"Sorry Jane, this is the last time I am moving you. Next time you move is to go back home" I put her arm around my neck as I carry her to the bench next to Alejandro. When I sit down, my heart beats fast. I was so scared when I saw Alejandro leave. I just had to follow them. I was worried he was going to die. I pat the right side of my chest so my heart can calm down. If he keeps putting himself in this dangerous situation mindless then how am I supposed to protect him? I need to protect Alejandro and stay by his side if I don't want him to die in the future. It is because of me that day in the future that he was standing in the middle of the street. The note in his hand pointed all fingers to me.
Dear Gwen:
I'm sorry I never came to you when you needed me. I never wanted to get married. It was all my father; He told me the truth about my mom. You disappeared but finally, you came back...I just wish...I wish...I would have never left you when I knew that I loved you. But I know you have probably forgotten me...
Sincerely,
Your one and only, L.S.
He figured out the nickname I gave him. My mom and dad would read this story to me called My Little Star. That's what the nickname I gave stands for, Little Star. How did my parent's story go again?
Once upon a time, there was a little fish. This little fish was normal but she couldn't talk right. The other fish would make fun of her because of how she talked. They would say "We don't know what you are saying." She had no friends but she had a loving mom and dad who loved how she talked. They didn't know she was being bullied. They would ask the little fish to tell them stories. She loves telling them stories. The little fish still felt lonely after all the attention from her parents. She needed someone that would cheer her up, someone who could listen to her and talk to her. She was sad. She would cry herself to sleep. She has no friends. One night before she went to sleep she saw something shine so bright in the night sky. This shiny light was not the moon she thought. She swam out her window and up to the surface. She looked up and it was a tiny star. The little fish wondered "How is this tiny star shining so brightly?" "Why is it here?" "There are never stars in our part of the ocean" She stuck her head out of the water and heard the star crying. The little fish asked the little star "Why are you crying?" The little star became scarred and disappeared behind the moon. The bright light from the little star is gone. The little fish is sad and starts to cry. The first star she has ever seen is gone. The bright light appears on the water again. The little fish looks up. The little star says "Don't cry." The little fish asks "Why were you crying?" The little fish responds "Woah I love how you talk, you are the first fish I have ever seen" The little fish leaps in and out of the water. The little star laughs, his tears are gone now. This was the first time someone other than her parents said this. The little star asks the little fish "Will you be my friend?" The little fish says "Yes" The little fish is so happy. She jumps in and out of the water again. She says to him "I have to sleep little star but I will see you tomorrow?" The little star says "Yes Good Night, I will shine brightly for you all night" The little fish heads back home to sleep. The next night, The little fish heads back to the surface. The little star is waiting in the night sky, shining brightly for her. "Hi, my little fish," The little star says to the little fish, "Hi, little star" The fish responds. They talk all night. As they are about to say their farewells, the little fish has a question for the little star. "Will I be able to hug you?" The little star responds "You are too far away but we can still talk" The little fish is disappointed. "One day I will. I promise." She is sad but at least she has a friend. Each night she would see her little star. One night, The little star was not shining brightly in the sky. The night after that, she goes back to the surface. He is not in the sky. Where has her little star gone? A month, a year, 5 years, 10 years pass, and still no little star. One last time, She goes up to the surface again as she has the past few years. Little fish says "My little star...I miss you" The fish stays on the surface and falls asleep there. She wakes up feeling a bright and warm light embrace her. She thinks it is the sun. It is her little star! The little star says "I promised you that I would hug you."
I look up at the moon remembering what I wanted to tell him. Looking at him, his eyes, I can read everything. The hurt, seriousness in his eyes. The times when those eyes kept me safe and those eyes I relied on...I relied on him. I think...I am in love with Alejandro.
"Alejandro..." I look up at the moon and look back at him "The moon is beautiful"
"Yes, it is," Ci Xi comes to mind.
"Who is Ci Xi?" I ask suddenly.
"What?"
"Who is Ci Xi?" I say in Korean. Maybe he didn't understand me.
"Oh her," He says in Korean, "We met at the coffee shop I work at"
"Don't meet with her again," I say with a straight face, "...I need to protect you" I finally say.
"You don't need to protect me," He laughs, "You are too small," Did he just call me small and weak? I get up and stand in front of him.
"Is that how you talk to your older sister?" I grab his face with my hands and squish it together. He takes my hands off my face and stands up in front of me making me feel like an ant.
"Nuna" He tilts his head exposing his light brown eyes causing them to glow from the moonlight. He takes a step closer to me. My heart skips a beat, "Also here is your phone, you left it," He lets out a sigh of relief staring at me. He is very...handsome. I hear voices coming our way. I see Rosaline, Ross, and everyone else. As they walk closer, I realize Alejandro is still close to me. I push Alejandro. He almost falls to the floor and I stand straight as if nothing happened.
