The morning sun bathed the apartment in a warm, golden glow as Jason and Thalia sat down for breakfast. Their friend Aaliyah, burst into Thalia's place without so much as a knock. Her sense of style was always on point. She wore a fluffy pink jacket over a white crop top, her jeans were snug, and her heels were pristine white pumps. Pink glitter adorned her eyelids, perfectly complementing her rich complexion, and her hair was elegantly styled with two French braids, complete with pink highlights.
Back in the hallways of their high school, fate wove an unexpected friendship between Thalia and Aaliyah during the tumultuous days of 11th grade. It all began when Aaliyah, a vibrant whirlwind of creativity and style, decided that Thalia, her introverted classmate, was in dire need of a transformation.
It was a regular afternoon during art class when Aaliyah hatched her plan. With a mischievous glint in her eye, she leaned over to Thalia and whispered, "Girl, you have so much potential, and I've got just the thing in mind for you." A puzzled Thalia, always one to blend into the background, hesitated but ultimately agreed to follow Aaliyah's lead.
The daring duo embarked on their clandestine journey to the girls' bathroom, where the dim, flickering fluorescent lights became their secret sanctum. Aaliyah, armed with a kaleidoscope of makeup colors and brushes, began her artistic endeavor. With each brush stroke, she uncovered the hidden beauty that had always existed within Thalia but had been obscured by self-doubt.
As Aaliyah worked her magic, laughter filled the bathroom, echoing off the tiled walls. Thalia couldn't help but giggle at her reflection, her heart dancing with newfound confidence. However, their covert operation was short-lived as the school bell rang, signaling the end of the day.
Thalia returned home that evening, her face adorned with a tapestry of colors and her spirit ablaze with newfound self-assurance. But when her stern grandma caught sight of her transformed appearance, she was promptly grounded for what felt like a lifetime. Despite the grounding, Thalia and Aaliyah's friendship remained unshaken. They were bound by the adventure they had shared, the discovery of Thalia's inner radiance, and an unspoken pact to break free from the ordinary. Soon Jason became friends with Aaliyah, and the three of them quickly became inseparable, their lives intertwined like colorful threads in a tapestry of laughter, adventure, and unconditional support. After school, they embarked on countless escapades, exploring the world together, and cherishing the bonds of friendship that were far too extraordinary to be confined by the walls of a high school classroom.
"I've been texting you two for days; I thought you were dead," Aaliyah exclaimed, waving her phone at her friends.
Jason and Thalia exchanged a glance, silently debating what story to concoct this time. They hated keeping secrets from their friend, but Aliyah had a habit of oversharing everything on social media. If word got out about their time-traveling watch, Thalia could picture her apartment being swarmed by government agents, and she'd likely end up pinned to the ground.
"We were babysitting Leo, so we didn't have time to text back," Thalia replied, hoping she'd let it slide.
"Are you guys secretly dating or something?" Aliyah asked, her tone dripping with suspicion.
"No, we aren't dating. Jason isn't even my type, and he's a bit annoying," Thalia answered.
"Thanks," Jason retorted sarcastically.
Aliyah grabbed a seat at the table and helped herself to some of Jason's bacon. "Good, because I'd hate to be the third wheel."
Thalia received a text from Isabella, asking if she could babysit Leo again because she had a meeting. Before she can reply, her nephew, Leo, sprints into the apartment, donning a Superman cape. "Hello, everyone! I'm here to save the day!" he proclaimed, hands on hips, grinning from ear to ear.
"Leo, what a surprise, what are you doing here?" Thalia asked.
"Mom has a meeting so you're babysitting me," Leo replied as he zoomed around.
Peering out Thalia's window, she watched her sister wave at her and then drive away in her car. (Mental note for later: Punch my sister.) Leo and Jason performed their secret handshake, something Thalia could never quite master. She playfully ruffled his messy curly hair and planted a kiss on his head before heading into the kitchen to prepare a snack.
As Leo darted around the apartment in his cape and Jason playfully acted as the menacing Kryptonite man, Leo picked up the time watch, pointing it at Jason. "You won't catch me now, Kryptonite man!"
