Time

Chapter 3 - 2015

"I'm sorry for not believing you, it's just that...WOW I still can't even...it's just crazy!" Liv stutters.
"I know" I tell her.

We're standing outside the abandoned house - having previously been in - where I showed Liv the time machine and explained everything. It's currently around midnight, and the night air is bitter but still. Liv is warm enough in her bundle of black layers; but I'm absolutely freezing.
"Come on, let's get to my house" Liv decides, leading me back to the main road.

We hurry down street after street, and Liv keeps assuring me that we're almost there, but it's quite obvious that we're not. Eventually, she decides to pay for us to take the bus, which I thought only existed as a horse bus back in Victorian London, but now it seems that buses have become something a lot different. In a similar way to the 'cars' here in London 2015, the buses also travel along the roads without any horses pulling them. It's truly bizarre to find yourself sitting in a large vehicle that charges down the roads all by itself, collecting passengers every 2 minutes. I love it though!

❋❋❋

Huge and magnificent, Liv's house reminds me of the Ashdown house. I feel completely honoured to be shown into such a grand building, by someone I hardly know from the future.

The white stone hallways offer many different passages for us to take. There are posh portraits and stunning paintings fitted onto each and every wall in sight, along with expensive vases holding perfectly picked bunches of elegant flowers. I gaze at each and every interesting object I come across, whether it's a chair or a book, a painting or ornament.
"You must be hungry, or at least I AM!" Liv chuckles, leading me through to a king-sized kitchen. It's a lot more modern than a victorian kitchen, and I don't even dare to ask what each unfamiliar looking item is. Instead, I just watch Liv whip up some snacks and wonder round and round the room, gathering my thoughts together.

"I can't wait to tell mum and dad about you, they'll be so excited to have a victorian staying with us!" Liv chats. I freeze.
"No, they can't know!" I demand.
"Huh? Why not?"
"Nobody else can know!"
"But why? Come on Clara, don't be uncool about this" Liv whines. I shake my head no.
"Please, just keep it to yourself" I tell her firmly. She yawns.
"Whatever, fine. I'm going to bed" she announces, abandoning her snacks on the kitchen work top.

Liv's bedroom is like no other. I've never seen anything quite like it. She introduces me to all her complicated devices such as her TV, hair straighteners, laptop, speaker, headphones and so much more! It's hard to keep up with them all and I suddenly find myself wanting all of these things for myself!

Her bedroom itself, is about the size of the dining room back in my orphanage - which is a pretty big dining room. Her bed is luxurious, with more pillows than anyone could ever require, and a chain of bright lights snaking over the bar of the head of her bed. It looks completely magical.

Lush, green plants are growing in little pots here and there, and there are shelves of photos, that Liv has been through with me at least three times. Then there's a long, pristine, white desk neatly stacked with books and pens, along with a dressing table full of make up and hair accessories. Further along, is the entrance to a fancy walk-in-wardrobe which is crammed with clothes to die for - beautiful dresses all the way to stylish jeans. She's got the lot, and it's nothing at all like any of the clothes i've seen back in Victorian London. Nevertheless, I'm in love with her clothes, and everything about her room. The most loveable thing to her room for me, has got to be the gorgeous chimney breast, shaped just like a Victorian one, along with a sweet little fire place lined with fresh logs ready for burning on a blazing fire. It's the one thing I can look at that hasn't changed in London, which gives me a sense of belonging and somehow comforts me.

"Here, borrow these pyjamas, I have millions" Liv offers, dumping a matching pyjama set into my arms. She directs me to a gleaming white bathroom, and I change into the pyjamas quickly, before returning to Liv's room where she has also transformed into some green pyjamas.

"There's about four spare rooms so you can take your pick, come on, I'll show you" she says, nudging me back towards the door way.

The first spare room is large and empty, containing only a double bed and chest of drawers. It has a rather small window for such a large room, which is not ideal for me as I prefer rooms with lots of light.

The second spare room is small but cosy, and smells of lavender and fresh paint. It's obviously been recently redecorated because there are the remains of colour samples on the desk, and a cluster of paintbrushes on the window sill.

The third room is carelessly cluttered with books, as if they're completely unwanted and have been shoved wherever possible. Even the bed is clustered with dusty books, not even to mention to floor which is drowning in them.
"Yeah, you probably don't want this room" Liv decides, steering me away.
She shows me to a mysterious, spiral staircase, and gestures for me to follow her up. The light from the hallway behind us, disappears as we spiral up and up, and I grab the handle in order to keep me from tripping. At last I reach the top of the stairs, and I step into pitch black. Liv is to be heard from somewhere ahead in the dark, fiddling with something.
"The light switch is here somewhere, argh but I just can't find it!" she hisses, like a vicious snake. CLICK! Just then, light fills the room and I spy Liv a few metres away, lowering her hand from what must be the light switch.

The light in the room, presents to me a perfect layout of an attic bedroom, fitted with various rectangular windows, draped in grid-printed curtains. The double bed is set with a clean, white duvet and silky blue pillows. Above the bed is a grand painting of modern London, and lining the left walls of the room are empty shelves and drawers, and a fancy mirror reflecting the wonders of this beautiful room. I smile.
"Liv, this is the one"