Past Life Lessons (A Lams Fanfiction)

Andrew Starts His Day

It had always been there, a phrase on the inside of his wrist. "Cold in my professions warm in my friendships", a bit lengthy but overall kind hearted. Andrew assumed that it was for an ex lover of his. Maybe a hidden romance in the middle ages or a wife in the 1800s. How wrong he was.

Andrew had yet to remember his past lives, he was nineteen years old, a late bloomer so to speak. He had met many other reincarnates spanning all throughout the long winding road of history. There was a girl named Jess who had been a nun in the 1600s, Tyler a Roman soldier, and a list that stretched as far as the eye can see.

Most people were the reincarnation of someone, souls were more finite than the world is led to believe. The souls float from body to body keeping memories from their old lives. Usually during their early teenage years a child will begin to have flashbacks of their pasts, these memories are not always welcome and some must seek therapy because of the horrid things that happened to them in the past.

Andrew didn't have this though. All he had was a string of words gently placed on his wrist like a tattoo. Every person had a mark, a phrase, maybe even a name on them. It was like the universe giving a little hint, a nudge in the right direction. Andrew never thought much of it. He was too preoccupied with getting to the United States and finding a way to enroll in Columbia. His heart was set on politics for whatever reason. It was as if there was a primal urge inside of him. So Andrew never looked into what his mark was.

If only he did, it was quite easy to find. A phrase in a letter written from one lover to another.

Andrew spent his days studying, going to debate club, writing. He truly did write as though his life depended on it. Maybe it was a way to forget. Forget about the wretched island he was born on, the hurricane that took everything away, and the nightmares that would never let him sleep. Oh the nightmares.

Trees being bent until they were finally forced to snap. Winds howling through blown open windows. Rain flooding streets and filling his home with water, so much so that he was drowning. He was drowning and he couldn't get out. The water was flooding in faster and faster. His hands pushed up against the ceiling. Andrew screamed for help and his lungs filled with salty ocean water.

He awoke with a gasp.

"I'm in New York, its 2020. I fell asleep writing an essay for microeconomics," it was easier to get out of the head space when he repeated simple facts to himself. It made his mind focus on the present, not drifting away to that island in the Caribbean.

Andrew wiped his eyes of any stray tears. Something about the nightmare felt different this time. Maybe the clothes weren't right or the house seemed smaller. Could it have been a lack of light bulbs? Andrew shook his head. It was only a dream, nothing to look too much into.

He picked up his phone and checked the time. It read 4:45 A.M. "No use going back to sleep now." He stood up from his desk chair and walked over to his dresser. He quickly changed into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. It was nearing the middle of the year so many students, and teachers, had given up on trying to look well put together for class.

After changing he walked into the bathroom that he shared with another student. He quickly got ready, not wanting to disturb the guy on the other side of the door. Andrew went about his normal routine, brushing his teeth, washing his face, and trying his best to tie up his hair so that it would finally be out of the way.

He tried his best to avoid the man on the other side of the door. He had never really seen him, maybe just a passing glance as the other made his way out of the bathroom. It seemed as though both were content on spending the year never having to interact with each other. The man was rather loud though, sometimes he'd blast music that Andrew had never heard before. The man must have had a lot of friends as there always seemed to be a chatter drifting through the thin wall that separated Andrew from this mystery person.