rather than share an opinion or unsolicited advice, he simply nodded.
"People look at me like I have everything, like we do â my brother and I, I mean," Zes continued. "Sometimes I get tired of pretending. No one can have everything, right?"
"Right," Teague said.
Zes' gaze narrowed. "I'm probably boring you with all of this."
"No." Teague shook his head quickly. "I promise I'm not bored. You sound like you've been sad about all of this for a while. That makes me sad, too." Those weren't the original words he'd have chosen to comfort his uncle. He had to keep up with the innocence act.
"I promise I'm not ungrateful," he whispered.
"I know. Sometimes, it's okay to want to dream for bigger and better things. Those are the things that keep us going. We need goals and stuff. When those goals feel impossible to achieve, it's the most heartbreaking feeling in the world." Teague knew all too well how that felt. He'd had his fair share of shattered dreams, just like everyone else. It seemed to run in the family, like a curse.
"I don't know why I'm even telling you all of this," Zes said quietly. "Wait, no, I do know. Because you relax me in a lot of the same ways Cheyenne did. With her, I never felt like I was being judged. I get similar vibes from you. Like what I say isn't going to be right or wrong. It just is. Sometimes things need to just be. There's also something...familiar about you."
Teague's breath caught in his throat. Was it possible Zes recognized him? Don't be stupid, there is no way he'd see me for who I really am. It's just not possible. I don't even exist yet, nor will I for another four years...at least! He relaxed then noticed Zes was staring at him. Was I supposed to respond?
Shifting in his chair, Teague shrugged. "Probably see a lot of Jewl in me, since we're related."
"Yeah, you have the same eyes. Though yours are more blue," Zes said. He frowned and shook his head.
"What's wrong?" Teague asked.
Again, Zes shook his head. "Nothing, just thinking. Anyway, thanks for listening to me ramble. One of my many talents." He rolled his eyes. "I should probably go study."
"Sure." Teague watched him go. He still had another hour until his next class. After that lunch period, he'd need the time to regroup. My uncle... He'd never been real to Teague before. At that moment, he was there in the flesh and in so much pain without any help. I can't let him die.
Â
Chapter Six
Â
"We're expert time travelers, so make sure you pay attention to all of the rules," Cory said. He folded his arms in front of him while they waited for Denver to join them. Alain was busy setting up the ritual. The three of them were in the middle of the forest, deep on campus. The weather was warm with only a slight breeze ruffling the leaves on the trees. Far too peaceful of a setting for what they were about to do.
Alain snorted, drawing a circle in the dirt around Teague's feet. "Right, this from the guy who almost got us stuck in the Jurassic Period because he tried to smuggle a dinosaur egg in his pocket."
"Having a pet dinosaur would be cool."
"And stupid on so many levels. You should have known it wasn't going to work since you know the rules the best."
"Which is why I'm an expert, and I'm going to go over them now so that T doesn't get stuck, too." Cory cleared his throat. "You can't bring anything from the past into the future, just things from the future into the past."
Alain started to draw symbols around the circle. "If it's a thing that is obviously from the future, that'll get you stuck, too. But food, generic clothing, or time-appropriate things are safe."
"Unless you're us, but you're not, so..."
"Right, we have slightly different rules because when we time travel, we can control if we're going to be participants or spectators. People we send back don't get an option. They participate â the end." Alain stepped back to look at his work and then scowled. "You can help me with this, you know."
Cory
"People look at me like I have everything, like we do â my brother and I, I mean," Zes continued. "Sometimes I get tired of pretending. No one can have everything, right?"
"Right," Teague said.
Zes' gaze narrowed. "I'm probably boring you with all of this."
"No." Teague shook his head quickly. "I promise I'm not bored. You sound like you've been sad about all of this for a while. That makes me sad, too." Those weren't the original words he'd have chosen to comfort his uncle. He had to keep up with the innocence act.
"I promise I'm not ungrateful," he whispered.
"I know. Sometimes, it's okay to want to dream for bigger and better things. Those are the things that keep us going. We need goals and stuff. When those goals feel impossible to achieve, it's the most heartbreaking feeling in the world." Teague knew all too well how that felt. He'd had his fair share of shattered dreams, just like everyone else. It seemed to run in the family, like a curse.
"I don't know why I'm even telling you all of this," Zes said quietly. "Wait, no, I do know. Because you relax me in a lot of the same ways Cheyenne did. With her, I never felt like I was being judged. I get similar vibes from you. Like what I say isn't going to be right or wrong. It just is. Sometimes things need to just be. There's also something...familiar about you."
Teague's breath caught in his throat. Was it possible Zes recognized him? Don't be stupid, there is no way he'd see me for who I really am. It's just not possible. I don't even exist yet, nor will I for another four years...at least! He relaxed then noticed Zes was staring at him. Was I supposed to respond?
Shifting in his chair, Teague shrugged. "Probably see a lot of Jewl in me, since we're related."
"Yeah, you have the same eyes. Though yours are more blue," Zes said. He frowned and shook his head.
"What's wrong?" Teague asked.
Again, Zes shook his head. "Nothing, just thinking. Anyway, thanks for listening to me ramble. One of my many talents." He rolled his eyes. "I should probably go study."
"Sure." Teague watched him go. He still had another hour until his next class. After that lunch period, he'd need the time to regroup. My uncle... He'd never been real to Teague before. At that moment, he was there in the flesh and in so much pain without any help. I can't let him die.
Â
Chapter Six
Â
"We're expert time travelers, so make sure you pay attention to all of the rules," Cory said. He folded his arms in front of him while they waited for Denver to join them. Alain was busy setting up the ritual. The three of them were in the middle of the forest, deep on campus. The weather was warm with only a slight breeze ruffling the leaves on the trees. Far too peaceful of a setting for what they were about to do.
Alain snorted, drawing a circle in the dirt around Teague's feet. "Right, this from the guy who almost got us stuck in the Jurassic Period because he tried to smuggle a dinosaur egg in his pocket."
"Having a pet dinosaur would be cool."
"And stupid on so many levels. You should have known it wasn't going to work since you know the rules the best."
"Which is why I'm an expert, and I'm going to go over them now so that T doesn't get stuck, too." Cory cleared his throat. "You can't bring anything from the past into the future, just things from the future into the past."
Alain started to draw symbols around the circle. "If it's a thing that is obviously from the future, that'll get you stuck, too. But food, generic clothing, or time-appropriate things are safe."
"Unless you're us, but you're not, so..."
"Right, we have slightly different rules because when we time travel, we can control if we're going to be participants or spectators. People we send back don't get an option. They participate â the end." Alain stepped back to look at his work and then scowled. "You can help me with this, you know."
Cory
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