Chapter 3

CIANA

“It was just a coincidence. It’s not that, the person behind that text knows everything.” I was mumbling while heading to the library. It will be very impossible if he is here. How can a person predict?

My jaw drops when I see him right away just by entering the door. He rolls the book's cover holding it by one hand and leaned on the chair. The book is blocking his face now. It doesn't seem like he noticed me sitting in front of him. I placed my satchel on my lap. 

The book has taken over his world. It's how I see it. He is reading something about parallel universe, it’s what I can see from the rolled page.

I lean closer so he could hear me perfectly.

“Do you believe in a parallel universe?” 

He close the book that he’s been reading this whole time and create a distance between us. Well, maybe he is reminding me that we are not acquainted. I lean back from the table that’s separating us. I wryly smile while he is looking at me like I am an annoying creature that approaches random strangers.  Oh well, it’s partially right, or absolutely.

“Well, do you?” he ask me back with his cold expression unchanging. 

Do I?

I give him a shrug. He looks irritated by my answer, and ignored me. The book is open again by his hand and gives his attention back to the book.

Okay. I did talk to him. Wait. Am I fulfilling things that the sender failed to do?

I crossed my arms and stared at the back of the book that this guy is reading. 

Why would someone want to talk to someone as cold as him? And worse make memories?

I studied him for a while.

His wavy brown hair is messed up, but he still looks good with it. He wears dark colors. Maybe it reflects something about his deep psychology. He doesn’t look like a murderer or anything, and he seems like he’s been deprived of human emotions. He looks blank and empty, but it makes him interestingly mysterious.

“Parallel universe ha,” I mumble.

I leaned close again. “So, tell me. If I do believe them, will you talk to me?” He remained as is just like a rock unmoved and seemed like he is not planning to waste his time talking to me. I move back again with a sigh.

Why am I even putting myself in this kind of stuff? I do sound like a desperate woman thirsty for his attention. 

I am about to give up, but something inside me is making me stay and stare at him some more. The text is quite giving me the impression that whoever that person is, she is sincere for those wishes.

I went home as soon as my last subject dismissed. I commute to work and get back home at 10 PM. I am not tired, and I still can’t sleep, so I decided to open my phone. I remember the other phone fast, so I also take it. Search for new models of phones, new releases in all brands, but there is nothing similar to it. I also try taking its photo and use it to search more, but still no related results.

The phone is thin, and I think the battery is built-in. It has several cameras at the back, and it’s much bigger than the existing phone I have. It has an existing charger, too, I lately noticed.

Now, this oddity is somehow inviting some attention.

Before I could drown into deep thoughts, I accidentally touch the camera. I move the phone to capture some parts of my room, but the phone seems broken. My room looks old and abandoned on it though it’s actually not in reality.

I switch the camera and see myself with much longer hair, and what scares me there is the baby bump I had on the camera. I switch the camera again to the back and try to roam around. Some things here are gone, including my phone. I film my hand and see a dazzling wedding ring on it. I cannot touch it when I try.

I press the home button and place the phone away from me.

I wake up late the next morning. Before I go down the stairs, the phone steals my attention again. I place it in my bag. I am planning to use it for something. I am at school late, as expected, for waking up late. No text message today, I guess.

“Hey! Ciana,” It’s Jethro. “Exactly what time do you walk to school? I can’t seem to guess. I could give you a free ride every day. Oh! Why don’t you just text me?” He is walking as fast as I a in the hallways.

“Let’s talk later, I am super late.”

“Okay.” He slows down, so he is now far behind me. I suddenly remember the phone. I stop and take it. After I open the camera, Jetroe looks like he is a successful man on it. With a black suit perfectly tailored for him, and a different haircut, he looks more mature. He looks more serious and focused. It seems like life takes him far, but he ends up not that happy. I look at the present Jethro that I know. I just wonder, what happens next that changed him as such. 

I hide it back when I realize he is staring at it, and so I run away.

Now I have my last target, Airo. When the subject is dismissed, I immediately tail him while setting up the phone to the camera. I want to see what he will look like. This phone’s camera is like a mirror to the future.

Also, I actually got married? And who was the guy? My moon?

I position the phone to his back while I am still following him and is puzzled. He is gone from the camera. The camera can’t see him.

What does this mean?