Act Natural

Ch. 3 - "Not a Rom-Com"

***

"Oh, fu--"

I panicked, nearly dropping my now empty glass.

"Mr. Blacke, you're under arr-"

"NOPE! NOPE! NOPE!! BYE!!"

I screeched, jumping onto my feet and bolting out the entrance of the bar, pushing through the crowd of dancers. I'm sure I attracted a lot of attention, but that's the least of my worries at the moment. They were probably so confused. If I stuck around longer, it would've made matters worse. What if those nice bartenders got caught in the crossfire? What if they found out about the time-traveling? In a worst-case scenario, I'll probably have to give away the pen and just get on with my life. Will I let that happen? f**k no.

Turning a corner, I wiped a bead of sweat off my forehead. The smell of baked bread and smoke filled my nostrils as I ran. Orange light shone across the streets and illuminated the cobblestone sidewalk I raced on. My trench coat flew behind me like useless black wings. Wings would actually be very handy right about now. People parted in surprise as I ran quicker, glancing at the glass windows of the shops. It was dark out, but I could see the reflection of the Calendar giving me an annoyed sneer.

His mask and dark hair almost made him invisible in the dimly lit streets. A dagger with engraved symbols rested between his gloved fingers. Was I really that big of a criminal for it to get to this?

Just as I dashed off into an alley with my magic time-traveling pen, I get tackled violently. "Ack-!" I choked, dropping the pen and feeling a pang of pain in my shoulder. I wrestled with the second Calendar, repeatedly kicking at his gut.

The Calendar swung his legs around my waist and flipped us over, making me kiss the ground and taste dirt. Handcuffs made of electricity restrained my hands behind me. The two Calendars turned me around, panting after the fight I put up with them. I blinked hard as my head throbbed.

"Phew!" The one who tackled me sighed, wiping his forehead. "I can't believe it! We caught him!" He turned to the first Calendar behind him. "Cass is going to be so proud-"

"We aren't done yet, dumbass." The Calendar who chased me first said, walking up beside the other one. The height difference between the two was intimidatingly large. "He could escape. Find the thing he uses to time travel." He turns to me. "Now."

I scrunch up my face as if I've eaten something sour, then stuck my tongue out at him.

"Soooo... what are you two? Boyfriends?" I jested, moving my legs to sit more comfortably. The cold, dusty gravel didn't help, though.

Calendar 2 kicked my knee, making me wince. "Nope! But I wish! Although, you shouldn't be talking in your current position. We could snap your neck anytime we want, y'know?" He taunted with a voice that seemed to sound like he was smiling. I frowned, using my remaining strength to turn over. He pushed off his mask and moved his finger across his neck in an 'I could kill you and I might' way.

I scoffed, looking directly at his eyes. Seconds later, a clock appeared in his pupils. 5 seconds after 12. It's an odd thing that Calendars' eyes do, but it helps me identify who is and who's not. "Go ahead, I'm not stopping you."

"Well, we COULD do that," He paused. "Buuuut, we've received strict orders to bring you to headquarters alive." He turned to the other guy, giving him a brief wave. "Can we give him a little punch, though?"

Calendar 1 was not having any of this guy's bullshit today, it seems. "No." He says under his mask, giving his companion a hard glare. I look to the floor and cough under my breath to hide a laugh.

Just as I did, the sound of bones cracking against something firm and solid hit my ears. It was a terrifying sound, but I've heard it enough to know that someone was getting beaten.

I tilted my head up to see... Exuvius.

The bartender/possibly immortal man from earlier, in all his elegant pretty-boy glory, stood over a knocked-out Calendar 2 with a pair of shiny brass knuckles equipped on his closed fists. One of those fists had a taser. He still had his suit vest and tie on. His expression was stoic and serious as he glanced toward me, then to the other Calendar. Exuvius raises his hand and gestures for the Calendar to come at him. How cliché. It was my knight-in-shining armor!

Exuvius darts forward, skids under the Calendar through their legs, and continues running towards me athletically. Damn. I winced as the wind blew in my face. My breath hitched as the electric handcuffs behind me miraculously disappeared, freeing me from my restraints. I couldn't feel the rough concrete ground under my butt anymore. Was I floating? No.

Exuvius was carrying me. Hands rested under my knees and back, running like the wind with seemingly no effort. My side was touching his clothed chest, which rose and fell with every heavy breath he took. He looked at me as we made our way through the streets to another alley, deep into the town of Willowfield. The Calendar was no longer following us, and I'm hoping we aren't lost. "You alright, sir?"

What the f**k is happening. This isn't a rom-com, dumbass.

"I'm perfectly fine, as you can see," I say sardonically, pushing on his rock-hard stomach. Oh. "Not like I haven't been sitting on my arse on the cold ground or anything. I'm great! Awesome!" Exuvius rolls his eyes and drops me on my feet as someone would have to a little kitten.

"No need to be sarcastic." He commented, crossing his arms. "I just saved you... from... whatever they were doing to you."

"Just to clarify, they weren't r****g me, Jesus."

"That's not what I- ugh..."

I snickered, massaging my shoulder with my left hand. Exuvius takes off his brass knuckles, letting them fall to the floor like they were trash. What a waste. "Is it alright if I ask questions, sir?"

"Ask away! But first," I paused and jabbed a finger in his direction. "Exuvius, right? Stop calling me sir. It's Willias."

"Okay... Willias... I was just wondering... What the hell just happened? And are you immortal too?"

"' Too'? No, I'm not. And you just witnessed the time police trying to catch a criminal! Exciting, right? Here's the fun part—"

"Wait, wait, wait, WAIT, you're a CRIMINAL--?!"

"Yep. Let me finish. The fun part is since I'm a time traveler, I'm tagged as "extremely dangerous", but seems they only sent two people. Ha!"

Exuvius stared at me with a poker face that appeared to be rehearsed and repeatedly made. His mouth formed a simple line across his face and his eyebrows were furrowed, processing everything I just said. "... You're a time traveler... and a criminal... your name's Willias, you must be that CEO's son as well?"

"Mhm. 'Didn't know you were into politi—"

"THEY'RE RIGHT THERE!" The familiar voice of Calendar 1 yelled from the other end of the alley. Are you kidding me?! I groaned loudly, grabbing Exuvius's arm.

"Alright, listen. This will only take a moment and I want you to hold your breath." I murmured, holding up my magic time-traveling pen. Where and when did I find it? Yes.

I clicked the pen, clasping onto Exuvius's arm. To anyone who knew me in real life or as a "celebrity", our position would've looked very, very bad. But that's how the pen works, apparently. It was on the lil' handbook my mother left for me.

Rule #4–In an instance that you wanted to travel time with someone, you must keep physical contact with the other party. Failure to do so will only transport the holder of The Pen and leave the other party behind in the time you were previously in.

Clack.

Our surroundings melted away in a second, but as always, I saw it in slow motion. The dark, moonlit city background became a field of dandelions, the Calendar who was previously rushing towards us before, was gone. I fell onto my back, surprised at the contact of soft flowers and grass that saved my fall. 

"October 23, 1780." A robotic-like voice resounded from the pen. "New York, The United States of America."