COUNTING DOWN THE YEARS

VISITS

I decide to pay the boys a visit at school. With their being in high school and popular, they can easily convince their friends to read my blog. Whatever you are thinking, I'm desperate and willing to do a lot of things for ALL TIME MEDIA. That's my baby and I'm a hard working mother. 

I hope I could convince them to do this because I know the boys and they are a piece of work. And they not only know it but love it a lot

. When I get there they're in class after lunch period. I can't help think that Peter may have skipped class. But I hope he's there. 

I get ushered into the principal's office. 

"Hello Mrs Luther. My name is Annie Cavanaugh . I'm here to see Peter Harold and Andrew Perry. "I say politely. 

"Hello miss Annie. So you want to speak to them as their... " Mrs Luther trails off in question. 

"Aunt. Their aunt. "

Really? 

"Aunt? I didn't know those two were related. "

Shit! 

"You see, I'm Peter's aunt from his father's side and Andrew's aunt from his mother's side. "

Silence. 

"Oh. Okay then. "

I smile gratefully at her. 

She takes her intercom and clears her throat. 

"Peter Harold and Andrew Perry report to the principal's office now. "

She smiles at me once done. And we share those awkward smiles and stares for a while. 

"So how is the weather where you come from? "

"How do you know I'm not from here? "

"You wear too heavy clothes. And I know everyone from around here. Packs of being the principal of the local high school. "

"Oh. It's good. The temperature is a little higher than here. But it's all good. "

"Okay. So if you ever... "

"Annie, just the girl I wanted to see today. " Is what Drew cuts off the principal with completely out of character. 

We both stare at him mouths agape. He realizes seconds later that maybe only his suit fits. His eyes dart across the room in embarrassment. I want to laugh but decide to be a big girl and let it go since the champ realized he didn't make the best decision on this one. But the principal has other ideas. She picks up her phone and bursts out laughing looking at it. 

After like three seconds of us staring at her me with amusement and Drew annoyance she turns her screen towards us still laughing and pointing at her phone with the free hand. The thing is, her screen is dark. That just cut it and I throw being a big girl out of the window. 

Drew throws himself on the couch by the side sulking. Now that's a Drew I know!  I think I like this principal already. Then I remember Peter so I sober up. Maybe. 

"So where is the Peter you walked in like Drew? "

Snicker. Glare. 

"I'll be outside. "

Cold. 

"Thank you Mrs Luther. " I shake her hand getting up. 

"You are welcome. Come again and say hello. I'm always here. "

Something about that, '...always here ' sounds unsettling. I just plaster on a smile and leave. I don't think I'll be seeing her soon after she's asked. Isn't that just a sane thing? Cause it feels so to me. 

"Took you long enough! "A still annoyed Drew mutters paying attention to the trophy case down the corridor. 

I wonder how many must be his. I won't ask though in case there's none. I've always been a girl who plays safe. Saves you a lot. 

"So where is Peter? " I ask looking around just in case he pops out of nowhere. 

"He cut class. What do you expect? "

"He what? "

"If you thought your little speech changed him, think again. "

Huh! I wish I did. 

"So where can I find him? "

He scoffs. 

"He is a fourteen year old, what do you think? "

"At an eatery or football pitch... "

He rolls his eyes at me. 

"Try again. He's on a date with the head cheerleader. "

That's what kids do? I was too engrossed in my books. Both lives. I couldn't possibly know that. 

"So what's the deal with that? "

I don't get it. I don't! 

"Apparently it's cool to go on a date in the middle of a school day. "

I couldn't if I tried to miss the judgement in that. 

"You don't think it's cool? "

"Annie you obviously were a nerd and still look it. I know you know the answer to your stupid question all too well. "

A lecture that! 

"Let's just go find him. "

My patience with this guy ran out a lifetime ago. Literally. 

"I'm not ditching. " Drew tells me dismissively. 

Do I seriously need this guy! I like to think my mission doesn't even need him. I'm just troubling myself stringing him along. So I walk away. After a few feet I hear footsteps behind me. I smirk. Works every damn time! Across time. And this time I saved myself some breath. 

We walk out of campus in silence. I don't know about him but I'm comfortable like that. He doesn't say anything of interest anyways so I can't possibly be missing a thing. Am I bad for slightly hating a high school kid or worse for lying that it's slightly. In my defense, he drives me mad. And he's better than Peter who  is confident enough to strangle me and call me names .

I don't know how but I have to find a way to meet them halfway and coax them to do the same. Our not being on the same page will greatly affect our mission. I don't know whether or not we'll succeed but I have to try. We have to try. 

