Time Flies

She stood there, back to my window facing her new house. She was young, she could be much older than I was. She had to be 16 maybe 17 at the most, there was no way she was 18 or 19. None, so why in the world was she living alone, and why in the world was she just standing out there. All I could see was her long white hair, but from the slight glimpses of her face I did see, I knew she was young.

My name is Eliza Blake, I’m 15 years old and I’ve spent all of my mornings this summer looking out my upstairs bay window That stood was in my room. My parents taught me I had to enjoy the little things, but the little things are stupid.

A baby can’t talk and dress itself, but everyone wants one. A teenager can do both, and learn, and drive, and don’t use diapers, yet nobody wants one of those.

I’d much prefer to get a truck, than a small car. Go to public school, rather than private. Eat a buffet and not a protein bar. Have a queen size bed rather than a twin. Much rather have a few siblings rather than be an only child. Have a two dogs rather than one snotty cat.

Before all that I would way prefer to live in a BIG CITY rather than a small town where nothing happens. At least nothing did happen until that teenager moved across the street, and now I’ve seen her everywhere I go. Which isn’t surprising since we only have one grocery store, and a town park, a public pool, a bank, an ice shop, cafe, and a bakery, one apartment complex, and maybe four neighborhood.

Yet every time I see her it’s weird it’s like she knows me, but I most certainly don’t know her. I don’t even know her name. I guess that’s fine by me, at least somethings happening in my life for once.

She stood there, back to my window. She didn‘t look the same though... she was older. She turned around, she was wearing a cap and gown, and waving to me. Her hair wasn’t white anymore, it was brown, but I knew it was her. Her eyes were dark blue, and her lips were bright pink. I didn’t understand, she moved in last weekend and school hadn’t even started yet. I watched as she walked across the street, and then knocked on my door. My mother‘s sweet voice spoke to her.

“Eliza! Come down! I want to get grad photos!” My mother called.

I walked down the stairs utterly confused, from the top of my stairs I saw my mother and the new girl standing by the door, but as I stepped down everything changed.

My white t-shirt, and blue jeans turned into a blue lace dress, and suddenly I was wearing white heels. Around my shoulders was a purple gown, and on my head I felt my match cap. My hair was curled and to the side, and for some reason my dark hair had blonde ends.

By the time I took the last step, my house was filled with my family and friends and completely decorated for a grad party. MY grad party.

“There you are, Eliza!” My best friend, Aj, called. She was wearing a pink version of my lace dress with the same cap and gown, Her blonde hair pulled over her shoulder.

Next to her my crush, Adrien, with her black hair and green eyes. Her was wearing black jeans with a white button up, and a cap and gown, “Yeah, babe, your mom has been waiting to take pictures all night.”

I nearly choked when he said ‘Babe’

The three of us gathered by the camera, and the new girl slide in too. After a couple photos I turned to her, “I’m really sorry I haven’t gotten your name yet?”

Everyone started laughing, “That’s a joke that will never die, Eliza” she continued chuckling.

Finally the grad party ended, and I assumed it was all just one big dream. I went to sleep, but when I woke up and watch from my window. My mind went wild. My room was different, full of pictures from high school events I haven’t even been to. Ok, so clearly not a dream. I looked in the mirror, and my hair was completely bleached. “Who let me do this to my hair!” I screamed.

Then I turned to my wrist, “I have a tattoo...” on my hand was a date.

I looked through all my photos until I found pictures of my with my father, and he was on a hospital bed... “My dads gone,” I collapsed on the ground and starting sobbing into my knees.

Finally I found the strength to get up, and watch out my window like he would have wanted.

She was standing out there again, but this time she had her dark brown hair all done in a fancy bun, and she was wearing a pastel pink dress. To top it off she was holding the hand of some blonde guy in a tuxedo. I watched again she walked over to my house. There was a ring of a doorbell, and I heard a male voice call me “Eliza! More guests are here!”

From the upper part of my stairwell I saw Adrien at the door, my mother in the kitchen, and the new girl and her boyfriend at the door, but once again as I went down the stairs, everything changed.

My pajamas became a white Mermaid WEDDING DRESS! My bleached hair was now off my shoulders, and around my neck was my mother’s sapphire necklace. The one I wouldn’t get until she died, so when I looked to the kitchen and she was gone... I had to stop myself from crying.

Suddenly my whole house was decorated in beautiful wedding decor, and I realized I had gotten married ADRIEN.

When I took the final step people crowded me, congratulating me. I thanked them quietly as a walked over to Adrien, who was talking to the new girl and her boyfriend. “Congrats!” She screamed with a big smile, as she forced me into a hug.

Adrien looked at me... “You alright, Eliza?”

”Yeah I was just thinking about my mom,” I said, and he Pulled me into a big hug.

“I know how hard it was to lose her yesterday, you didn’t have to be strong for this. I can send everyone home, and you can stay in your old room, I’ll clean up and handle everything.” I nodded as I started crying into his chest. He picked me up and took me back to my room.

I woke up again, wearing white satin pajamas and walked over to my window.

She was standing there again, but this time I beat her to it. I ran out of my room, as quickly as I could down the stairs, but she was at the door by the time I opened it. She was holding a baby, and two children followed her. “They were so excited for the play date!”

I looked down and I was wearing white slacks and a pink sweater, with blue flats. Adrien appeared behind me, “Thanks you so much for taking them for the day. Going out of town for business wasn’t part of the plan, but you know how it goes. I guess we should’ve not worked together,” he kissed my cheek. Three little girl ran past my feet, triplets! Behind them followed a little boy, and Adrien handed her a baby girl.

After a day of work, I didn’t quite understand. I finally got to go home, but instead of sleeping at my bay window, I had to sleep in my parents old room. With my husband.

This time she didn’t come to the door, I waited all morning for it. I walked down the stair, and across the street. She was standing there, with white hair and wrinkles. I looked at myself, I looked the same way she did, “Whats going on?”

“What did you learn, Eliza?” She said in a old voice.

“To... to enjoy the little things,” I said I looked to the tattoo on my wrist, my mother‘s death date under it, followed by seven birthdates, and two more death dates. One a assumed Adrien’s, and the other probably one of my children. “Can I have my life back!”

“No,” she said reaching her fingers to my head, “but you’ll never know that something changed!”

Hope‘s daughter packed the last of her bags, she had white hair dyed, “My mother thanks you for all the time you doesn’t with her,” she said sweetly.

”I loved her,” I say softly.

“Bye Miss Eliza!”

”Bye... forgive my bad memory, what’s your name dear?”

Her smile looked almost knowing, secretive, maybe wicked as she answered, “Hope.”