End of the Year - A Short Story

End of the Year - Short Story

I sit alone on the coach of my new apartment and I stare blankly at my phone while YouTube plays in the background. This is a typical day for me once I've left work and finally arrived at home. I think about what I plan to eat tonight and I suddenly hear a ruffle at the other side of the short couch. I look up.And there I am. I'm wearing a t-shirt and jeans with a Nashville Predators hoodie and a pear of converse. I'm about ten pounds heavier, and my beard is long and wiry. I look at myself with wide eyes and stay silent. I return my gaze and then the other me looks around the living room of my apartment. He looks back to me with a puzzled look."So," he says. "Things have clearly changed in the last year. Why don't you give me an update?"I stare at him some more, hoping that if I strain my eyes and blink this other me will disappear. I blink, and he remains."Um... yes, lots of things have changed. I'm not really sure where to start though," I claim.He looks down at the table for a moment, then fixes his eyes on me. "Let's start with where we are and when we moved here."I think for a moment, then respond. "Yeah. That sounds good. I moved here about five months ago. Here being Johnson City, Tennessee."His eyes widen. "I finally move to Tennessee and it's Johnson City?" He looks both angry and confused. "Eh," he states. "There are worse places to live. What do we do?""Well," I hesitate. "I work at an engineering design firm. We make mostly reusable plastic stuff. We have one giant client, though I'm not sure if I can tell you who."He pauses to take in the information. "Thank god you got out of that shit-hole company I work for now. That place sucks the life out of me.""It gets worse, actually," I tell him reluctantly.His eyes widen, then he sinks into the couch. "Goddammit," he says."It also takes a couple months to find a new job," I relay. "But trust me, it's worth it. You and Irene become really good friends before you leave, and the place you work now is pretty spectacular."He looks at me with a hopeful expression. "Really?""Really. Your co-workers are great, and your boss is chill. She's also your age."He perks up. "Do we...?"I laugh in response. "Haha! No, no, she's gay. Her wife is lovely though. They have offered to hook you up with someone though."He raises his eyebrow. "Have you taken them up on it?"It's my turn to hesitate. "No, not yet. But. Just because I want to get settled in first."He looks at me with both confusion and understanding. Though I have grown and changed a lot since I was this version of me, some things still remain. "Understandable I guess.""But... yeah. It's all been pretty great so far," I say to myself. "And would you look at that," I say as I look at my watch. "It's 12AM. Happy New Yea..." I cut myself off. I look over toward myself from a year ago, and he's gone.