Christmas At Gin & Pips

Our tale begins with a boy named Luca. Luca was a year-round traveler, all he knew was to travel and he seemed to travel alone and always seemed to be everywhere but nowhere at once. Luca didn't really have a home. I suppose the world was his home... or dare I say the multiverse was his home but we will get to that later. 

On Christmas Eve Luca bundled up in his brown wool coat, blue wool scarf, and mittens put on his torn brown boots, and made his way out onto the snowy streets of England. The weather certainly set the scene for the time of year with white and colored Christmas lights scattered throughout the street, audible laughing and talking of people filled with Christmas cheer and warm hearts lighting up people's faces you could visibly see as you walked down the street and peered into the shops through the windows. 

As Luca observed the holiday cheer he almost felt a sort of ambivalence seeing all the families and lovers enjoy the time of year. He felt a sort of longing for something he couldn't quite pinpoint. He just knew the feeling weighed heavy on his heart like it usually did for quite some time now. Ignoring the feeling he shook it off and walked into a cozy diner called Snowys on the corner of Pip and Gins and sat at a booth. "I'll be right with you dear!" a sweet middle-aged woman says to Luca, he gives a slight smile and a nod. Playing with his fingers he allows himself to relax in the calm ambience of the diner while vintage oldies play in the background. 

He quickly pulls out a small photo book and flips to a page titled " L & E-1959" but before he can study it a loud ring from the diner doors shakes him out of thought. When he turned to see who walked in it was a girl...Something about this girl completely caught his attention he couldn't look. The girl was beautiful as she walked with her black luscious coils in her head full of hair bounced perfectly. They absolutely complemented her deep brown eyes, warm, glowy brown skin, and a light pink fluffy scarf wrapped around her neck. It was not just how ethereal she looked that stopped him in his tracks but her aura was magical, mystical. Her presence was brighter than the sun and heavens combined Luca thought, but when he noticed she caught him staring he slowly turned and looked down turning bright red. 

The waiter came up and took Lucas's order and he just ordered a hot chocolate. After a few short minutes, he was given his drink and watched the marshmallows as they floated around the steamy drink. Suddenly he felt someone standing over him and to his surprise, it was the pretty girl with a warm smile on her face and eyes that completely sparkled. "you mind if I sit?" the girl cheerily said, luca had the face of someone who was at a loss of words " I don't mean to intrude I mean you just looked a little lonely and it's Christmas eve no one should be alone" she gave a warm smile "y-yes, of course, I don't mind sorry" luca hesitantly spoke. "Great what's your name?" "I'm Eila, Eila James" she quickly says before he can answer "Luca, nice to meet you Eila", "and vice versa," Eila says in her British accent and giggles making Luca smile from ear to ear. "where are you from Luca? you don't look or sound like any lad I've seen before" Eila turns her head curiously and slightly intrigued. "well uh- I'm from out of town I guess you could say" Luca nervously laughs "but it's not important, you're from here i'm assuming, it's quite obvious with the accent". "yup born and raised!". 

As the night goes on it gets darker outside and the diner slowly empties until young Eila and Luca are the last ones still chatting away laughing, making jokes and enjoying each other's company clearly. Until the waitress walks up with an empathetic face "I'm sorry guys I hate to interrupt but the restaurants are closing". Outside Eila and Luca are silent for a moment staring at each other before Luca says "c-could we maybe meet tomorrow again?". "yeah i'd like that, but where" " right here on the corner of gin and pip at the diner" "alright well goodnight Luca, merry Christmas eve!" "likewise, goodnight Eila". Later on that night Luca pondered about what was so different about Eila that made him feel something he never felt before. It was a sort of warm feeling he wasn't familiar with in all his existence but the feeling certainly lulled him right to sleep. 

The next day was Christmas eve and Luca sat up in his bed pulling out that same photo book from the night before flipping to the same page "L&E-1959" looking at a photo that obviously meant something to him, but what was the photo? Later that evening he met up with Eila once again "Merry Christmas luca!" she eagerly exclaimed "haha thanks you too, how was your christmas?" "It was great my mum and dad got me loads of things and you?" Eila said excited to hear his response. luca looked down with a disheveled look instantly remembering the fact he had no family and didn't celebrate. "Oh luca I- didn't me- " Eila tries to apologize seeing his reaction. "no no it's all good promise! I don't celebrate Christmas and I don't really have a family but i'm still doing all right haha" Luca quickly smiles and laughs not wanting her to feel bad. 

"well you know i'm sorry still Luca... Christmas is supposed to one of the best times of the year, I- wish things were different" she paused as if she was thinking "Here I have something for you" she pulls out a small vintage wooden wind up music box immediately playing playing we wish you a merry Christmas as they stare at it. "wow I- thank you Eila that's very kind, I cant say i've ever gotten a gift, its very lovely thanks again". Eila and Luca decide to meet in the same place the next night and the next and the next... until 6 days went by of them meeting every night. night after night they had even more fun than the last day connecting in a way neither could explain but their friendship you could tell both were equally grateful for. They talked about loads of things from quantum physics. They both had a shared love for then animals then locations they thought were extraordinary. Each day they got closer and closer and on the 6th day you would've thought they've known each-other their whole life both seemingly entranced by the others existence. 

