The Time Keeper Chronicles-Time Reborn

Chapter 11

Taia

My hands feel like they are on fire. I lace my fingers together pressing a double fist into my forehead. Arggh!! You are such a spazz Taia. I fall backwards into my pillow with a huff and puff. My Aunt was out, none the wiser to my escapades. I quickly said my goodbyes to Liam racing for my front door. He lingered in his SUV watching me as I struggled with the front door. I glanced over my shoulder briefly. His form was silhouetted in that sexy way one arm draped over the steering wheel the other lingering on the gear shift. He drove a 90's range rover in perfect condition. It looked like he pulled it straight from 1998. Crowded House played softly in the background as we drove.

I kept my gaze permanently fixed out the side window. My hands lay limp in my lap. That's when it happened. I must have fallen asleep because I swear it felt like Liam had reached over and held my hand. His finger's lacing through mine sending waves of warmth up my arm. My fingers squeezed back in response to his. I glanced out the corner of my eye at the world around us, we were in another place and time. My sandaled feet tap to the beat of the song crooning over the radio. It was the same one from this morning. Liam turns to me singing the lyrics as he pulls me to him. I slide easily across the vinyl bench seat my hip squashing into his. His free hand grips my side and he kisses my neck and face. A shrill giggle escapes my throat.

"Pay attention to the road! You're going to get us killed!"

"Unlikely." He growls seductively in my ear nibbling at my earlobes. I shriek again as shivers run through my body and I shake a chuckling Liam off of me.

"You know I don't like that!"

"Oh but you do." He laughs to himself but relents. His gaze focusing back on the road. I sigh and leaned into his warmth my head settling on his shoulder.

"How long do you think we can stay on this road before it ends?" I ask softly. Liam sighs to himself thinking about the answer.

"I think we could hit the coast."

"And then what? Drive off into the ocean?"

"We could get a boat and sail off into the ocean. Find a magical land."

"Again?"

"Haha, sure who says we can't?" Liam catches my lips again kissing me deeply and quickly.

"What was that for hot stuff?" A flush creeps to my face. I'm still amazed by how he can still make me blush.

"Nothin, just love ya I guess."

"Oh ok, just as long as you guess you do." He gives me a cheeky grin his fingers squeeze my hip, eyebrows wiggling up and down.

"I'll love you forever." His tone became serious and heart felt. I could feel it that spark hitting my chest. My hand wanders uncounsly to my chest gripping at my top. I was myself and yet a past self all at the same time. Am I dreaming right now? My eyes darted around the interior of the truck. It was older but newish a 1970's model maybe? I look up at the passengers side's mirror. It was me but different. My hair was long and parted down the middle with a slight flip along the edges. My fingers graze the hem of my shirt. It was a pilgrim style with a paisley print. I was wearing high waisted bell bottoms a crochet bag sat next to my sandaled feet.

"Taia- you okay?"

"What?" and I was back in the present on hand gripped my shirt tightly the other held Liam's hand. Oh kill me, how embarrassing! I let go of his hand and fiddle with my hair tucking the loose strands behind my ears with a deep sigh inward.

"Sorry, yeah I'm fine just a dream. I'm not putting the moves on you or anything." I say with and off handed tone while glancing into the side mirror. Could this get any worse.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Liam says with a proud smirk. Heat rises to my cheeks and I can't push it away. I pinch my lips together and remain silent. "Alright no more teasing I promise." He says with a content chuckle. Yeah right I mumble under my breath. Liam doesn't respond but I could feel an eyebrow twitch from his direction. So I'm pretty sure we both know what he was going to say.

The doorbell rang with a feverish intensity. I rolled out of bed with the comforter wrapped around me like a cacoon. I cracked the front door my foot attacking like a stopper.

"Why are you ghosting me!" Cindy stood with her hands on her hips decked out in sparkly going out gear. Oh, great.

"What do you want quarrelsome woman? Can't you see I'm in the middle of a Netflix binge?" I left the door open trudging back up the stairs to my room. Behind me Cindy's whined nasal whistle fingers flying across her phone's screen. I land face first into my bed.

"Taia come on get up! We've been waiting on you forever." Cindy flops over my legs trapping me against the bed.

"What are you talking about? Whose we?" My voice was muffled against the mattress. I was so warm and toasty, I don't think I never need to leave.

"Hey, hey get up come on you have to go. Mal is totally waiting on us." Cindy thumps my butt with the palm of her hand while pulling at my blanket.

"Back off! I'm not going." I growl back with such intensity I startled myself and Cindy. Cindy dropped the comforter her face flat. She tucks her phone into her back pocket arms folding defiantly. Uh oh, I think I crossed a line. I sat dejected in the nest of blankets.

"You know, you are being a really shitty girlfriend. Malick planned this whole party for you and you can't even bother to show up!" Uhhhh stop and rewind what the hell did she just say?!

"What the hell are you talking about? Malick and I are not going out. Now way! I don't even know the guy."

"Oh god you guys are such freaks! What are you fighting now? Are you mad that he didn't get the right cake? I told him you weren't into glitter." Cindy whips out her phone on the verge of sending an onslaught of texts to her new bestie Mal. Oh Hells bells.

"Wake up Cindy! Malick is not my boyfriend and there is no party."

"So you guys did break up? God, classy move break up with boyfriend on your birthday."

"It's not my-" oh wait...I think it was my birthday. I found my phone in a forgotten jacket pocket. The battery at a painful 5% battery. I left my phone on silent, attempting to block out reality. I looked at the date my birthday was tomorrow. Double damn. Another oh shit moment was noticing the blarily obvious backdrop of my phone. It was Malick and I squished together for a selfie. It was startling, bewildering, confounding, all things confusing! How is this possible? The expression on me face looked, well happy. I was caught between a giggle and a scream, my eyes sparkled with joy. I don't even remember the last time I looked that happy. Malick's face was nuzzled against my neck. Ruffled edges of coal black hair brush the top edge of his eyebrows, day old scruff graced his jaw. His mouth brushing the edge of my ear in an almost kiss, or was it a nibble? My hand subconsciously reaches for the side of my neck. Malick had been tickling me with his scruffy chin. He knew I was insanely ticklish, such a cheap trick. Malick had taken the photo of us at the last second. I was mad at him for springing it on me, but at the same time, I loved it. We just looked so happy. Happy, the two of us happy. How was this possible?