I sat with Lyla in the common room, searching for housing links and emailing them to her. She wasn’t going home for the holidays. Instead, she would line up a flat for the both of us, so when I returned after the wedding, I could move straight in.
“It’s been the New Year in Sydney for almost two hours,” she muttered.
“Mmm.” I wasn’t paying much attention. I instant-messaged James as I searched. I could tell by the increased number of typos that he was growing tired—the time in Sydney was almost 2:00 a.m.—but he stayed up, determined to wait for me to cross into the New Year before going to sleep.
“It’s about to start,” Lyla said nonchalantly.
The TV hosts spoke excitedly. I looked up and saw the countdown begin. Ten, nine, eight . . .
I stared at James’s picture on the messenger and my heart sank. It had been years since we hadn’t been together over New Year’s. It felt strange to not have him with me for the midnight kiss.
“Three, two, one . . .”
Freeze.
I remained seated and stared at the computer screen.
“Hello, sweet Cadence.”
“Hello, Angel,” I replied, completely fixed on James’s face.
He stepped up behind me and touched my shoulder. This time, since the memories of Austin were already restored, the memories that flashed into my mind were of Melody. I smiled as her innocent face entered my thoughts. Her giggles echoed in my ears, and that warm, new baby smell filled my nostrils.
But then she was dead.
I shuddered and fought back tears. “Everything’s changing. Even things I didn’t mean to change.”
“Other people have their choices too,” he said.
“Is that why things are different with Austin? Whose choice changed that?”
He came around in front of me. I set the laptop aside as he stretched out his hand. “Let’s review the year.”
I took his hand and, as I stood, the scene around us shifted. To my left I saw the first timeline, and to my right the second. In both, I rushed down a corridor in the university, late for class.
Austin stood by his classroom, and as I rounded the corner, he looked up. He watched me as I walked, letting out a long breath. In the first timeline, I hurried on, but in the second, my phone rang.
I saw myself drop everything, and Austin came over to help me. He looked me over as I talked on the phone, completely unaware of his presence as he gathered my papers.
“There it is,” the angel said to me. “Geri’s choice changed everything. She called you, and that was the only difference you needed.”
I watched as I blushed like an idiot and fumbled over myself before hurrying away. He watched me go, a dazed grin across his face, before his girlfriend called to him. He hurried over, and the scene changed to three weeks later.
He looked up in both timelines and saw me. In the first, he watched me pass by while I rushed on without looking, but in the second, I looked across at him and he smiled. I blushed and rushed away.
As I disappeared, he stepped out and watched me go. “Wow.”
A few weeks skipped, and we stood outside just after the spring break. I saw him among a group of guys. In the first timeline he glanced at me, but barely reacted; but as I passed by in the second, his gaze followed me. I glanced across at him and turned bright red as I kept walking. He grinned and rubbed the back of his neck as he watched me go.
From then on, he barely paid any attention to me in the first timeline as I hurried by. But in the second timeline, he arrived early the next week and pulled a few of his friends aside.
“Hey, so there’s this girl,” he said. “She passes by every week, and she’s gorgeous. We always exchange looks, but I’m pretty sure she’s shy because she blushes and hurries away before I have a chance to do anything. I need to get her to stop.”
His friends grinned, and one said, “What do you want us to do?”
He pointed to the corner. “At about five ’til, she’ll come rushing around there. One of you needs to run into her so she drops everything and I can do the whole ‘saving the damsel in distress’ thing.”
They chuckled, and the one who had spoken watched the corner. “I’ll do it.”
A few minutes later, I appeared around the corner.
“There she is!” Austin said. “The blonde! Go!”
The guy hurried right at me and landed a firm knock on my shoulder, sending everything in my arms flying.
“Perfect,” Austin said, hurrying over to help me.
“That was planned?” I gasped.
The man in white chuckled.
Austin rushed over, and I turned bright red. He smiled, apparently enjoying my discomfort.
“I’m Austin, by the way. And you are?”
I snatched my notes from him. “Late for class.”
He watched me with a strange, lost look in his eyes and a slight smile as I hurried away.
His friend returned and asked, “Did it work?”
Austin grinned. “Yeah, I think so.”
The next week he watched out for me again, but I didn’t come. He looked disappointed, but didn’t let it bother him. It wasn’t until the third week that he became discouraged. He asked his friend, “Have you seen that girl pass by recently?”
His friend shook his head. “Sorry, mate.”
Austin grabbed his hair. “I freaked her out, I just know it.”
“Hey, dude, she’ll show up. She goes here, so just be patient.”
The scene changed and we stood at the party. I felt a rush of anticipation to see his perspective on what happened.
In the first timeline, I entered and saw him. He didn’t notice me at first, but glanced up as I walked by, his gaze following me. But with no reaction from me whatsoever, he didn’t bother pursuing.
As I walked by in the second, he saw me and paid attention. Once I’d disappeared out the back, he grabbed his friend Aaron’s arm. “Dude, that was her with Tara.”
“What, the girl you’ve being ogling in the hallway?” Aaron responded carelessly.
“Yeah. I’ve got to meet her.”
“Well, go find Tara and have her introduce you.”
“I will.”
He waited for Tara to approach the table before he took a deep breath and rushed at her. “Tara.”
She looked up at him. “Austin.”
“Who’s your friend?”
Tara didn’t even glance back. “Which one?”
“The blonde.”
A wicked smile swept across her face. “Why? Are you checkin’ her out?”