"Haha Hey, you guys" I clear my throat. Alejandro smirks at me and I blush.
"Hey Gwen, Why is your face so red?" I place my cold hands on my face so my flushed face would go away.
"This is our last time together, did you all remember?" Ann-Marie stands in the middle of everyone frowning.
"Yeah, this is it," TJ is frowning too.
"This is the last stop everyone," Azul says sadly.
"I am going to miss you all." Alejandro's voice sounds as if he is going to cry. Jane and Akio wake up from their little nap.
"Yeah I have to check out the hotel and then we can head to Virginia. I already asked my mom and dad to move my things from my apartment to a place in Springfield which is where you live" Hunter puts his arm around Azul.
"Plus all of you have to come to my place to pick up your luggage," Ross says.
"Oh yeah," Jane says slumping with her back on my shoulder.
"I guess here is where we say our goodbyes?" Akio asks.
"Yeah, we do" I look down knowing it will be a while until I see my friends again. "Well at least me TJ Rosa and Alejandro have to say goodbye to y'all because we're going to be going in a different car," We give each other hugs. I form a group hug with the girls. Jane and Ann-Marie squish us and finally let go. Ann-Marie and Jane walk to say goodbye to Rosa, TJ, and Alejandro while Ann-Marie runs to Alejandro with her arms wide open.
"Gwen" Azul whispers. I turn to her. "If you ever need me for anything about your secret you know. I am a call away okay?"
"Alright" I smile knowing I can rely on her. Everyone starts to walk to the cars. I open everyone's window and we wave goodbye one last time. This is the end of our trip together. I head out. I drop Alejandro and TJ in front of the building that Alejandro lives. Alejandro waves goodbye with the cutest smile on his face. Yup, That's the boy I am in love with. I drive my car in front of our apartment building. I give the keys to the Valet for him to park the car. My phone starts to ring. It's Mr. Caulden, my boss.
"Rosa, go in first. I have to take this class from my boss" She makes the ok sign with her fingers and heads inside.
"Hello Mr. Caulden"
"Hi, Gwen, Sorry for calling late but I wanted to give you the new assignment for this week. Tomorrow at 2 a.m." 2 in the morning?! "You leave on a plane for South Korea to interview someone at a library for our new book launch passed on this specific author and then hurry back on a plane at 6 p.m. I want to assure you everything is paid for. You don't need to worry"
"Yes sir," I wait for him to hang up the phone and I check the time. It is 10 p.m. I have to be at the airport early so I don't have time to sleep. I need to get my luggage ready and head to the airport. Maybe I can get an hour of sleep at least? When am I ever going to get some good sleep? I head upstairs to find Rosa sleeping on the couch with the TV on. I grab the controller and turn the TV off. Before I start walking up the stairs, I hear Rosa's phone ring and it says 'Ross' but it doesn't have a dozen hearts next to his name like it usually does. I just mind it and answer it.
"Hello," I say. Suddenly, the line goes dead. Why would Ross just hang up like that? I shrug my shoulder and walk upstairs and get my luggage ready. When I finish I write a note and place it next to Rosa on the couch saying that I will be gone for the day. I go downstairs and wait for the valet to bring my car. I arrive at the airport at 11 p.m. I check-in. I sit on a chair. I can sleep for an hour now until I board. I put an alarm and place it in my pocket. I hear a ring from a text message but I don't check it and go straight to sleep.
12:24 a.m...
The alarm rings for the 4th time. I finally stand up and walk to the waiting area of the planes. I sit down again and get on my phone.
Hours pass by until they called the plane to Seoul South Korea. I board the plane. The ticket says, First-class. I walk to the back and accidentally crash into an old lady. I hear something drop on the floor but can't seem to see it. My vision is getting worse over the years.
"I'm sorry," I say "Are you okay?" They don't say anything. I just ignore the fact that they don't respond and walk to the First-class seats. I sit on my seat and strap my seat belt on. I tell the attendant to not wake me up for any food unless I wake up myself. I go to sleep hoping to hibernate like a bear.
-
I suddenly wake up to a ringing sound through the speakers of the plane. It's so loud. I almost had a heart attack.
"Passengers please turn off your electronics and fasten your seatbelts. We are about to land in Gimpo International Airport South Korea," A lady says over the speakers. I sat up ready to get off the plane. I turn on my phone quickly to check the time and it is 1:45 p.m. Wow I slept at the most, 14 hours. The plane starts to land and a few seconds later it lands. I get off the plane last. First-class is in the back so we have to wait for other ones to get off as I do, I check my phone to see who I got a text from. It's from Alejandro. It says 'Have a safe trip' along with a heart emoji. I smile and put my phone away as the line began to move forward. But suddenly the line stops moving. I open the curtains after I heard an ambulance. I lift my head to look closely to see who was being hauled onto a stretcher. It...it's the old lady from before...the one I crashed into.