One evening while Eila was talking so passionately about something Luca felt a sort of void empty feeling because he knew he had to leave on the 7th day. you see Luca wasn't just sad about the fact he had to leave but something more, when he leaves he can't cross paths with Eila again In that timeline ever or she would entirely cease to exist. after spending hours in his bed that night trying to figure out what to say tomorrow on his last day to Eila. He tosses and turns until he eventually falls asleep and the 7th evening  is finally here. 

Just like always they meet at the diner Eila cheery as always but she noticed luca appeared a little less energetic and surrounded by a melancholic energy, "luca...whats wrong?" Eila looks confused "if your getting tired of me I  understand" Eila tries to be apologetic "No it's not that I'm just tired , didn't get a lot of sleep" Luca tries to cheer up for Eila and they talk for a little longer until luca blurts out of nowhere "Eila I-" "I have to tell you something". "Okay, what is it Luca? go ahead". "You see Eila, I'm sorry I should have told you sooner but...Tonight is my last night, I'm so sorry I should have mentioned" you can see how exasperated and guilty he felt it seeped over his whole face. 

After a moment of silence eila finally says "luca, it's fine I knew you had to leave eventually, I'll miss you but we can be pen pals or exchange numbers or something" Her tone was very hopeful of course. "No Eila you don't understand, once I leave we can never meet again in this timeline o-or something bad will happen." "If this is an excuse not to be friends with me you can tell me I'm not a little girl," Eila says, very annoyed and slightly angry. "no no no It's not that I swear Eila it's just there things you don't know about me, I have secrets that I fear could put the existence of others in danger ". "Existence?Luca what are you talking about? Well I thought the least you could afford me is the truth I thought we were friends " a sad look now on her face. " fine but you have to promise me that if I tell you when I leave you have to forget about me completely okay?" "That's ridiculous-" "Promise Eila." Luca says interrupts sternly looking straight into her eyes to show he's serious. "okay whatever I promise, now explain". 

Luca looks down and puts his head in his hands after sighing loudly the whole situation filling him with despair. "Eila Im a time traveler." "Stop joking Luca now is not the time for jokes" "No, I'm serious Eila, look it doesn't matter if you believe me but I'm still a time traveler, I don't exist anywhere permanently, wherever I go there's a law of space in time that says I can only be somewhere 7 days at a time so I don't change history completely which could put millions of lives into the void where they cease to exist completely! don't ask me where I came from because I don't know all I know is the fact I travel through time, I don't remember where I came from or who I was or anyone related to me all I know is this and I need you to forget about me because I can't meet with you again it's much too dangerous for you Eila do you understand??".

 Luca breathing out of breath after speaking fast.  Eilas eyes were wide in disbelief and her mouth opened. "say something Eila anything please..." "i- don't even know what to say Luca that was..." "how do you react when someone becomes your best friend in 6 days and on the 7th day they tell you they're a time traveler and I have to forget about them forever?" "well I don't know eila but I hope you understand". "Yeah of course I do" she bounces her leg quickly "it's definitely a shocking piece of information" Eila lets out a chuckle "um when do you leave Luca?" shock still written over her face as the words come out. 

Luca looks down at his old worn down brown leather watch from 10 to midnight." In ten minutes, at midnight im sor-" "no please luca let's make the most out of our last moments, you wanna dance?". Together they dance to the song "We'll meet again" by Vera lynn. For five minutes it was silent until luca says " I have something, you might like" taking her hand and pulling her outside into the snowy frigid weather quickly pulling out the photobook and flipping to a page the very same page he has been reminiscing over titled "L&E-1959" pulling  out the photo of him and a man before handing it to eila." Back in 1959 I came to this very spot on the corner of Gin and Pips and met a man named Elliot James, we too became best friends over the course of 6 days until I had to leave him the same as you, I noticed you guys look vaguely similar that's why I was shocked to see you at first because it seemed to good to be true, here and well he took this photo of us." "Luca you Knew my uncle?? I loved him, and he was seriously the best! He even told us stories of a time traveler named L but we never believed him.”

"This is insane I- " "Eila." Luca said straightforwardly before she could go into her rant, "It's time." “Wait before you go!" Eila scrambles through her espresso leather pouch on the ground bringing out a polaroid. "Say cheese Luca!" she clicks a button quickly, the flash nearly blinding Luca. "Here is a photo of us, I might have to forget you but you don't have to forget me." "Thank you Eila, truly you were just as pleasant  as your uncle Elliot if not more” he paused then opened his mouth as if was going to say something else but settled on “...farewell". Luca smiles, turns and puts his hands in the pockets of his trench coat then fades into the distance, vintage Christmas music playing and Eila standing there in awe watching him fade into the distance.