The Act of Interim #Wattys2018

Chapter 2: The Road

"Even if we have ourselves so fully convinced that we are on the right track because we desperately want to believe that the specific direction we have chosen is the "correct one", if the universe disagrees with our choices, it will not be shy in telling us so."

-Miya Yamanouchi

***

On the next day, Emily was running towards their hangout place to tell them her good news. She didn't know when her smile would fade on her face while her mind was still absorbing the memory of what happened last night. And right now, her excitement has no intention to leave her yet. She even tapped her back for how many times for she couldn't help but to be proud on herself.

As she rounded into the corner, she didn't notice who or what was she going to bump onto until she smacked into someone or something, falling backward onto the ground.

"Ouch!" she complained, looking up to see a man wearing glasses and a lab gown. She squinted her eyes to see him clearly but no, he wasn't familiar to her.

"Hey, let me help you," he offered his hand to her and when she saw it, she never hesitated to grab it.

She brushed her jeans as she looked up to him. "I'm sorry. I wasn't looking where I'm going."

He smiled at her as he shook his head dismissively. "No, no. I'm the one who needs to apologize here. So yeah, I'm sorry. I wasn't looking."

"It's fine," was all she could manage to say. He smiled at her again before he left.

She just shrugged before she decided to do what she was doing a while ago.

When she reached their hangout place, she saw them immediately at the entrance. Nathalia was waving her hand to where she was and she returned it with a smile.

"What are you going to tell us that you have to invite us here as earlier as you planned," Nathalia greeted her with a suspicious tone.

"I have a good news," she retorted that made them feel more curious than before.

"What is it?" Serafil asked. Emily looked at him and she couldn't help but to flung her arms around him, while he on the other hand was still dumbfounded.

"I don't know how am I going to return your favor on me but I just really want to tell you how thankful I am for all the help that you've done to me," she told him earnestly, still beaming.

Serafil pulled her away from him first before he looked at her in a suspicious manner while the smile on Emily's face stays still, giving back the intensity of their stares. He let out a sigh first before he put his hands to her shoulders while squinting his eyes.

"Are you trying to tell us that your time machine is finally working, aren't you?"

Emily bit her lower lip, trying hard to suppress her big smile, before she nodded simultaneously.

She waited for them to smile or jump up and down. But they just stood there, staring at her so intently to the point that it started to frighten her.

"Guys," she started, "Are you all right? Is there anything wrong on what I've said?"

Serafil and Nathalia exchanged their looks first before they backed their gaze to her. They let out a sigh and said in unison, "As far as we know, we were okay."

"Not until you told us your good news," Nathalia pointed out, emphasizing the word your that made her brows furrow.

Her smile faltered. "I-I don't understand."