“Yeah, actually. I’ve seen her around campus.”
Tara giggled. “She’s noticed you, too.”
A hopeful light shone in his eyes. “Really?”
“Yeah.”
She waited for him to make the request for an introduction, and when he did, she grinned. “Of course! I’d be delighted. Cadence is awesome. She’s sweet and a lot of fun. But I’d recommend being on her team when it comes to sports. Phew, she’s scary!”
“Her name is Cadence?” he asked overenthusiastically.
She nodded. “Cadence Anderson, from Western Sydney.”
She grasped his elbow. He caught me looking at him just before I turned away. He grinned. “Do you think she’ll like me?”
“She definitely likes the look of you. The rest of you will be easy after that.”
She gestured for him to sit beside me. He stared at me as I turned away, trying to engage elsewhere. He glanced at Tara for help. She waved her hand and mouthed, “Just talk to her.”
He cleared his throat to speak, and I rushed away. He stared after me, his jaw hanging. He turned to Tara. “Is she avoiding me?”
Tara huffed. “I don’t think she’s real good with guys. She never talks about them, and whenever we go out anywhere she’s a ruddy wallflower.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure she’s straight then?”
Tara grinned. “Yes! She definitely eyed you off as we came in. She was freaking breath-taken for goodness’ sake! Come on, let’s find her.”
They searched the house and, as they passed the bathroom, Tara paused. “She’s on the phone in there. We’ll wait.”
When I came out, Tara rushed me. Austin advanced, but I dashed away, frightened. Tara ordered him to follow—not that he needed to be told, he shot after me before she finished saying the words. I watched as I let him move closer to me, and then I ran away.
“Cadence!” he called in frustration.
Tara rushed up beside him. “What happened?”
“She’s a weirdo, isn’t she?” He scowled. “She has a screw loose or something. She obviously has no desire for me to hit on her.”
Tara growled. “What’s wrong with her? She’s not normally like this.”
“I dunno, Tara, you tell me. She may be gorgeous, but I don’t want a fruitcake.”
Tara’s gaze flashed to him angrily. “Cadence isn’t crazy! Something’s wrong, that’s all. Let me talk to her.”
She rushed out the door after me.
Time fast-forwarded and we stood in front of Tara and Austin talking in the kitchen.
“She dated some guy through most of high school,” she said, “so having guys hit on her isn’t something she’s used to. Add into that how long a ninth through twelfth grade relationship is, and how much she probably laid on the line for that guy, and she’s probably a little nervous about dating again.
“I think you should stick to it and be patient until she’s ready. I swear to you, what you saw tonight was a crazy Cadence, not the real Cadence. She’s awesome, Austin, and I really think you’ll like her if you give her a chance.”
He nodded, rubbing his chin. “Did she say how long it’s been since she broke up with that guy?”
Tara shook her head. “I didn’t want to push for those details.”
He sighed. “I guess I’ll play it by ear then.”
The scene froze, and the man in white stepped over and looked down at Tara. “She’s a good friend.”
I smiled. “She is. I’m very lucky.”
“So, did that answer your question?”
I nodded. “I always thought I noticed him and made him pay attention to me, but he noticed me all along. He noticed me first, but I wasn’t paying attention.”
He chuckled. “You didn’t pay attention to much in the first timeline, did you?”
I pouted. “Apparently not.”
He covered my eyes. “But you still have another path open to you.”
When he removed his hands, we stood in James’s room in his townhouse. James worked at his computer, clicking around on websites. His school work sat on his desk, and browser tabs for his classes were open in the background, but he was focused on several university sites—on how to transfer.
“He wants you to come back to him,” the man said, staring down at James. “He has looked into every scenario he can think of. Despite the tension between you, all he wants is to be with you.”
I slumped, stepping up beside him as he read through a course description at UWS. “This is so hard. I don’t want to let him go, but Austin is my future. I know that. We were so happy.”
“And you’re not happy with James?”
“Yes, but . . .” I look up at the man. “I’m meant to be with Austin.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Our destiny is what we choose it to be. Either path can be yours. Both paths will bring you family and love. Destiny isn’t one set future, otherwise, where would choice fit in?”
I chewed on my lip. Why does everything have to be so confusing?
We returned to the common room through the door. Lyla stared heavy-eyed at the TV screen. I walked over to her and touched her hair. “I made amazing friends here. Tara and Lyla stayed with me from here on, even after we graduated and moved on. Do you think Geri will like them, too?”
“I cannot tell you the future, sweet Cadence. Only you can discover that answer.”
“My sister made me maid of honor. That’s incredible. Her wedding is in a week, and this time I’m excited for it. This is how I should be feeling. I’m doing things right, aren’t I?”
“If you are happier, then yes.”
I returned to my chair and placed the laptop back on my lap. “This year, I’m gonna trust my judgment. I’ve done well so far, so I need to let things happen as they happen.” I looked down at James’s face on the screen and my heart sank. “Including losing James.”
“Are you sure you want to lose him?” the man asked as he stepped in front of me.
“Yes, and no. I don’t know. Things have been hard between us.”
“Just because things are hard doesn’t mean you should give up.”
“I know that, which complicates things more.” I slumped. “But I can’t be with both of them. It wouldn’t be fair.”
I looked up to find him gone. As my gaze dropped back onto the computer screen, the TV erupted with noise again and a message came through from James that read, Happy New Year, beautiful. I’m going to bed. I love you.