"So you have a job? It's the middle of the week and you are here. "

He just had to ruin my day, didn't he? 

"I'm jobless. " I want to add, 'happy? ' But choose not to start a conversation with him. Silent treatment works like a charm. 

We walk in silence again with him taking the lead. We come up to a park. There are a few people scattered all over. Clearly it's not date time. I spot a brunette dancing around acting all pretty and cool while there is a guy laying on a picnic mat with his back facing us. He seems to be recording the girl who is unmistakably the head cheerleader from all that energy. 

Some lonely guy with headphones over his head on some bench not far from them. Other people present are three walking from different areas of the park. I would say it's peaceful here and kinda romantic to be on a date at this time. I don't agree with Drew that this is not cool. Nerd or not I would know a cool thing. 

Drew seems hesitant to go over and ruin the date. I being an adult and knowing those two won't last don't mind crashing their party. I start to walk but Drew pulls me back by my jacket. What the hell? 

"You don't just interrupt dates. "

"Oh who's stopping me? "

"Uh... Me!"

"Grow up, you don't have to play wing man anymore when she's his girlfriend. "

"You are wing man for life Annie. Anne. "

Ugh! 

"Let's move we need to talk the three of us. "

"Absolutely not. I'm calling the guy. Tell him to fake an emergency to leave then we can talk to him. Bethany won't appreciate you hitting on her man. "

"Hitting on her man! I don't see Peter like that. Jeez he's a kid to me. An annoying one. Why would you ever think I'd be interested in him. You are utterly ridiculous sometimes. That wasn't funny young man! "I rant not liking being falsely accused. 

I have never liked a guy younger than me. A high school kid! Never in a million years. I feel insulted. I mean the kid is good looking and taking better care of himself these days but he's a kid and I'm a grown ass woman. 

" Uh... I meant it's what she accuses every girl or woman who talks to Peter of doing... "

Oh! Now I just created room for questions I know would be thought but I would never hear them asked. I leave things at that. 

Drew calls Peter interrupting his video shooting session. I can't believe he'd rather waste precious time trying to please a girl he might not see after highschool over discovering the limit to his creativity. I wish someone came from the future and told me about my successful career in life. I'd be motivated to try get it all before when I'm told I'll accomplish it. 

But of course the one who is lucky enough to have what everyone else doesn't would be the one to ignore it. How I affected his life's passion by my absence, I don't know. And I'm trying to correct that. I tried talking to him and encouraging him. I see it didn't work and this means I have a lot more work than I anticipated. But I somehow have to keep him close and bring him back. Bring nerdy Peter back. 

A few minutes later Peter leaves in a hurry after a little argument with the Bethany girl. He walks in the opposite direction of us. I want to call out his name but think better of it. Drew won't be very thrilled about it. I turn to ask him where Peter is going to but miss him. I look around and see him walking along a path that meets with the one Peter is using up ahead. 

I want to not believe that he left me here standing confused but I think I know him a little bit to not find this surprising. But I guess some times I just hope he isn't so much of an ass. But life is not my wishing well I've been told. I jog up to him. 

Shake my head disappointedly when I catch up to him and he smirks at me. Now he thinks he's got me good, huh? 

"Try to keep up girly. "

Yeah. 

"You are easily distracted, you know that? "

Whatever man. 

"I could easily leave you standing like a fool being slow. How did you ever survive high school? "

"It was one cool high school you just had to survive it. "

"So you went to the same school twice? " He leaves an admiration hanging in his words. 

I never thought of it that way. 

"It didn't feel like it at the time. "

"How come? "

Too many consecutive questions. 

"Hey Annie, didn't know you were in town. You travel good? "People stops me from rudely replying to Drew because I was going to tell him things! 

"Hey Peter. Thanks I traveled fine. I see you've been well. "

"Being well is all I like to do "

Okay, before I start flirting with a teenager maybe I should leave this conversation as is. I look at Drew to find something to change the conversation with. 

"I here you cut class still. The future of human kind depends on you working your brains Peter. You can't just not attend class. Your sole purpose in life should be trying to study your machine. It was always your passion. Can't just throw it all away !"

I'm getting really good at pep talks... I just scolded Peter. 

"Look mom, I can do whatever I want. It's my life. " 

Yeah there it is. 

"She is so bossy. "Drew exclaims stretching the last word. 

"I didn't mean to lecture you or anything... " I'm cut off by a raise of hand. 

Seriously, aren't we past this? 

"Just try not to mother me and maybe then we'll start seeing eye to eye. " Peter warns seriously. 

