felt like these events happened yesterday. The camera was first invented in the late 1800s, how would I know anything about the first camera. But that flashback it felt so real. It was like watching old home videos of my self. 

A couple of months ago they were only happening in my dreams but now they were happening throughout the day. I hadn't told Arionna yet, and I wasn't sure if I was going to. If she told me something like this was happening to her I would've thought she was going crazy. Just yesterday while I was cooking breakfast I saw a memory of me cooking for Sirissac, Damien and Anthony in this tiny little cottage. It was so unusual and unrealistic, but I would've believed it if Sirissac wasn't about three in the flashback. We were only three years apart, so that would've made me six. The kitchen was from the early 1800s, I could tell by the tools I was using. In the midst of me making breakfast Anthony and Damien came in carrying firewood, they were about the same age as me. Me cooking breakfast for those three at the age of six in the early 1800s, made absolutely no sense. But now that I think about it, the flashbacks have been happening more and more ever since I transported last weekend. 

They couldn't be connected that's too crazy. I wondered if any of the guys were having the same weird visions as me. 

"You're here early."

"Speak and he shall appear." I mumbled under my breath Damien had just walked into the classroom. "Hey, how's everything going?"

"What do you want?" He asked suspiciously, he had been looking at me differently a lot lately. 

"I just wanted to know, how you've been?" I was a little hurt. I wasn't sure if he knew he was hurting my feelings or not, either way I wasn't used to him giving me the cold shoulder. "I know you've got the big game coming up...If you want I could help you practice?"

"You're joking right? How exactly would you help me?"He scoffed

"I could be the ball girl, you know? I could catch all of your rebounds." I said hopefully, maybe some alone time would help me figure out what's going on in my head. 

"What's going on with your head?" he asked softly.

"What?" I asked taken by surprise.

"Sriyah you never pitch crazy ideas, unless something is going on with you so what is it?" He pressed. He seemed like he was getting a little pissed off, but I've never seen Damien really upset with me before.

"How's Grace?" I asked. It slipped out of my mouth before I had time to even process what I was saying. 

"Grace?" He asked confused.

"I just meant with the yearbook, you know taking photos and all. And with the end of the year approaching I just know everything -"

"Sriyah." He cut me off

"Huh?" I asked pretending to be clueless. I was suspicious of Damien and this theory I had ever since the flashbacks started and that day I invited him to my birthday party. 

"Why are you beating around the bush? What's got you so worked up that you won't even say it to me, someone you've known for so long-" It sounded like he was getting extremely irritated with me.

'After all these years, I want to be with you dammit, so when are you going to ask me out.'

"You want to be with me?" Damien's voice softened. 

I gasped. I was right.

The bell for class rang and students started to enter one by one.

"I knew it." I whispered. 

"Knew what?" He said still not realizing what he just did.

"How long?" I was a little upset, I started to rethink my entire friendship with him.

"How long what? What are you talking about?" He whispered as the classroom began to fill up. 

"I didn't say that statement aloud Damien."

"Shit Sri-"

"How long have you been able to read my mind Damien?" I whispered with a little more anger than I probably should have. He didn't say anything until the warning bell rang. I expected denial or some big apology for invading my privacy or for lying to me all this time but...

"I'm sorry." Was all he mustered to say.