Six years in the past
Dayton, Ohio
Planet: Earth
As soon as school ended for the day, Ann and Stacey hopped in the car Ann’s mother let her borrow. They had wanted to bring Teresa along, but since they were meeting two guys instead of three, they felt it would be too awkward. They promised their friend that if either one of them were going to see either guy again, they would ask him if he had a friend they could pair Teresa up with.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Ann said as she threw her backpack on the backseat. She took out her car keys and put the one she needed into the ignition. “Teresa should have been the one to go to the college fair instead of me. I’m the one who’s moving, not her.”
“I think you were meant to be there,” Stacey replied as she slipped into the passenger seat. “You were supposed to meet Hathor.”
Did Ann really believe that? Was there such a thing as coincidence, or did everything happen for a reason?
“Anyway, you might as well enjoy going out with a good looking guy while you can,” Stacey continued.
“True.” It certainly made life more enjoyable, and it’d give her something fun to write about in her diary.
“Speaking of guys, how are things with William?” Stacey asked as Ann drove out of the parking lot. “Has he asked you out yet?”
“He called last night and asked me out for Friday night. He’s going to take me miniature golfing.”
“That sounds like fun. I wonder if college guys think they are too sophisticated to play miniature golf?”
“I don’t see why college guys wouldn’t play miniature golf. It’s a fun game no matter how old you are.”
“Good point.” Stacey studied her reflection in her compact mirror before she closed it and looked at her friend. “Are you nervous?”
“I am, but it helps that you’ll be there. You know, to ease the tension. The first couple of dates are always the worst.”
“Do you have a preference for either William and Hathor yet?”
Ann considered the question. They were both good looking, although in different ways. William had a rugged, outdoors-type appeal. Hathor, on the other hand, had a regal appearance about him that reminded her of the classic knight in shining armor character she’d once heard about.
“It’s too soon to tell,” she finally said. “Besides, I don’t know if things will go anywhere with either of them. But,” she shot her friend a teasing grin, “this might be the beginning of something big between you and Kent.”
“I don’t want to jinx anything, but I have a good feeling about him.”
“I do, too. I think he’ll be good for you. However, I can’t help but wonder what you’ll do about Toledo if things work out with him. You’ve been wanting to go to college there ever since freshman year.”
Stacey shrugged. “I can be persuaded to go to another college if it meets up to my standards.”
Ann chuckled. She was going to miss Stacey when she left for Florida. But she tried not to think about it. This was a good day, and she didn’t want to spoil it.
A few minutes later, she pulled into the visitor’s parking lot at the college. “Well, this is it. Are you ready?”
“No and yes. If I could calm my nerves, I’d be better off.”
“You’ll do fine. Remember, this could be fate.” Ann parked her car and turned off the engine. Taking out the campus map, she studied it. “The Student Union is that way.”
“Since you’re better at maps than I am, I’ll follow you.”
Amused at her friend’s mock salute, Ann led the way to the large building.
As soon as they spotted the guys, Stacey grabbed her arm and stopped her. “Maybe we’d better not do this.”
“What? Why?”
“I don’t know what to say. Kent’s going to think I’m a stupid high school girl.”
“No, he won’t.” When Stacey didn’t look convinced, she added, “Think of it this way: he’s probably just as nervous as you are.”
“Do you think so? Do guys get nervous like we do?”
“Of course, they do.”
“How can you be sure?”
“For one, they’re human like we are. And two, Carson told me one time that he was afraid to talk to Lisa because he was too nervous.”
Stacey’s face brightened. “He really said that?”
Ann nodded. “And here’s something else to remember: if Kent doesn’t like you, you’ll be where you were before, with no boyfriend anyway. So what have you got to lose?”
“I’m sure glad you’re here. I don’t know what I’ll do when you’re gone. Oh, here they come.”
Ann turned her attention to Hathor and Kent, and she returned Hathor’s smile. She had to admit that he was attractive in his blue jeans and green t-shirt.
“Did you have any trouble finding this place?” Kent asked.
“Nope. It was a piece of cake,” Stacey replied.
By the way Stacey grimaced, Ann could tell that Stacey felt self-conscious about the ‘piece of cake’ comment, so she quickly said, “The map was easy to read.”
“That’s the beauty of this campus. It’s easy to navigate,” Kent replied. “It’s just one of the reasons why this is a great college. Would you like to see the rest of the campus?”
“Sure,” Stacey said.
The three followed Kent as he talked about the wonderful things on the campus, but Ann was barely listening. She would have been more interested if she had any chance of going to school here, but she would be going to a Florida college.
She was acutely aware of how close Hathor walked next to her. Usually, she didn’t like to get near a guy until she got to know him better, but with Hathor, it was as if they had known each other for a long time, so it felt natural to be so close to him. The same wasn’t true with William. With him, she found herself keeping a safe distance.
