《In Your Time》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 "Merlyn, you need to make your steps quieter," I whispered to my best friend as we snuck through the hallways of my father''sb. My dad was a renowned scientists, and being bored one night during a sleepover, Merlyn and I decided to take a look since I''d never been before. It was juvenile, I know, but we were teenagers at the peak age of 17 years old. Merlyn and I had been friends forever. We would graduate next year and it was my first time seeing my dad''s workce. He was secretive about his work and Merlyn and I let our curiosity get the best of us. Of course, sleepover chatter was what got us on the subject in the first ce. "We cannot get caught," she whispered the obvious nervously. Merlyn, my crazy, petite, pink-haired best friend since elementary school. Just as she said that, we heard footsteps approaching. I opened the nearest door and rushed inside with Merlyn at my heels. We crotched under the window as the footsteps stopped right outside of the door. Merlyn held the door handle tightly just in case someone tried to open it. "Is it ready?" A deep voice asked. I felt my heart drop to my feet at the thought of getting caught. I knew where my dad worked my whole life, but he never allowed my toe visit. What was he working on that caused him to be so secretive? I briefly wondered if he was testing on animals. "We just need to active it for the test run. Of course, we don''t know what the consequences will be quite yet," I heard my dad answer. My eyes widened when I realized my dad was right above us on the other side of the wall. I was shaking, scared that we would be caught by the one person who I wanted to avoid. I mouthed ''my dad'' to Merlyn and her eyes went wide as she got nervous as well. "Well, that''s what the testing is for. We''ll take it easy for now. Start it up," the other voice replied. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Something in the room with us clicked to life as a whirring sound began. I looked behind me quickly to see something that looked like a giant infinity symbol with huge generators on either end. As the machine whirred to life, colors began spewing out of both ends. The wind in the room picked up causing me to slide towards the machine. Merlyn was still holding tightly to the door handle. "Hold on to something!" Merlyn yelled at me. The room was so loud, I only barely heard her. I didn''t have anything around me to hold on to as my ears felt like they were going to burst from the noise. The wind picked me up before I was pulled into the colors flowing between the machines. I saw the look of shock and horror on my dad''s face as he rushed to click something on his tablet, but it was toote. I was flying through the rainbow. I held on as long as I could, but the speed of my trip eventually made me pass out. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 I woke with a cough as I sat up slowly. It took a moment, but eventually, all the memories of what happened came flooding back to me. Even having the bruises to prove it, it still didn''t seem real. Now for the real question: what exactly happened? I sighed as I looked around. I had no idea where I was. A park, maybe? But it didn''t look like a park I knew. I stood hesitantly on shaky legs before falling back to the ground immediately. I felt weak. I clutched my chest as my breathing worsened. Whatever happened, it sure was taking a toll on my body. Did I teleport across the world or something? "Oh! Honey! Honey, there''s a girl here," someone yelled. I felt a pair of hands on me gently. I looked up to see a woman who looked to be in herte thirties. "Are you okay? Did something happen? Where are your parents?" The woman asked me. The man joined her to kneel beside me as he ced a hand on my forehead. I painted as I tried to catch my breath. "She''s burning up," the man said. He picked me up gently and they started walking with me. "Sweetie, what''s your name? Where are your parents?" The woman asked. "Phoenix Di, and I''m not sure," I answered shortly between pants. We ended up at a police station, but it didn''t look anything like the police stations where I lived. Even the people who brought me here were a bit off. People weren''t this nice where I was from. "Where am I?" I asked as my breathing started to calm down. "We''re at a police station in San Diego, California. My name is Elizabeth and this is my husband George," the woman answered. The woman turned to exin and give the police officer my name as the man sat me on the bench and handed me a paper cup with water in it. I drank it gratefully. The police officer looked up my information before looking at me curiously. "It says here that your parents Derek and Felicity Di are currently in Australia, and you''re eight years old," the officer said hesitantly. My eyes widened. I was at a loss for words. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "What year is it?" I asked hesitantly. "2017," the officer answered. "And I''m going to need to see your ID," the officer continued. Luckily, I still had my phone and wallet in my pockets thanks to the zippers on my jacket. I pulled out my ID and social security card to show them. It only confused them further. After making a few phone calls, the officer scratched his head even more confused. The entire time, the nice couple stayed with me. "I don''t really know what to do in this situation. You are Phoenix Di, you''re just the wrong age. You can stay here and we can try calling your parents in the morning when it''s an appropriate time over there," the officer concluded. A conversation I had with my father fora while ago popped into my head suddenly. "... something like time travel?" I asked. We were talking about the impossible. "Yes, something like that has been impossible even until now, although it''s been researched since earlier than the 1990s," He answered. "I would tell myself all the mistakes to avoid," I said before taking a bite my dinner. My father sighed before he shook his head. "There''s a time theory that meeting your past self our rtives can fundamentally alter the future. Something like telling someone their future, or using your knowledge to your advantage can create a butterfly effect that could potentially end the world or create ckholes," He answered. Now I knew that conversation was more than just table talk. My father really created a time machine. Which meant I had to avoid myself and my rtives. Luckily, they were in a different country. The couple beside me began whispering to each other before the wife looked back to the cop. "Does she have to stay here? My husband and I have a spare room she can stay in until her parents cane get her. It''s not like she''s an orphan. It wouldn''t be right to put her in the system just because her parents are out of country. Is that allowed?" The woman asked. The cop scratched his head in confusion again. "I''ve honestly never encountered a situation like this before, but the age on her ID is 17, so legally, it would be up to her," the cop answered. "Would that be okay with you?" The woman asked. There was so much sincerity in her eyes, and they had done the nice thing up until now. It didn''t feel unsafe. I nodded. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 "Okay," I agreed. The couple filled out some paperwork before we began walking slowly back to where Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. they parked their car. When we got in the car, the woman sat in the back with me and held my hand gently in hers. "Thank you... for helping me," I said into the silence. My body was throbbing in pain as I sat there. Elizabeth smiled at me sympathetically. "Of course, sweetie. So Phoenix, how did you end up in the park, if you don''t mind me asking. Are you okay?" She asked. I couldn''t very well tell her I identally time traveled here from the year 2026. "I don''t remember," I lied easily. I would fake amnesia if I had to, but no one could know the truth. Even if I didn¡¯t know anything else, I knew that much at least. "I''ll check on her when we get to the house. She doesn¡¯t seem to be in immediate danger," the man, George, offered. "Oh, my husband is a doctor," Elizabeth exined. I nodded thoughtfully. When we got to their house, George''s profession showed. The house was amazing. It was huge. Walking inside, the entire ce was spacious with an open floor n for the living room, dining room, and kitchen. Elizabeth showed me around, exining each room until we got upstairs. "This is our son, Braden''s room. He''s often kind of quiet so you won''t have to worry too much about him. And this will be your room," she said as she opened a room door. The room itself was spacious andfortable. It was warm and inviting. I wouldn¡¯t mind staying here at all. "Tomorrow, Ill take you shopping for some clothes. There''s an extra toothbrush in the bathroom already as well as soap, shampoo, and conditioner if you want to shower. I''ll give you a pair of my clothes for now. I don''t think they''ll fit well, but you can wear them as pajamas until I can get your own clothes cleaned," she offered. "Thank you. I don''t mean to put you through so much trouble," I smiled lightly. This couple was really going above and beyond to help me. They were the type of people we didn¡¯t really have in the future. Elizabeth smiled and waved me off. "It''s no trouble at all. I''ve always wanted a daughter, and while you''re here, I can pretend it''s true and do all the girls'' stuff with you," she smiled. She left before returning with a pajama set and towel for me. I walked down the hallway to the bathroom and took a shower with a grateful sigh. It felt nice and refreshing. I changed into the pajamas I was given and brushed my teeth before I stepped out of the bathroom while drying my hair with the towel. I almost immediately ran into someone. "Oh sorry. Oh," I said in realization. His face was oddly familiar. His strong jawline, those piercing blue eyes, and curly brown hair; I knew it. I''d seen it repeatedly before. In my phone... I dropped my towel as my hands covered my mouth in shock. It was Braden Park. The Braden Park! But the Braden Park I knew was the one from the future. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 "Who are you, and why are you in my house?" He deadpanned. "Phoenix! Braden! Dinner!" Elizabeth yelled from downstairs. I picked up my towel quickly and ran to throw it in my room before sprinting down the stairs. Elizabeth motioned me to a seat. A momentter, Braden came to sit at his seat. Elizabeth set the food on the table before sitting in her own seat. It was odd seeing a family eat dinner together. Normally, my dad would be at work and my mom would be out so I would have to fend for myself when it came to ordering something to eat. So this was the almighty Braden''s teenage years. "Braden, this is Phoenix Di. She''s a... daughter of a family friend. She''ll be staying with us for a while," Elizabeth said. I looked at her curiously. She couldn''t told the truth, but she probably wanted to preserve my self-pride. Either that, or she didn''t know how to exin my situation herself. "I assume your parents will be in Australia for a while regardless, so after tomorrow, we''ll enroll you in Braden''s school. Also, I''ll do that checkup after we finish eating here," George said to me. I nodded, unable to really say anything else. "She''s going to my school? Why?" Braden protested. "Because she''s not from here and we want to make sure she stays safe, so you have to help her out at school. Alright?" Elizabeth said in a sort of warning. "You''re going to fish all that money out for someone else''s daughter?" Braden asked as he raised an eyebrow at them. "It''s not like we can''t afford it. Plus, education is more important than your video games," Elizabeth snapped back at her son. Braden huffed a breath before digging into his food. "You wanted a daughter so badly, you stole someone else''s," he muttered under his breath.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. "Just eat your food," his mom sneered at him. "So Phoenix, What do your parents do?" George asked. "My dad is an astrophysicist, and my mom is a social... worker," I quickly corrected myself. I almost said social supervisor but that didn''t exist yet. My mom didn''t get that job until 2021. "I can see how they may be extremely busy," George nodded thoughtfully. "I thought she was a family friend. How is it that you don''t know what her parents do?" Braden asked suspiciously. "She''s my family friend. Your dad is learning about her just like you. All you need to know is that we''re trusting you to look after her when she enters your school," Elizabeth lied easily. After we finished dinner, I met with George in the living room. He gave me a full check up. He paused when he lifted the shirt on my back. "You''re all bruised up," he said hesitantly. "Does it have anything to do with what happened in the park?" He asked softly. "I-I don''t remember how I got there so I wouldn''t know," I lied. He sighed and had me stand before checking my abdomen as well. I had bruises all over my torso. George sighed before he put his stethoscope around his neck. "For now, I''ll give you some pain meds and we''ll have you ice it every night until it gets better. It''ll take some time," He said. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 "What the hell?" A voice said from the entrance of the living room. I quickly pulled my shirt down and stood. "I''ll head to bed now," I said to George,pletely flustered. "Grab the ice pack out of the freezer," George said. Braden followed me up the stairs. "Why do you look like you got beat up?" He asked. "I can''t remember even if I wanted to tell you," I sighed. "You don''t remember how you got bruises that bad?" He asked. I sighed again when I stopped at my door. I just wanted to get out of there. Having Braden Park pre-fame was nerve wrecking. "I was like this when your parents found me," I snapped. I only realized what I said after the fact. "They found you?" He asked. I closed my eyes briefly before I turned to face him. "Yes. I was lost in the park and your parents found me on their walk. My parents are in Australia and they recognized me, so they brought me back here," I covered. "Do you want to know? Those bruises look pretty serious," he asked. I shook my head. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. "I just want to ice this and go to bed," I sighed. Braden nodded before he went to his own room. I sighed and went into my room to ice my bruises and go to bed. *** The next morning, the Parks let me sleep in. After I got showered and changed, Elizabeth took me to the mall. She seemed really excited. I smiled just watching her. She really must''ve wanted a girl. She went around excitedly to the different stores picking out clothes for me. "Braden goes to a private school. I think that''s why he''s worried about you going. Kids there are different. I mean, you''ve met my son," she talked. "He''s going to be an exceptional person one day," I smiled lightly. "I think so too," she smiled and she swiped her card yet again. It was so weird when I saw it the first time. The fact that she even had a card was amazing. I''d heard about them, but in 2026, everything could be essed by phone, including restaurant menus. It was as easy as sending a text to the kitchen. "I know it''s rough to ask you to go to school in this situation, but if you get into a normal routine, things will feel easier," she exined. I nodded. "I think normal routine would be good for me too. I got ahold of my parentstest night and they''re not sure when they''ll be able to make it back. They said it''ll be a while and asked if they could trouble you a bit longer," I lied. I knew trying to find a way back to my own time would take a while, but as long as I was an orphan, the Parks would worry. "It''s no trouble! We''re not hurting for anything, and already enrolling you in school anyway. And plus, I''ve always wanted a daughter and now I think my wish ising true! Just think of me as your second mom. You could even call me that if you wanted," she smiled happily. I smiled as I nodded. We went around to the different shops before Elizabeth took me to a special shop to get my school uniforms. By the time we got back to the house, we''d been out the whole day. Braden was sitting on the couch on his phone when we got inside. He looked at the two of us before looking back to his phone. "Ma, you sure do spend a lot of money on a kid that''s not yours," he muttered. "Starting today, I''m adopting Phoenix. She''s my daughter now. Well, my second after you," Elizabeth said as she stuck her tongue out at Braden. "Mom," he said quickly as he set his phone down. Sheughed before pulling me up the stairs with all the bags. She helped me put it all away before setting my uniform out for me. The navy skirt, white button up, and red zer looked nice together. It was also my first time seeing a school uniform in person. "I''ll wake you up for school in the morning and go down to finish up your registration," she offered. "Thanks, Mom," I said absentmindedly. She paused before she smiled and hugged me tightly. "I love having you around," she said happily. "If anyone at school questions who you are tomorrow, just say that you''re Braden''s fianc¨¦," she said before she left the room. "Okay," I smiled back absentmindedly before the words registered in my brain. I quickly turned and looked at the door she disappeared through. "Wait, what?" Chapter 6 Chapter 6 The next morning, I dressed in my uniform and applied a little makeup before putting loose curls in my hair. If what Elizabeth said yesterday was true, I would have to look my best. Apparently, private school kids were ruthless. I finished with my white Keds before going down for breakfast. Braden was already eating at the table. "You look... different," Braden noted. I only nodded once before grabbing a piece of toast. "Oh and if anyone asks about Phoenix today, she''s your fianc¨¦," Elizabeth said as she ced a te of eggs on the table. I stopped chewing as my eyes shot to her. I had no idea what she was nning, but I guessed she wasn''t kiddingst night. Braden shot up and red at his mother. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "Mom! No one would believe that anyway. Why do you always take things to the extreme?" He ranted. She only waved him off. Elizabeth was the textbook definition of a cool mom, but this was very old school. It was almost like the arranged marriages I only read about in books. "It''ll be fine. That way no one will mess with her. I can''t just trust you to protect her, can I?" She said as she raised an eyebrow at him. I was beginning to understand. She didn''t think Braden would help, so she set in a fail safe by title. "I can! I will!" He promised quickly. She smiled suddenly. "Then no one needs to know, unless you can''t protect her. Got it?" She threatened. He sighed and sat back down as he nodded. "I got it," he said in defeat. "Let''s go, or we''re going to bete," she said. I ate a few more bites quickly before following them to the car. Elizabeth drove before parking at the school. Braden mumbles a goodbye before we headed to the office. After all the paperwork was filled out, I was headed a piece of paper and some books. It was crazy to see stuff being printed. Everything in the future had a scan code that led you to what you needed online. The paper was my schedule. Elizabeth smiled at me as we stood in the middle of the empty hallway. "Have a good day at school. Ask Braden if you need anything and call me if anything happens," she said as she hugged me before she left. I didn''t know where anything was, or how this school even worked, but I was left to fend for myself. I knew Braden wouldn''t actually help me. I didn''t want to embarrass him either. I finally saw another student and asked for directions. That''s how I spent most of my day. I''d ask the nearest person about the next ss and so forth until lunch. I went to the same schools with the same friends since elementary so it was a little awkward walking into the cafeteria and not knowing anyone. Furthermore, at my school in the future, machines did everything and chain restaurants were served at lunch. Here the students seemed to be queued in different lines and there was no machine. I stared at the cafeteria nkly for a moment before trying to fond someone I could ask. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 "Never seen a cafeteria before?" A voice asked. I looked over to see Braden. I shook my head slowly. "Not like this. What do I do?" I asked, as I started to panic slightly. "Go get in line for food," he said like it was the most obvious answer in the world. He saw the panic in my eyes and sighed. "Just follow me and do what I do," he finally gave in. I did exactly that. I even ordered the same food as him. At the end of the line, he looked at me and sighed before paying for my meal too. I held my tray as I followed him through the seating area. "I doubt my mom remembered to give you money for lunch," he exined. I only nodded. He was right; I didn''t have money. He sat at a table and I put my tray down next to him. "Braden... someone followed you back to the table," a girl said as she eyed me in irritation. Braden must''ve been popr in school. The girl was pretty. She had skin that was perfectly tan, brown eyes and long brown hair. Her features were those of a model. "I know. I invited her. Today is her first day here. Say hi to Phoenix," he introduced me. And here I thought he would pretend he didn''t know me. "Hi," I waved shyly. The girl who eyed me suddenly smiled a huge fake smile. "What an unusual name. I''m Nevaeh," she said as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. I couldn''t help the chuckle that escaped me. She said my name was unusual but at least it wasn''t a failed attempt at trying to be ''unique''. "I''m Bryce," a guy said quickly as Naveah opened her mouth to speak again. "Josh," another guy introduced himself. "Heather," another girl smiled at me. I learned quickly that Braden seemed to surround himself with good looking people. They were all gorgeous. "How did you meet this girl anyway?" Nevaeh asked. "Family friend. She''s staying with us while her parents are in Australia," Braden answered honestly. I guess the threat of being called his fianc¨¦ was great enough that he was too scared to lie. I fully believed Elizabeth would do it too. "She''s living with you?" Nevaeh asked in shock. "Yeah, and my mother loves her, so don''t mess with her and get me in trouble," he warned them. Josh chuckled as he shook his head. "Your mom is cool though," he said with an amused smile. Braden sighed before he nced at me. "Go ahead and eat," he said as he nodded to my te. I nodded before taking a bite. It wasn''t bad. I listened to the rest of the table talk amongst each other, but I didn''t really participate. There wasn''t This is from N?velDrama.Org. much I could offer anyway. I could identally slip up and say something I wasn''t supposed to, so I thought it best to just not say anything at all. "What''s your next ss?" Braden asked as the bell rang. I referenced my schedule as I walked with him out of the cafeteria. "Gym?" I answered unsurely. "I have gym too," he said. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Gym was not at all how I envisioned it to be. After changing into the school''s specific gym uniform, we filed on to a indoor basketball court and awaited instruction. The gym teacher ended up giving us freedom to y with the supplied balls. There were basketballs, ser balls and volleyballs. I chose a Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. volleyball and hit it in a small group of people I hadn''t met yet. "The is up. Want to y a round?" Nevaeh asked me as she held a volleyball under her arm. I shrugged. "Sure, why not?" I agreed. We were only here to pass time anyway. We volleyed back and forth a bit. I was actually pretty good at it, so I held my own. "Watch out!" Someone yelled from across the gym. I was so focused on the match I had going with Nevaeh that I noticed toote that the ball wasing straight for me. I felt a hand on my waist before I was pulled into someone''s chest. I heard the ball make contact, but thankfully, it wasn''t with me. Looking up, I saw Braden holding on to me tightly. After things calmed down a bit, he finally let go to look me over. "Thanks," I muttered timidly. "You''re already bruised up. Be careful. My mom would kill me if you got hurt on your first day at school," he said quietly before he walked away. I couldn''t help the smile that made its way to my face. Braden acted cold and aloof, but he was more caring than what he let on to be. In that sense, he was a lot like his parents, and a lot like his future self. After gym, I continued following the schedule to the rest of my sses. Finally, we were released to go home. I was absolutely exhausted as I stumbled into the house. It was the most walking I''d done in a while. At my school in the future, the teachers changed ssrooms while the students stayed in the ss. I copsed on the couch and closed my eyes. "Thanks for your help today. I''ll be sure to put in a good word with your mom. But I wouldn''t have ratted you out if you chose to ignore me all day either," I said to Braden before he left. I opened my eyes to see him pause before turning to face me again. "Even though you wouldn''t have said anything, she has her own ways of finding things out. It''s better to just y along with her instead of trying to sneak around it. My mom always follows through on her threats," Braden exined. I sighed and sunk deeper into the couch. Braden sighed before he came and sat near me on the couch. "You seem to not remember a lot," he noted. "I remember some things, but daily life is hard. I don''t remember how school worked, but I remember math," I said the partial truth. "And you remember your family," he reminded me. "I remember some details, like what they do, but my actually childhood is fuzzy," I said. That was the truth. I didn''t remember much from my childhood. I only remembered things from age twelve and up. I looked at him curiously. "Why are you being nice to me?" I asked. He stood quickly. "I''m just curious. You dide out of nowhere," he said before he cleared his throat and left. I smiled slightly before going to the kitchen to get a snack. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 It was a while before Elizabeth was home. Of course she wanted to know all about my first day of school. I told her all about it. I even included what Braden did for me. She was over the moon about it. After changing into morefortable clothes, I went downstairs to help Elizabeth cook. George finally came home while we were still cooking. After the food was ready, we had dinner together. Elizabeth was so happy about Braden helping me, that he got an extra serving of meat and dessert. "I''m d you''re actually helping Phoenix at school, but if anyone asks, I''m still telling them that she''s my daughter-inw," Elizabeth threatened sweetly. This is from N?velDrama.Org. "Mom!" Braden protested. "What? Do you have a girlfriend I don''t know about?" Elizabeth questioned. Braden sighed before slumping in defeat. "No," he answered. "Is there another girl you like?" Elizabeth asked. Braden shook his head as his eyes went to the table. "Then I don''t see why Phoenix can''t be my daughter-inw," Elizabeth concludes. George ate his food quietly as my cheeks heated. I noticed that George normally didn''t get involved. All the bickering happened between Braden and Elizabeth. He normally just sat back and watched them, or ignored them. Still, it was kind of embarrassing that Elizabeth was shipping us so hard. Honestly, I think she just wanted to see Braden in a rtionship. She told me when we went shopping that she''d only met one of Braden''s friends. He seemed pretty popr at school, but those all seemed like shallow friendships. Shallow Friendships was the name of one of his songs on his debut album... I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand as the thought hit me. Braden wrote all the music by himself on his debut album, and Shallow Friendships was one of the more popr songs. "Mom... why are you trying to marry off your teenage son?" Braden''s words pulled me out of my thoughts. He was still going back and forth with his mother. "Because I worry about you," she said dramatically. I could tell she was being sarcastic, but it felt like there was some truth behind her words. She worried about her son and whether or not, he was meeting good people and thinking about his future. I wouldn''t put it past Elizabeth to give the stereotypical "grandchildren" line. "Have you given any thought to what you want to do after high school?" George finally spoke up. I spooked slightly, as his voice reminded me he was still there. "I don''t know yet," he answered unsurely. "Make amazing music," I smiled absentmindedly at the same time. The family paused as they looked at me. I watched their faces as I tried to read them. It was something I shouldn''t have said out loud. It was a fact from the future that I shouldn''t have revealed. I was having a hard time keeping my mouth shut. If I didn''t figure out how to keep the future a secret, there would be no future to go back to. "How did you know I was into music?" Braden asked. Iughed awkwardly and set my fork down. "Isn''t it every teenager boys'' dream to be a rockstar?" I asked. Braden shook his head as he watched me carefully. "Not at all. Teenage boys my age are thinking about college admissions and what they really want to study," Braden debunked myment. "Well, you should do what you''re passionate about. Who knows? It may just pay off," I said vaguely. I really hoped I got away with that one. Although, Braden''s calcting face said otherwise. Elizabeth went back to picking on Braden and I hoped myment was forgotten. After dinner, I went up to shower and get ready for bed. I was exhausted. Trying to relearn everything I thought I knew was tiring. On my way back to my room from the bathroom, I ran into Braden again. "How did you know about me wanting to peruse music? Really?" He asked. I stopped in my tracks as I took a deep breath before facing him. "All I can tell you is that you should keep at it. I bet you''re amazing," I smiled lightly before running into my room. After I finished getting ready and iced my bruises, I went straight to sleep. Hopefully school wouldn''t exhaust me as much tomorrow. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 It didn''t take long to find out who didn''t like me at school. Within the first few sses, I was tripped, I had crumbled papers thrown at me, and I was whispered about. Apparently, Elizabeth was right: private school kids were jerks. The icing on the cake was when I was constantLy being bumped into as I waited for Braden at the entrance of the cafeteria. He smirked slightly when he saw me. "You look a mess," he said bluntly. I sighed as I followed him through the line. "I have no idea what I''ve done to offend everyone. The day has already been longer and more difficult than necessary," I replied. We sat at the table and ate our food. I was too tired to try and join the conversations, so I ate quietly as I minded my own business. It wasn''t even a full ten minutes into eating when I felt something wet fall on my head. I gasped and stood quickly as fruit punch ran over my hair and clothes. I looked to around and saw two girls smirking back at me. "Oops. My bad. I wasn''t watching where I was going," one of the girls said insincerely. Braden stood quickly to stand in front of me. "It was obvious you did it on purpose. Apologize, now," he said heatedly. The whole cafeteria went quiet as they watched the exchange. "What''s the big deal? She''s a schrship kid, is she not? Why are you defending her?" The other girl asked as she rolled her eyes. "Because shes not a schrship kid; she''s my fianc¨¦!" Braden yelled in anger. My eyes widened as I stared at him in shock. Those words came out of his own mouth. He didn''t give himself time to think about it as he turned to me. "Are you okay?" He asked. He didn''t even give me time to answer before he dragged me out of the cafeteria. I followed obediently, still shocked at his outburst. He didn''t stop until we were near the front office. He pulled out his phone and quickly made a call. "Mom, can youe pick us up?" He asked while holding the phone to his ear with his other hand on his hip. There was a pause before he sighed. "It''s tooplicated to exin over the phone. Juste to the school and bring towels," he said before he hung up. He turned back to me after taking a deep breath. "Are you okay?" He asked again. I nodded hesitantly. He paced for a moment. The more he thought, the angrier he got. "Is this why your day has been tiring? Have kids been picking on you all day?" He asked. I hesitated and looked to my feet as I nodded. He sighed as he crossed his arms. "Braden... I''m okay, really," I tried to convince him. He didn''t look like he was buying it. "But why did you defend me?" I asked curiously. He sighed as his anger started to melt away. "Because even though you were apparently just taking shots in the dark and you''ve never heard me sing, you''re the only person who''s told me I can do it. And that... it means a lot to me," he exined honestly. He nced at me before taking off his cardigan and putting it over my shoulders. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "Thanks," I said softly. I didn''t know how else to respond. He was being so sweet. It was unlike how he was when we first met, yet it was so like his future self. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 We didn''t have to wait long before Elizabeth pulled up and jumped out of the car. It was kind of endearing seeing her so frantic over me. I felt less alone under her care. "What happened?" She asked worried as she put a towel over my hair. Braden sighed as he stuck his hands in his pockets. "Everyone knows that you want a daughter-inw," he said simply. Elizabeth stopped fussing over me to look at Braden. "You imed Phoenix as your fianc¨¦?" She asked in shock. Braden sighed and started walking towards This is from N?velDrama.Org. the car. Elizabeth and I followed. "It happened that way. Kids were picking on her and I knew you would kill me if it continued," Braden brushed it off. He was very nonchnt now, but earlier, he was legitimately mad about it. I guess he didn''t want to encourage his mom in letting her know he actually cared. We got in the car and Elizabeth pestered Braden about the details the entire way. He was only able to breath again when we got to the house. Elizabeth took my clothes from me as I took a shower to wash the sticky fruit punch out of my hair. When I got back to my room, Braden was waiting by the door. I walked past him into my room and left the door open for him. "Don''t worry. I won''t tell your mom you actually cared," I smirked at him as I sat on my bed. He sat on the edge of my vanity facing me, but his legs were so long, it looked more like he was just leaning on it. "Thanks," he chuckled. "So what do we do about school now? I''m going to have to figure out a way to survive there until I can go back," I said absentmindedly. "Go back where?" Braden asked. "To my parents," I lied quickly. Braden sighed as he looked at the ceiling. "Well, everyone thinks you''re my fianc¨¦, so they''ll leave you alone for now. The problem is that we''ll have to convince them it''s true," he thought out loud. "What do we do to convince them?" I asked. "Act like a couple, I guess. If I act indifferent towards you, they''ll still mess with you behind my back. So we''ll have to convince everyone it''s true, at least until this all blows over. I''ll try to find you at your locker in between sses, and walk with you around school. We already eat together at lunch so that''s taken care of. Oh, and social media. Let me see your phone," he listed off. I had my phone with me, but the problem was that it wasn''t from this year. It was my phone from 2026. "I-I don''t have one," I said quickly. Braden raised an eyebrow at me as he tried to process what I said. "How have you survived without a cell phone?" He asked. "I had one but I think I lost it in the park," I lied. "I''m sure my mom will be more than happy to buy you a new one," Braden scoffed as he stood. "She loves you more than me anyway," he added. He left my room to look for his mom. I was having a hard time not opening my mouth and just telling him everything. He was so easy to talk to that I sometimes forgot that I was supposed to be keeping secrets. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 I walked into school the next day with Braden walking beside me and a sleek new phone in my pocket. Elizabeth bought me the phone immediately and Braden showed me how to work it. At the moment, the only numbers I had in my phone were the numbers of the Parks. The school atmosphere was different after Braden''s promation. Eyes darted our way as we walked to my locker. It was a little unnerving. I sighed as I opened my locker and grabbed a book I needed as Braden leaned against the lockers beside me. "Everyone is staring at us," I muttered to Braden. He smirked and took my book from me. "They just want to know if it''s true or not. Let''s go," he motioned o the hallway. I nodded before I walked with Braden to my first ss. He walked with me to all of my sses and waited for me at the entrance of the cafeteria during lunch. By the time we got to the table, the eyes hadn''t stopped. "Soo, are you guys like the official couple of Saint James now?" Josh asked awkwardly. "I don''t think we''re the official couple or anything. Just another couple," Braden answered. "But when did this happen. You two aren''t even affectionate. You don''t act like a real couple at all," Navaehined. "It was arranged by my mom so I''m still getting to know Phoenix myself, but that doesn''t change the fact that no one should mess with her. If they do, they''ll have to answer to me," Braden exined. I ate my food quietly. "So you actually like her?" Navaeh asked. "Yes, which means that she''s off limits," Braden answered automatically. I knew it was a lie to protect me, but still... "So I guess that does make you the official couple of Saint James. But I think we''ll need a kiss from the couple to make it official," Bryce joked. "Fuck off, Bryce," Braden dismisses him. "If you don''t kiss her, I will," Bryce teased. Braden didn''t give him time to act. He grabbed my cheeks between his hands and pecked my lips quickly. "There, happy?" Braden said before turning back to his food. I cleared my throat as I stared intently at my food. I was hoping that no one noticed my red face. It took me by surprise. I didn''t think he would actually kiss me. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. "I''m happy," Bryce chuckled. "I''m not," Nevaeh gave her two cents. I spent the rest of lunch trying not to draw attention to myself before it was time to go to gym. I walked through then hallway with Braden as he tried to avoid looking at me. "Oh right, how are your bruises healing up?" He asked to fill the awkward air. "Slowly. They were pretty bad," I answered. A silence fell over us again as the conversation attempt failed. "You didn''t have to do that... in the cafeteria. I think he was just messing with you," I finally said. Braden sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets. The situation made us both feel awkward. It was obvious that he did it on impulse, without thinking. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 "But if he did actually kiss you, no one would take me seriously, and kids would start picking on you again. It was better to be safe rather than sorry," Braden exined. I nodded in understanding. If Bryce kissed me instead of Braden, it would be the equivalent to an open invitation. It would tell everyone that Braden didn''t care what happened to me. We finally got to the gym and I changed quickly before grouping in with everyone else as we waited for instructions. Today we were ying dodgeball. The name was pretty self-exnatory. We divided into two teams and went over the rules before the game began. It was fun, until I started to feel weak. I was sweating more than I should''ve been, and my breathing was staggered. I rested my hands on my knees as I tried to shake off my hazy vision. While I wasn''t paying attention to the game, a ball came flying and hit me in the head. I quickly lost consciousness after that. Suddenly, I was surrounded by the colors that sucked me into the past. Through the blur of the colors, I saw my dad with a team of eight to ten people working tirelessly on charts and graphs as they stared straight at me, but I don''t think they actually saw me, just the colors. "We have to get my daughter back," my dad said with determination. There was a spark before the colors began to fade and I was pulled back into a darkness. I sat up quickly as I panted. Looking around, I was unfamiliar with my surroundings, but I was sure on one thing. "I went back. He''s trying to bring me back," I said in realization. Maybe I was already back in my own time somewhere. "Phoenix, are you okay?" Someone asked as they touched my arm. I looked over and saw Braden. I sighed and carefullyid back down. "I''m fine, just feeling a little faint," I answered. He looked worried.This is from N?velDrama.Org. "You passed out while we were ying dodgeball. A ball hit you in the head while you were taking a break, but it looked like you were going to go down before then," he exined. I nodded slowly before closing my eyes. After being in the nurse''s office for a while, taking medicine and getting my vitals checked, I was free to go back to my sses. I couldn''t stop thinking about what I saw. Maybe the real reason I passed out was because my dad was working on bringing me back and it almost worked. But towards the end, something sparked, breaking the machine. It would probably take a while to fix something thatplicated. I sighed and covered my face with my hands. If that''s how it was going to happen, it meant I would suddenly disappear from this year. How would I exin that to the Parks? What if I disappeared in front of them? I would have to hide to keep them from seeing the truth, but I already loved them all as my own family. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 By the time Braden and I got home, I was drained. Being briefly pulled back to the future really did a number on me. Elizabeth dropped us off at the house before going to run errands. The first thing I did was go to my room, change out of my school uniform, and check my bruises. My suspicions were correct. They looked worse than before and my ribs ached. Hopefully there would be some time before the next pull or I was going to break a rib at this rate. I hissed one a breath as I poked at my ribs. "Shit, when did that happen?" I heard from my doorway. I looked over to see Braden standing there looking at my exposed torso. I quickly pulled my shirt back down. "It''s nothing," I lied. I knew I didn''t have a valid excuse to exin where the bruises kepting from. No one was beating me up, and I couldn''t say that I got the bruises from time traveling. Braden walked into my room and lifted my shirt slightly to look at my back. "How did it get worse?" He asked. I lowered my shirt and took a step away from him. "You don''t need to concern yourself with this," I snapped at him. I was frustrated. Braden managed to catch and see everything I was trying to hide. He stopped and watched my quietly. It was a moment before he sighed and grabbed my arm. "Come with me," he said as he dragged me out. "Why? Where are we going?" I asked as I tried to pull my wrist out of his hand. It was a futile attempt. He didn''t say anything more as brought me to his room and sat me on his bed before he disappeared. When he finally came back, he was holding a few gel ice packs. He set one on the bed beforeying my back on it and cing one on my stomach. Iid there quietly as he went to sit in aputer chair. I couldn''t help but notice the guitar in the corner. This is from N?velDrama.Org. "Can I hear something?" I asked. He looked at me confused before noticing where my gaze was directed. "As my one and only supporter, I guess it''s only fair," he said as he picked it up and sat back in his chair. He strummed a few chords before doing a cover of a song from this year. His voice was crystal clear and beautiful like it was in the future too. I closed my eyes with a smile as I listened to the whole song. I couldn''t help but to enjoy my own private concert from a soon-to-be international superstar. When he yed thest chord, I moved the ice away and sat up. "You have an incredible voice. I think it''ll take you far," I smiled at him. He sighed before putting his guitar back. "I don''t know. I tried the talent showst year and didn''t even ce. I think I''ll just study medicine like my dad. At least it''s a stable and reliable job for my future," he said disheartened. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 "You can''t! You were meant to be a singer. Do you know how many awards you win-" I stopped, barely catching myself as I stood. "How many awards you could win with a voice as good as yours?" I covered. He smiled lightly and sat me back down on his bed before he leveled with me. "Singing is a pipe dream for me, but it makes me feel better seeing you get so worked up about it. Thanks," he smiled. I felt my face heat up and knew I was blushing. I averted my eyes to myp. "It''s just... you''re really good, so you shouldn''t give up. It''ll work out in your favor. I can promise you that," I said as I finally met his eyes. He touched the tip of my nose gently before he sat back down in his chair. "You''re a girl covered in mystery, you know that? You seem to know a lot, but nothing at all at the same time. How did you end up in Cali if your parents are in Australia anyway?" He asked. "There was an ident. That''s all I remember. I don''t remember the how or why, but just that it was an ident of some kind," I answered vaguely. "Well, we are engaged after all, so I should probably know something about you," he sighed. Most of the facts about me had to do with the future so I tried to keep it simple. "My favorite color is blue. My favorite food is Chinese. I keep quiet when I can''t process a situation or don''t know what to say, but I''m not necessarily shy," I started. "You seem kind of shy to me. At least, at school you do," Braden said. I couldn''t very well tell him that I kept my mouth shut to keep from saying something I wasn''t supposed to. "I just... try to mind my words carefully," I said honestly. "What are you scared of?" Braden asked curiously. "Ruining everything," I admitted. "You say that like there''s a n," he teased. "My n is to survive while I have to," I said truthfully. Braden digested my words before he stood. "Want to watch a movie?" He asked. I nodded, grateful for the change in conversation. He clicked around on hisptop before a screen appeared on the wall in front of his bed. Looking up, there was some sort of projector attached to the ceiling. Braden moved me to the far side of his bed before propping me up on a pillow and recing the ice packs on my back and ribs. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. "If you don''t ice it, it''ll never get better," he exined. He sat next to me as the movie started. It was something I hadn''t seen before, but it looked interesting. I didn''t understand the culture norms of this year, but watching movies was a great idea to try and figure it out. I used the movies to study this time. We watched about six hours worth of movies before I couldn''t keep my eyes open anymore. I fell asleep exhausted. I didn''t even care that I was still in Braden''s room. Chapter 16 (Braden) Chapter 16 (Braden) *Braden''s POV* Phoenix. The girl from nowhere. The details of how she ended up in my life were still fuzzy, but one thing I knew is that I wanted to Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. protect her. She seemed like a lost and scared puppy. When I mom first brought her home, I thought it was a joke, but she really didn''t know anything. I could see how my mom would feel sympathetic towards her. She was kind of cute, lost, and pitiful, but she still tried to act tough. When the kids at school were picking on her, I couldn''t help myself. For someone already as helpless as Phoenix, she was too easy of a target. I knew I made things awkward when I kissed her at lunch, but I didn''t care. If one peck was all it took to make people leave her alone, I would do it. When dodgeball popped up as out activity in gym, I dreaded it. It was almost like giving these kids a free pass to pelt whoever they didn''t like, and I knew Phoenix was at the top of a lot of people''s lists. Unfortunately, we were on different teams. No matter how hard I tried to switch teams, it didn''t work. I kept an eye on her during the game. She was doing okay, before something weird started happening. It looked like she went almost transparent. I could see straight through her as she bent over. You wouldn''t notice if you weren''t really looking. For a second, I thought it was a figment of my imagination. I started making my way to her when a ball whizzed past me and hit her in the head. Her eyes closed as she crumbled. I ran over and shook her gently. "Phoenix. Phoenix, wake up!" I said. I couldn''t help it. I was worried. The coach stopped the game as I cradled her in my arms. "I''m going to take her to the nurse," I said quickly before running through the halls to the nurses office. By the time I got her on a bed in the office, she had broken out in a cold sweat. I covered her with a nket as the nurse put a coldpress on her head before she left. All I could do was watch and wait. Phoenix looked troubled as she tossed and turned. "Dad," she muttered in her sleep. She went transparent again before she disappearedpletely for a millisecond. It had to be my eyes ying tricks on me, but when I looked again, she was on top of the she winced. She muttered something about going back. She looked confused. I was confused too. But whatever was happening to her, it didn''t go unnoticed that she was trying hard to hide it. For now, I didn''t even know what was happening, so I decided not to mention it. "Phoenix, are you okay?" I asked hesitantly as I touched her arm gently. She seemed to still be in one piece at the moment. She looked at me before sighing andying back down. She almost looked disappointed as she realized where she was. "I''m fine, just feeling a little faint," she replied. "You passed out while we were ying dodgeball. A ball hit you in the head while you were taking a break, but it looked like you were going to go down before then," I exined, still watching her carefully. She nodded before closing her eyes. After the nurse checked her again, we were free to go back to ss. When she stood, the coldpress and nket were stillying on the bed. She really did disappear for a moment. But where did she go? I couldn''t stop thinking about it as I went through my sses. It didn''t make sense for a whole person to just disappear into thin air. Phoenix was mysterious from the start, but this was insane. If I tried asking anyone, I would be sent to a mental institution. After my mom dropped us off at the house, I changed into morefortable clothes. Now would be a good time to try and pick Phoenix''s brain while we were alone. I went to her room and found the door wide open. I was about to alert her to my presence when I saw what she was doing. Her shirt was raised to expose her bruises. She was almostpletely ck and blue. It looked painful. And it certainly looked like it wasn''t getting any better. Maybe it happened when she briefly disappeared. "Shit, when did that happen?" I asked before I could stop myself. She blushed and dropped her shirt quickly. "It''s nothing," She said quickly. It sure didn''t look like nothing. I walked further into her room and lifted her shirt slightly to look at her back. "How did it get worse?" I asked out loud as I tried to examine it. She lowered her shirt and backed away from me defensively. "You don''t need to concern yourself with this," she yelled. I could see she felt like I had pressed her into a corner. She couldn''t exin, and