Back To 2014

Chapter 7 - Shopping and Shadows

We sit down with our pancakes. So tell me about yourself," I say.

Jack looks up. "Me?"

"Nooooo.... The pancakes." I roll my eyes.

Jack smirks and takes another bite of blueberry pancake. "Uhh well I was born in 2050-"

"Ha!" I interrupt. "I'm older than you!!!!" Jack laughs at me. "Um not really. Because right now I'm as old as I would be in 2070, which would be 20."

"Wait do you know the future me?" I ask. "Cause that would be so cool."

"Hmm I don't remember anyone named Riley, no," he responds. "Anyway...grew up in a Chicago suburb and was always interested in time travel, but I totally disagreed with the Time Force, so when I was a junior in high school I joined the Restorance."

"Did you quit school?" I ask.

Jack finishes chewing. "Yeah, but only because I knew this is what I wanted to do in life, and I would learn everything I need to know there with the Restorance...." I watch Jack as he picks at his pancakes with his fork. "Well except how NOT to get stuck in 2014..." He chuckles, but I can tell it actually hurts him.

I look down and study the patterns in his wood kitchen table. "Does anyone know?" I ask.

"Know what?"

"That you're stuck here..."

"Oh." Jack looks down. "I don't know."

I feel so bad for him. I mean he's just trying to do the right thing and fix time, but gets stuck by himself in a time he doesn't know about. Well, he knows more than most people though. "Is there any chance at all that you could get out?" I ask him.

Jack shrugs. "Not as long as the Time Force is in power. They're considered the "good guys" to most people, and we're the rebels. But really, who is protecting the future? Who cares what has happened in the past? It's the past. But the future... That's up to the people of the present. "

Huh. That made sense. I think Jack should be like a politician or something. He's so good with words. We finish breakfast and I ask if I can take a shower, because ew I really need one...

The warm water feels so good on my tensed muscles, and I step out and wrap the plush towel around me. I realize Jack must have used this towel before. I blush, then mentally slap myself. What am I thinking? Ugh why am I being such a pervert?

Then I realize Jack has left a pair of his shorts and a t shirt for me to wear, because my old clothes were dirty. I smile to myself and pull on the baggy clothes. But I know I still need to go get some new clothes. Right after this I promise myself I'm going shopping.

That's when I remember I don't have any money whatsoever. Ugh why didn't I come prepared to be zapped back in time by a time warped dust cloud and have to live with a 20 year old guy with no clothes? Oh yeah. I didn't plan on this. For the millionth time I inwardly groan at my pathetic situation.

Jack smiles when I walk out of the bathroom finger-combing my long brown hair because I don't have a brush. I realize how stupid I must look with his baggy clothes on and tangly hair, but hey, at least I'm clean. "Thanks for the clothes," I mumble. "but they're a little too big." I say, giggling.

Jack grins. "No problem. You look cute."

I'm surprised and I can feel myself blushing. "Oh, stop. I look a mess. We need to go shopping."

"Alright, we'll go as soon as I get ready. But you do look cute." Jack says with a smirk as he walks into the bathroom. I roll my eyes and walk over to the kitchen to get some water. I sit down at the table and look out the window at the city. There's not too much of a view because we're on the second floor, but I can see the people down below walking around, doing their everyday things.