For a brief moment, she thought that it was too bad that Hathor wasn’t the one who planned to go to college in Florida, but she quickly dismissed it. She didn’t even know Hathor well enough to think such a thing.
“Over here are the dorms,” Kent rambled on. “A lot of students like to live in the nearby apartments. Dorms are smaller, but they’re also cheaper. Of course, since you two live in the area, you’ll probably just commute from your homes.”
“Where did you come from?” Stacey asked him.
“You’re going to laugh when I tell you.”
“Okay. So humor me.”
Kent shifted from one foot to the other. “Toledo.”
Stacey’s eyes grew wide. “Toledo, Ohio?”
He nodded.
“Why didn’t you go to college there?”
“It was too busy.”
“You don’t think it’s busy here?” Hathor asked. “I’ve never seen so many people crammed into one area in my entire life.”
“Really? Where did you come from?” Ann asked.
Hathor was ready to say something but paused. “A place where you can go out in your backyard and see mountains in the distance. There are certain sections that are well populated, but it’s nothing like this. Being here, a person almost feels trapped.”
“If that place was so wonderful, why did you come here?”
Again, he hesitated then finally said, “I had to.”
“No college there, huh?” Stacey guessed.
“If there was, it sounds like a nice place to be,” Ann said.
“It is,” Hathor replied.
“We’re trying to sell them on this college, not deter them from it,” Kent told Hathor, laughing. “Anyway, you two are used to this area, so it won’t be any problem adjusting here.”
“What is Toledo like then? How does that college compare to this one?” Stacey asked.
Ann noted that Hathor seemed to be relieved the conversation had turned back to Toledo. There was something different about Hathor, Ann was sure of it. Her gut instinct told her she could trust him with her life, so whatever separated him from others wasn’t something bad. For all she knew, it might even be good.
As Kent and Stacey talked, Hathor smiled at her. “It’s not easy to explain where I’m from. You have to see it to understand it. I came here because I had to.”
She was reminded of her impending move. “I know that feeling. We can’t always choose where we end up.”
“Maybe not, but I like to think we can choose who we end up with,” he softly said.
Her eyebrows furrowed. She sensed a hidden message in his comment, but she didn’t even know where to begin in finding out what that message was.
Kent turned to her and Stacey. “I don’t know when your parents expect you home, but I was wondering if you want to get something to eat at the snack bar? It won’t fill you up so much that you won’t be able to eat your dinners at home.”
Ann grinned at the way Kent worded his statement. He was kind of quirky, but his heart was in the right place. She liked him for Stacey.
“We’re buying,” Kent added.
Ann glanced at her watch. “My mom told me to have the car back in an hour, so it’s going to have to be a quick snack.”
“Okay. Great. I mean, it’s great that you two can stay for a snack, not great you have to leave in an hour,” Kent clarified.
Again, Ann had to grin. If Stacey didn’t see how nervous he was and how much he was trying to impress her, then she was blind.
By the time they got their snacks, the Student Union was packed with students, so they had to break up and sit at separate tables, which was fine with Ann because she wanted some time alone to talk to Hathor. She sat across from him at a small table and absentmindedly stirred the straw in her soda. “Since you’re new here, I was wondering how things are going for you. Are you fitting in? Is it hard to adjust to everything?”
“It’s like being on another world. You’re around people who look like you, but you know you don’t belong here.”
She considered his words. In a way, she knew how he felt, even though she hadn’t moved yet. It was the anticipation of the move that often brought her the same feeling. “So it’s not going well?”
“Kent has helped me fit in, so I don’t have to feel so alone. It’s nice to have someone to help you out. But now that I met you, things are…complete.”
She blinked in surprise. She secretly felt the same way about him, that he completed her as well, but she was afraid to admit it.
“Anyway,” he continued, “at some point, I’ll have to go back home. It’s just a matter of what the circumstances will be when I do.”
“And you’re not going to tell me the name of this place you call home, are you?” She smiled to show him that he didn’t have to answer her. They didn’t know each other well enough for her to pry into his personal business.
He sighed as he stared at the napkin in front of him. “I wish I could,” he said at last, his mood turning somber. “There’s a lot of things I wish I could tell you. If all goes well, then someday I will be able to, but I can’t right now.”
Unsure about his meaning, she shifted in her chair and took a sip of her soda. There was definitely something different about him. He wasn’t like any of the other boys she’d come across. There was a seriousness about him she’d never seen in anyone before.
Deciding it would be best to turn to easier topics, she asked, “What kind of things do you like to do?”
“I like going for walks in the evening when the sun is setting. I like to carve things out of wood. I like doing things for…someone else.” He offered a smile. “I like to be of service when I can. It’s a privilege to know I can make things better in the world, and that’s where helping someone else comes in. Few things are more fulfilling than that. But enough about me. What do you like to do?”
“Well, I’m not as noble as you,” she admitted with a wry grin. “My interests are pretty self-centered. I like to read, write, hang out with friends, go to the mall... That’s about it.”