I was making it worse by pestering her. I sighed and gave up on an exnation as I grabbed her arm. "Come with me," I said as I dragged her out. Chapter 17 (Braden) Chapter 17 (Braden) *Braden¡¯s POV* "Why? Where are we going?" She asked as she struggled against me. It was pointless. I was a lot stronger than her. I brought her to my room and sat her on my bed before going down to the kitchen to grab ice packs for her. It''s fine if she didn''t want to exin, but her bruises needed attention. I set her up to ice her stomach and back at the same time before sitting in myputer chair. She was quiet for a moment as sheid there withoutining. "Can I hear something?" She asked. I was lost before I noticed her staring at my guitar. I smiled lightly before picking it up to check if it was in tune. "As my one and only supporter, I guess it''s only fair," I said before I sat back down. I yed my guitar as I sang a song that had recentlye out. As I yed, I gauged Phoenix''s reaction. She smiled and enjoyed the song like it was her millionth time hearing me sing. She lookedfortable and at peace. She sat up as I finished. "You have an incredible voice. I think it''ll take you far," she smiled. I put my guitar back with a sigh. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. "I don''t know. I tried the talent showst year and didn''t even ce. I think I''ll just study medicine like my dad. At least it''s a stable and reliable job for my future," I said, revealing my innermost thoughts. She stood quickly. "You can''t! You were meant to be a singer. Do you know how many awards you win-" she stopped, and nced at me before calming down a hair. "How many awards you could win with a voice as good as yours?" She said, changing her sentence. I smiled lightly and sat her back down on the bed before crouching to meet her eye. "Singing is a pipe dream for me, but it makes me feel better seeing you get so worked up about it. Thanks," I said honestly. She blushed and averted her eyes as she fiddled with her hands. "It''s just... you''re really good, so you shouldn''t give up. It''ll work out in your favor. I can promise you that," she said with determination. She said it as if she''d already seen ite to fruition. I touched the tip of her nose gently before I sat back down. She was adorable. "You''re a girl covered in mystery, you know that? You seem to know a lot, but nothing at all at the same time. How did you end up in Cali if your parents are in Australia anyway?" I tried. The way she was so sure about my singing had me curious. "There was an ident. That''s all I remember. I don''t remember the how or why, but just that it was an ident of some kind," she answered vaguely. The more I got to know her the more it didn''t make any sense. Maybe I should try to get to know her better. At some point, the puzzle pieces had to fit. "Well, we are engaged after all, so I should probably know something about you," I attempted nonchntly. She hesitated. "My favorite color is blue. My favorite food is Chinese. I keep quiet when I can''t process a situation or don''t know what to say, but I''m not necessarily shy," she eventually gave in. "You seem kind of shy to me. At least, at school you do," I noted. She hesitated as she thought to herself for a moment. "I just... try to mind my words carefully," she answered cautiously. "What are you scared of?" I asked, pushing my luck. "Ruining everything," she said honestly. Her answers only left me even more confused. "You say that like there''s a n," I pushed. "My n is to survive while I have to," she said truthfully. I couldn''t make sense of her. Everything she said was counterintuitive. "Want to watch a movie?" I asked, changing the subject. I was already pushing too hard. I set up a movie on the projector before I sat next to her on the bed. I put the ice packs back on her before I rxed. "If you don''t ice it, it''ll never get better," I said. After a few movies, I felt pressure on my shoulder. Looking over, Phoenix fell asleep. She was knocked out cold. My door opened and my mom walked in. She looked ready to say something but I put a finger to my mouth. She saw Phoenix before she nodded. "What were y''all up to?" She whispered to me. "We we''re watching movies. She''s had a long day so she fell asleep," I whispered back. "Did anything happen?" My mom asked. I nodded before I sighed. "She passed out during gym," I answered. "Why didn''t you tell me?!" My mom said, raising her voice. I shushed her again before I found myself looking at Phoenix''s sleeping figure. "I didn''t want to worry you. She''s fine now," I exined. My mom sighed before she smiled lightly. "Thank you for taking care of her. I know I''m asking a lot from you, but I can''t help but to worry about her," my mom said softly. I worried about her too. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 *Phoenix''s POV* I woke feeling groggy. It was a moment before I realized I was sleeping in Braden''s bed. I sat up quickly and winced as my ribs began to throb. "Take it easy before you crack a rib," Braden said as he draped his towel over the back of his chair. This is from N?velDrama.Org. "What time is it?" I asked. He nced at his watch before he sat in his chair. "It''s about noon," he answered. My eyes widened before I shot up quickly. "Why didn''t you wake me! We have to get ready for school," I said quickly. Braden onlyughed at me. "It''s Saturday," he said like that exined everything. "And?" I asked confused. "We don''t have to go to school on the weekends," he exined. I sighed and sat back down on his bed. I''m pretty sure I hurt myself when I got up too quickly. I held my side gently as I rxed. Braden came closer as he watched my face. I closed my eyes to try and hold in how much pain I was in. "What''s wrong? Did you hurt yourself?" He asked. I sighed and opened my eyes. I put a fake smile on my face as I sat up a little more. "I''m fine," I lied. Braden sighed and gave me a look that said he saw through my bullshit. "You''re not fine," he said. I dropped the fake smile before Iid back down. "I''ll be fine after a while," I tried to reason with him. "You''re really starting to scare me," he said softly. I didn''t know how to respond so I settled for trying to give him a reassuring smile. I guess I scared him so much that he actually started to worry. He stood before stretching. "Are you hungry?" He asked. I nodded. He left for a while beforeing back with some snacks and ice packs. I propped myself up and put the ice on before I started eating. "Have my dad take a look at you again when he gets home today," Braden said. He turned his projector on before ying more movies for me. I found it odd that Elizabeth hadn''t made an appearance yet. Matter of fact, I hadn''t seen her at all since she dropped us off yesterday. I ate my snacks as we watched movies. It was a great studying tool. I learned more about this time period from the movies than I ever could trying to read about it. At first, it felt like I was dropped in a foreign country, but it was a little easier now. One of the movies Braden showed me was ''Back to the Future''. I found myself "You don''t time travel by car," I found myselfmenting. "Then how do you time travel?" Braden asked. "It''s like two huge mas spitting colors back and forth," I said absentmindedly as I watched the movie. I paused and nced at Braden. His eyes were still focused on the movie. It seemed like he didn''t hear me, which was a good thing. I stopped talking and paid attention to the movie. It was