The It Girl [COMPLETED]

Chapter 31 - "It will be okay."

Courtney had to admit that time traveling was a weird experience. It was weird in two different ways. The first being she visited memories but saw it all from the opposite perspective. Second, she hadn't imagined time traveling while laying on the floor of the Council room.

But there she was, time-traveling without moving. And there she remained lost in the past six months, seeing it all with new eyes. Not her eyes but Aiden's.

"I thought you were going to be working," Miguel said, peering down at Courtney.

She sighed. She had planned to work for the first mental portion of the time travel and then stop when she had to focus on the physical part, mainly her phone and the messages.

"Time traveling took more mental focus than I thought it would," Courtney said.

"I see," Miguel said, perching on the edge of a table and crossing his arms. "How far did you travel back?"

"Six months."

"Oh. What brought this on?"

Courtney stared up at the ceiling, not seeing the pencil hole dotted tiles but Aiden. The way he couldn't look at her. The way he wiped at his face. The way his voice sounded as he told her he wished it had been him.

"Aiden talked to me," she said.

"Ah and that's why you're time traveling. Do the memories look different with the new filter?"

As did the messages and social media posts.

"Yeah, they do."

"What are you going to do?"

What was she going to do? That question had played like a bad soundtrack in her mind for the past hour. But hearing Miguel ask it out loud gave it a new tone, one that made the answer clear.

"Are you still on good terms with the lunch lady?" she asked.

"If by 'good terms' you mean she looks on me like her lost son and gives me free breakfast churros then yes, I am."

"Okay, I need the help of your lost mother then."

Fifteen minutes, a lot of smiles, wheedling words, and one hug later, Courtney was in place. That place was specifically sitting on the tailgate of Aiden's truck with a small cooler nestled behind her.

"Good luck," Miguel said. "I don't know what you wish the outcome to be so I hope that sentiment suffices."

"Thanks."

Miguel nodded to her once with the solemnity of a fellow soldier parting with his comrade for the last time. A little too dramatic, Miguel tone it down or I'm going to overthink this entire thing.

He left and in doing so, left Courtney with an empty parking lot, a dimming sun, a refreshing breeze, and in a motionless pose that contradicted her thoughts that twisted and turned like a bee on speed.

The melody of girls' laughter drifted from the school and Courtney instantly smiled at the sound. Despite how exhausting cheer practice could be, when the team left the locker rooms they still managed to joke with each other.

Courtney tried to hold onto her smile but found the distance between her and the laughter made it difficult. She looked down and swung her legs, watching as her brace appeared and disappeared underneath the tailgate.

Nope. Not the time.

She raised her head and tilted it back, closing her eyes and feeling the sunlight that had respectfully toned down its fury for the late afternoon. Which was convenient since she didn't want to be half melted by the time Aiden showed up.