“I don’t see how that’s self-centered.”
“No one benefits from what I do. There’s nothing special about me.”
“You never know. You might be more important than you imagine.”
Before she could ponder why he’d say such a thing, the timer on her watch went off. Groaning, she pressed the button to stop it. “I have to go. If I get home late, I lose my driving privileges.”
He stood as she got up. “Can I see you again?”
“Yeah, sure.” She gave him her phone number.
“I don’t have a car of my own. I’m pretty much stranded here on campus unless I take the bus,” he said. “So I can’t pick you up.”
“It’s no problem. I can drive.”
“Is there a good time for another meeting?”
That was an interesting term for a date, she thought. “I’ll be busy Friday night. How about Saturday? We could see a movie.”
“A movie? Oh, yes. I know what that is.”
At first she thought he was joking, but the expression on his face told her he was serious. Didn’t they have movies in his hometown?
“Just give me a call, and we can decide on what to see and when to see it,” she said. “Unfortunately, I really have to go. It was nice seeing you again.”
“Yes. I liked seeing you again. It’s too bad our time was so short.”
Surprisingly, she couldn’t help agreeing with him. It had been nice to see him, and she had no doubt she’d enjoy seeing him again. Focusing on her curfew, she told him good-bye then went over to Stacey, who was laughing at something Kent was telling her.
Ann waited until he finished with his joke before speaking. “I hate to break this up, but I need to get home.”
After Stacey said her good-byes to Kent, they headed for the car. “He is so great!” Stacey exclaimed. “I hope he calls me.”
“He will.”
“You think so?”
“I watched him talk to you. He definitely likes you.”
Stacey smiled widely. “Who would have thought going to that thing about colleges could actually be useful?” When they got into the car, she asked, “What do you think of Hathor? The two of you looked like you hit it off.” She fastened her seatbelt and turned to Ann, waiting for all the details she could get.
“He’s different from any boy I’ve ever met,” Ann said. “It’s hard to explain, but I feel like I’ve met him before. I guess it’s because he seems to know so much about me.”
“What did he say to make you think that?”
“That’s just it. It wasn’t really anything he said. It was the way he looked at me, the way he said things.” She shook her head. “I don’t understand it.”
“Maybe you two are meant to be together.”
Ann considered the possibility but decided it was too soon to tell. Besides, she was moving to Florida. With the Internet, it was possible to have a long distance relationship. But it was still too soon to make a decision either way.
“We’ll see,” Ann finally said then drove them home.
***
Hathor hadn’t wanted Ann to leave. It took all of his willpower to let her walk out the door with her friend. He knew that she was going to see William at some point in the week. Perhaps that was what she was doing on Friday night. His heart constricted at the thought of her with someone else. He didn’t want to share her with anyone. She was his wife, his best friend.
William’s words echoed ominously in his mind. “Look, what happened in the future we came from isn’t necessarily going to happen this time. We’re all starting with a clean slate. The future is wide open.”
Hathor released his breath. No, William couldn’t have her. He didn’t deserve her. She chose Hathor once, and she would choose him again. Or at least, he hoped.
Kent walked over to him and grinned. “I think I just found the best thing that ever happened to me.”
Hathor looked over at his friend and smiled. “I’m glad things went well for you.”
“Yeah, she’s not only nice to look at but she’s actually got a brain. I think I’ll give her a call. Do you think tonight is too soon to talk to her?”
“I think the best time to call her is when you want to hear her voice.”
“I don’t want to seem pushy. I don’t think girls like that. It scares them off.”
Hathor hadn’t thought of that. He didn’t want to scare Ann off.
“I think I’ll wait for tomorrow. Then I’ll ask her out for this weekend. Friday will be too soon since tomorrow is Thursday. I think Saturday will be better.” He put her phone number in his backpack and took a deep breath. “So, how did things go with you and Ann?”
“Great, I think,” Hathor replied.
“Is that a good thing or bad?” Kent asked as they left the Student Union. “Not that it’s any of my business.”
“I don’t mind your asking. Remember William?”
“I don’t think I’ll forget him anytime soon. He got you really mad about something.”
“Yes. It turns out that Ann is seeing him this Friday. She doesn’t know what a jerk he is.”
“Bummer. Are you going to see her again?”
He nodded. “Saturday.”
“You know, I think the key here is to show her that you can be more caring than he is. Girls like guys who are interested in them and what they like. It makes them feel special. And of course, it’s not a bad idea to compliment them on something like their hair or what they’re wearing,” Kent continued.
“How do you know so much about girls?”
“I have an older sister who complains a lot about what the men she dates don’t do right. I try to make sure I’m not like them.”
Hathor smiled to himself. He would miss talking to Kent when the time came for him to go back to Raz, but he couldn’t stay on Earth forever. He didn’t want to stay here forever, though, even if he had the choice. Regardless, he had to admit that Earth did have its good points, and finding a good friend like Kent happened to be one of them.