Short stories

If I never met you

It's a dark night in New York City. Scarlett walked down the nearly empty streets, clutching tightly to her camera bag. She was so terrified of being mugged that she usually didn't travel this late at night or she took a cab. Today she got the opportunity to work on a big photography shoot and at the end the photographer wanted to see some of her ideas. Time just slipped away. Before long it was past midnight. The photographer offered to get her a car but, she was only a few blocks from her apartment and didn't really have the cash to pay for a cab. So here she was at 3 a.m. walking the streets alone. Every noise made her jump and walk a little faster. She rounded the corner and finally her building was in sight. With a sigh of relief, she slowed her pace, relaxing a little. She was passing an alley way when suddenly a man jumped out at her.

"Scarlett!" The man shouted at her. 

She almost immediately grabbed her knife. Her worst fear was coming to life but, how did he know her name?

"Okay, let's just calm down for second Scar. We don't want to do anything that could wreck everything." He said with his hands up, showing no intent to harm. Something about him was oddly familiar but, she didn't know what.

"Who are you? How do you know my name? What do you mean wreck everything?" She was so confused. Part of her figured if she ran she could make it to her apartment and forget this ever happened.

"Stop thinking about if your fast enough to run to your door. I know you're not. Anyway, I need you to come with me." He put out his hand.

"Go with you? Hell no! I have no clue who you are. You could be a stalker or a crazy person. No, now leave before I call the cops." She walked right past him and started down the street.

"No, you won't cause you left your charger at the shoot hoping that photographer would return it to you. Therefore, your phone is dead right now." He said in a matter of fact tone.

She stopped in her tracks. She turned around and stormed back over to him. He knew too much for her just to brush this off.

"How did you know about my phone?"

"Let's just say you told me about this."

"Told you about what's happening right now? That's impossible and I don't know you"

"You're going to though. That's why I need you to come with me. You took a different way home today."

"Yeah this way is safer or so I thought till now."

"No, you have to go the other way. We have about ten minutes but, we need to go now. C'mon let's go," He took her hand and started to walk but, she pulled away, "Scar, please just trust me on this."

"My mom is the only one who calls me Scar," He opened his mouth ready to say something, "And if you say I know one more time I will be forced to hurt you." A smile rose on her face as she said this. His heart broke a little cause he missed that smile so desperately. "I'm not going anywhere with you till you tell me who you are."

"I forgot how stubborn you were. Okay I will give you the most basic information but then you have to come with me." She slowly nodded and with a sigh the man continued. "I am from the future." She started to laugh, "Don't laugh it's the truth."

"Okay future boy, why would you come back to the past just to follow me home?"

"You are someone very important in my life and I let myself forget that. I even wished I never met you. I have been given the opportunity to change time so we never meet and at first that's exactly how I wanted it. Throughout the day though I've watched you and I'm falling back in love with you," She took a step back a little shocked, "I don't want to change anything about us but, now I already have so I need to get you a street over so you'll meet younger me. Because I need you."

She looked completely stunned.

"So, let's just say I did believe everything you were saying. How do you know it'll even work?"

"I don't but, I have to try. To lose you would be to lose everything. Please come with me." After a moment of silence, she looked in his brown eyes. She saw it all. Years of a life together all within the glimmer of his eyes and she knew what she had to do.

"Well what are we waiting for. Let's go!" He smiled and grabbed her hand. They both ran down the alleyway. As they reached the end he checked his watch.

"Were going to be late unless..." He then full force pushed her forward out of the alley. She bumped face first into someone's chest.

"I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me. Are you all right?" She looked up and saw the most beautiful brown eyes. All memory of the past conversation and how she got there faded away. She shook her head, confused on how she got there.

"It's fine. You seem confused. Did you hurt yourself?" His smiled shined at her. Finally composing herself she answered him.

"Oh, I'm fine I was rushing back to the studio I was working at. I left my phone charger and I don't want it to be stolen." She started to walk away.

"Wait! You wouldn't be Scarlet?" She started to get the oddest déjà vu feeling.

"Yes, I am, and you are?" He pulled a wire out of his pocket.

"I'm Kevin. I own the studio you were working at. The photographer saw you left this there and gave it to me with your name and address. I was actually on my way to drop this off in your mailbox."

"Thanks, that's so sweet of you. Good night I guess." She slowly took the charger.

"Unless Scar, is it ok if I call you Scar? Can I buy you a drink?"

From the alleyway, older Kevin watched as Scarlet nodded yes and he grabbed her hand. They disappeared out of view and he smiled. He had succeeded. Now time caught up with itself. It was the same city street but, 15 years later. Kevin quickly looked around for a cab. He needed to get to the airport. Jumping in a car, he paid extra to get him there as soon as possible. The car pulls up at the airport and he flies to the door. Frantically he runs through the airport till he sees her sitting there with her suitcases. She looks up at him.

"Kevin no, not here."

"Yes, here because right now I could lose you and that will kill me. I know I said I wish I never met you but, that was a lie. The second you bumped into me I knew that you were the love of my life. I love everything about you, the way you talk, your smile. The way your eyes glow when you look at me. Scar I love you. Come home please."

He watched as she pushed away tears and nodded yes.