I don't want to point out how not accurate that is but I have been warned and expected to oblige. Maybe salute him too. 

"It's just that you are the reason I'm here like this. "I say with a tight lipped smile before walking away ahead of them. 

Some times I don't want to argue or exchange words about everything. It's exhausting to do that. And I don't like to lose because they boys look like they want me to lose all the time. I can't play with kids like this. I will show them I'm a grown up and I deserve to be treated like so. 

I walk alone trying to take deep breaths calming my nerves. I can't lose it right now. We have not made any progress. But I need space to cool off. I don't want to turn around but I hope they are following after me. I'm almost leaving the park and onto the streets, wouldn't want to find myself lost here. 

Damn, why haven't I ever tried learning to manipulate men. These are just boys but will grow one day and I need to know how to get them. I'll be dealing with them for like ten years so we need some ground rules. And maybe I should learn from all this how to gently approach the Peter issue. Being his best friend won't help me and it most certainly won't help him. But I can't come on so strong and piss him away. 

I hear faintly their footsteps. So they didn't run away from this control freak? Or maybe it's not them! I like to think it's them. 

"I was in student council all throughout high school. " Pause. "You encouraged me after an incident in freshman year when we met. " A breath. " There was this kid Jana, she was richer than everyone else. She was by then a junior. Was in student council and she did whatever she wanted. She didn't care about consequences because her parents money would always bail her out. "Pause.  "One day she hit me with the tray of my food in my face. Unlike other people I stood up against her and called her out on her I'll behavior. She wasn't very happy. Everyone else just watched as she pulled my hair and called me names. " I sigh. " I remained on the floor where she and everyone else had left me until you came and sat there with me. You missed class for the first time ever that day. But you didn't mind. You told me that the school needed more  people like me . Brought me ice cream and sat with me in the nurse's office. Later on I vied for a position in student council. I barely got the position but did. I fought Jana so hard in the council until we introduced rules against bullying and involved PTA  so there was strictly no bullying policy. She tried to break the rules but I couldn't let her. Luckily her parents transferred her to some other school. Her departure was the end of bullying. For just trying to be whom you are, you meet criticism and risk falling victim to bullies. I've been there and I know how it feels to be put down. "

Silence. A lot more. Okay, I think I've just been talking to myself all this time. But I had to let that out of my chest at least. How ever it'll be interpreted is none of my business. And so far silence is all I get. So I turn around to confirm they are really there because I was starting to doubt it. They are there with eyes down cast but meet my gaze when I abruptly stop. 

"Great speech Annie. Anne. " Drew says in a tone I can't quite place. 

Huh? 

"Jana! " Peter says in a curse tone. 

"So she still went to that school! " I exclaim. 

"Yeah, and you were not there to stand up to her and she bullied people... Me! " Peter says bitterly. 

It's life. But I should have been there. But then again it's him who sent me here. 

"I'm here because you happened Peter! "

I don't exactly like that he's not getting this part and how he keeps turning things around for me. 

"And I want to wrap my head around all this but I just can't. Maybe things changed and there will no longer be an apocalypse. "

You wish that. 

"Things can't just change that much because of me. They have started making the AI. The only lives affected are those of maybe just you and me. Then slightly Drew. This apocalypse is coming for sure. We can prevent it if we want to and work together to do that. " 

Me with my speeches! The look on the boy's faces can only confirm they too think so. Can you blame me though? It's like the fate of the world rests on my shoulder and my shoulder alone. The weight of knowing the doom that will befall the world all by myself keeps me up at night. I'm the only one who knows exactly how it looks like in years to come. I need everyone else I tell this to, to give the matter the kind of attention, time and work I'm giving it. 

But I only serve myself disappointments with expecting everyone else to be dedicated to a course they know nothing about. Maybe I should accept they need time to actually internalize everything. Sadly I feel like we don't have time to even scratch. 

"I want to be more involved, I do but... " Peter says distractedly. 

It doesn't add up to him. 

"If it weren't for the TM 2.0 I would not believe you. " Drew admits. 

I see how all this is not very clear. 

"To be fair I asked you guys to leave and got myself choked. " 

Peter looks away embarrassed. Drew has unreadable expression on his face. 

"I'm sorry I didn't even know what I was thinking. "

"This wasn't me patronizing you. I forgive you. "

"So what brought you all the way out here again. I told you I don't like our number odd. " This is Drew trying to be smooth chuckling a little. 

I find myself chuckling softly too. For once he's not working too hard to get to my last nerves. 

"Oh come on, can't I miss my favorite boys? " I extend the playful mood. 

"Please! " They both exclaim. 