Finally, we can get off the plane. As I get off the plane, I look out of the big open windows at the airport. The ambulance is gone. I hope nothing serious happens to her. I look at the library where the interview is taken place, Starfield Library at the COEX mall. I call a taxi and head to the library. I reach my destination and enter the entrance of the Starfield Library and look for the man in the picture that Mr. Caulden sent me. But as I look around, I get a call from Rosa.
"Hey"
"Gwen, Gwen it's Alejandro," His teary burns through the phone," Gwen it's my grandparents. I finally found them after all these years," He catches his breath "My grandma is badly injured. She can't go into surgery because of her bad condition," He violently cries, "She's at the Seoul hospital. You are there in Seoul right?"
"Yes I am"
"Please go there for me. I will be there soon," He hangs up the phone. I forget about the interview, my job, and rush to the hospital. I burst through the door and ask the woman where Mrs. Park is. The woman at the front desk tells me on the highest floor in emergency room 5. She asks me if I am a family member but I ignore and run to the elevator. When the elevator reaches the highest floor, I run out and look for the number of rooms. I notice a 5 and run fiercely until I reach the room. The grandma is there in bed connected with so many machines. Tears fall down my face. I walk closer to the grandma. This grandma...this old lady...she's the one I crashed into on the plane. No no this can't be happening. I back up to the corner of the room. I squeeze my head. No no...It's my fault she's in here. I get up hyperventilating. I look at the papers on her bed. She has Heart failure. More tears fall down my face afraid to turn the page to see what happened. It's a quote from her husband:
We were on the plane and I was going to give her the pill for Heart Failure which she hasn't taken today and a woman crashed into her and walked off. That made her drop the one pill left for her heart failure.
This can't be. I rush out of the hospital room and down the stairs. I have to go to the past and save her. Someone more can't die. I need to go to the Suwon subway. I grab a taxi and tell him to get there as fast as he can. I get there and rush to the subway. My heart beating a million miles per hour. I wait for the subway to reach the end to disappear to the past. I set my mind to the plane and close my eyes.
I open my eyes again. I am at the entrance of the plane. I haven't entered yet meaning I haven't crashed into her. When the passengers start entering, I watch my step and look for Alejandro's grandma. I keep walking down the aisle. I see her. I focus my eye on her. When I do that, I bump into someone again. I look down and it's an old lady that fell to the ground. She's unconscious. I can't see her face. Her husband pulls her up. It's her. I crashed into Alejandro's Grandma...again.
"Is there anything I can do?" I ask her husband. He pushes my arm away and gives me a firm no. I nod my head and go to my seat. Falling asleep to keep me calm. I hope when I wake in South Korea that I don't fail Alejandro. As I close my eyes, I hear a ruckus in the Economy part of the plane. I unbuckle my seatbelt and run to the front. Alejandro's Grandma is on the floor, she isn't breathing. I can't believe this, I failed Alejandro again... I run to the back of the plane in tears at full speed shutting my eyes from the thought of causing Alejandro's grandma to die.
I traveled back to the same time. I walk inside the plane once again. I know where Alejandro's grandma is. I rush there. I see her. She hasn't fallin' yet. I go across from her. Alejandros Grandpa looks at me suspiciously. I arrive at my seat and peek through the curtains. They are safely sitting down. What a relief. I peacefully go to bed but all of sudden a hand grabs me. It's Alejandro's grandpa. He pulls me to the back of the plane.
"What are you doing?" I yell pulling my arm away.
"Listen, stop messing with my family. I know you've been traveling through time. I know you are a Time Traveler," Those words make my heart stop. No one has ever figured out that I am one... "I know by looking at your eyes. One thing I learned about time traveling is...don't ever travel back in time to save someone. It won't help you or the ones around you. It creates dark energy inside of you. When this dark energy starts to accumulate you have bad dreams..." I already have bad dreams... "When you have these bad dreams you start remembering events that you don't want to remember"
"What do you mean by 'don't want to remember'? You say you are a Time Traveler too, you must know, " I ask. He walks off without saying anything else. I'm shocked and confused. All different feelings accumulated into one. I reach for him but I shouldn't do anything. I jog to my seat thinking sleep will help me rest my mind. I wake up to the same timeline except when I look through the windows. The grandparents are not there anymore. I run down the aisle. I see the ambulance drive away. I need to travel again. I need to. I run to the back of the plane. While I am running, I fall to the floor scraping my knee. I'm out of energy again. I can't travel anymore. I have to keep this timeline then. I head to the exit of the plane and arrive at the library. My phone rings. It's Mr. Caulden. However, at the same time, Rosa's name pops up. I stare at my phone knowing it is going to be him.
"Hello"