"Leo, no!" Jason sprinted across the room, attempting to stop Leo, but it was too late. Thalia's nephew had pressed the button, and the ground vanished beneath them. How did he activate the portal so easily? Thalia was simultaneously terrified and excited. Jason, on the other hand, didn't share her enthusiasm and managed to grasp onto a nearby door, preventing himself from being drawn into the portal. Aaliyah holds on to Jason but the force is too strong.
With tremendous force, the portal sucked them all in, and Thalia found herself plummeting through a swirling vortex. This time, they had a new traveler with them, and her screams were the loudest. They eventually landed in a lake, the portal sealing shut above them. Thalia held her breath as her body submerged in the cold, icy water. Gasping for air as she reached the surface, her immediate instinct was to call for Leo. Her frantic gaze scanned the water, revealing the absence of her nephew. A moment later, Aaliyah emerged from the water with Leo in her arms, both gasping for breath. Her fluffy jacket was soaked and Leo's cape had vanished. The relief Thalia felt seeing them was immeasurable. Jason, too, emerged from the water, sputtering as he expelled water from his mouth.
"Where are we?" Jason asked, his wet black hair clinging to his face.
"Let's see who can hold their breath the longest!" Leo playfully suggested, diving underwater. Jason reached out to pull him back up, looking rather annoyed.
"Can anyone tell me what the hell is going on?" Aaliyah's scream echoed through the forest, sending birds fleeing from the trees.
"We found a silver watch that lets us travel to anywhere in time. We are still trying to figure out how it works," Thalia said as her lips quivered from the cold, "Sometimes it spits us out into a random time,"
"So, this is the big secret? How will we get back home? If we're in the past, that means no Wi-Fi," she sobbed.
"Yes, this is the big secret. I think we're stuck here until this watch decides to work. Leo must have triggered by mistake again," Thalia said, taking a seat next to Aaliyah as the chilly wind embraced her.
"Am I being punked?" Aaliyah asked looking around.
Thalia tapped on the watch while Aaliyah cried even louder beside her. All she could see were pine trees and mountains in the distance. She couldn't even determine what period they had landed in. "Guys, we have to find a way out of this forest before the sun goes down," Thalia said.
They started walking through the trees after rinsing their soaked clothes on the shore, and Thalia was certain that none of them had any survival skills. That's the downside of growing up in the city. She wished that Isabella was there at that moment. She wondered if she'd ever see her sister again and a knot formed in her throat. There were leaves and branches all over the ground, squirrels ran across their feet. The trees never seemed to end, and her curls kept getting stuck in the branches. As they continued through the dense forest, the discomfort intensified. Aaliyah's high-heeled shoes were ill-suited for this terrain, and she voiced her displeasure as her heels repeatedly dug into the dirt.
After a while, Jason took on the task of carrying Leo on his back, as their young superhero had grown weary. With each passing moment, the hope of finding their way back home seemed to fade. Their bodies ached, and exhaustion set in. Thalia's mouth was parched, and she couldn't help but contemplate the simple comforts she had taken for granted, like a warm bed and a satisfying meal. In their current predicament, these seemed like luxuries far out of reach.
As the sun began its descent, a growing sense of fear surrounded them. The howling of unseen creatures echoed in the distance, and the air turned colder by the minute. Their desperation drove them to run further into the forest, and suddenly, the distant sound of passing cars reached their ears. They caught a glimpse of zooming headlights, and the faint scent of exhaust wafted through the air. In a surge of excitement, they rushed toward the source of light and noise. Aaliyah, no longer hindered by her high-heeled shoes, threw them aside and pushed her way forward. Finally, they reached the edge of the forest, where a long road stretched out before them. Aaliyah dropped to her knees and planted a kiss on the ground, overcome with relief. Her fashionable clothes were now dirty, and branches clung to her hair. Jason, exhausted and sweating, gently set Leo down. They embraced each other, cheering and celebrating their newfound salvation.