"Seriously I missed you guys and decided to come see you. I think it's safe to say you are doing good. " I insist. 

They speak at the same time looking at each other. 

"Just drop it Annie, I think in your other life I had a thing for you or something so you are making this weird for me. " Peter says sheepishly and shyly. 

"Now get in the next bus to the city. " Drew says like he's already forgotten we were in a playful mood. 

Huh! I didn't think things that way. I mean, people have always pointed out to me that I'm too slow sometimes and I agree with them. Drew snorting brings me out of my spacing out. 

"You and her? I don't think so. " Drew says laughing mockingly. 

I think the mocking is for me. Peter and I speak at the same time. 

"For your information I was younger than him then and my parents say I've always been a cute baby. " I defend my honor. 

"From how she talks about our interactions . I think I had a crush on her. " He stares at me hard, " Plus I was different then ."

What does that even mean? I don't get time to ask myself more questions. 

" Every parent think their kid is cute because it's theirs and probably looks like them. " Drew's very intelligent input. 

"Peter stop looking at me like that. " I scold sternly because the guy keeps staring. 

"Could you say my name again. I like how you say my name, should do it more often. " Peter says creeping me out more than his stare already did. 

"Oh so you are into older women now !" Drew says playfully slapping Peter's back who bursts out laughing. 

Ah, the claps on the back. 

"Hey, you are like what thirteen? " I snap. 

They fall silent. So do I and I start walking again. They follow immediately on either side of me. There is a comfortable silence for a while. I think it comfortable and don't care about the rest. 

"TM 2.0 . That means this is an upgraded version of a 1.0 . Why didn't you tell me that I made another time machine. I should have called it something cool like Tine 2.0 or machime 2.0 or timeless 2.0 or... " He trails off thinking about more cool names. 

So that's what the numbers mean! 

"The one in your garage was a top secret so obviously the first one was never heard of. It was kinda illegal because there were rumors of experiments using people sending them to the past or the future. " I explain guiltily. 

"Sweet! " Drew says high fiving Peter. 

It still sounds like 'sue wheat '. And just hold up, am I missing something here? 

"You should have started with this. You made me sound like a boring person and right there you confirmed to me I was cool. " Peter says excitedly. 

Yeah, I'm definitely missing something here. 

"So let me get this straight, you are actually happy that you did or rather will do something illegal and unauthorized? " I ask not knowing what could be pleasing about it all. 

"Yeah, something big like that is actually an achievement. Drew I'm the man! " Peter muses. 

This is hopeless! 

"Why shouldn't he Anne, Annie? " Drew enquires high fiving  Peter again. 

Must he call me that? 

"Dude must you call her like that? "

Thank you Peter but I don't need protection from Drew. 

"I can talk for myself. "

"Well, I didn't hear you say a thing. "

"Hey, I'm twenty and you are a teenager. I don't have to explain myself to you. "

"That just means you'll die earlier. "

Really now! Drew bursts out laughing. 

"I'm still not going to give you any explanations. "

"I see it now, you guys are like an old married couple. " Drew dares to say. 

That's it. I grab the boy by the collar of his polo shirt and push him onto the street in front of a car. Lucky for him the driver hits his instant brakes in time. Drew screams like he's seen a ghost and Peter laughs like it's his favorite stand up comedian on stage . The driver scolds Drew who then turns to glare at me. But he meets mother of all glares from me. I don't like such stupid jokes and I hope he gets that before I throw him in front of a moving train. 

"Relax Annie he was just joking. " Peter coaxes but with a hint of amusement in his voice. 

"I don't want such stupid jokes. " I say sternly with narrowed eyes pointing at Drew and then Peter, "And you, don't encourage him. "

Both boys raise their hands up in surrender. They better get it before someone dies for it. No correction, before Drew dies for it. I may just enjoy it. 

"So guys, I'm here to get help from you guys about something. You know in my previous life I was a journalist. A reporter. In this I only made it to internship. "Awkward pause. "Anyways, right now I have this blog where I'm writing articles on online. I need to get readership and seeing as you guys are popular that shouldn't be too hard. Then you two must be my first readers. I want you to read, comment and post links of my blog on your f*******: accounts. " I pause to gauge their reactions, "You guys have f*******:, right? "

"Of course. "

"I'm actually surprised you have one. "

I'll let you decide the boy that said what. 

"So we've agreed to help auntie Annie get readers from friends at school, right? " I ask like an actual aunt would ask her nephews, "I told Mrs Luther I am your aunt boys. "

With that I walk away. 

"I swear she's just using us. "

"At least we have a hot aunt Drew! "