In Another Lifetime: Jessica's Story

“Don’t you dare leave me!”

A male’s voice? Why does my neck hurt?

“I will find you! I swear on my soul!”

Brown eyes. I like the color brown.

RING!RING!RING!

Quickly sitting up in panic, my breathing was rapid, and I swear it felt like my heart stopped. Trying to get a better vision of my surroundings, it seems to be my room. That felt so real of a dream it really scared me. That male voice too… almost sounds scary to me. Well it’s nice to know someone liked me even though it’s just a dream. 

Bzz! Bzz!

Looking down, I see a few texts from a friend… Kami. I opened it and immediately felt intimidated by the amount of texts she sent me overnight. I guess I did sleep in longer than I should’ve.

Hello???!!!! Jessica!!!

JESSICA!!

If you miss this I WON’T FORGIVE YOU

Actually I would if you get me boba tbh…

Either way you’re not allowed to miss this important meeting!

Rosalind is mad at you!! :(((( 

I groaned knowing I’m in such big trouble. I forgot to put on an earlier alarm for this monthly friend meeting. 

I replied:

Sorry I forgot to set an earlier alarm! At least the meeting place is 10 min walk from my place! LOL

NO EXCUSES!

“Her replying fast scares me” I mumbled.

I’ll be a few minutes late don’t worry. See you soon

You’ll be 20 minutes late. Be glad this isn’t a restaurant.

Yeah cause I got to pick and I just suggested a simple cafe place. I tossed my phone somewhere back on the bed and finally crawled myself out. I walked towards my cheap ass mirror and for an odd reason I saw myself in a ballgown? My hair was up in curls I could never do myself. One blink and it’s gone. I must’ve smoked something last night.

I just quickly grabbed some soft flowy pants, some black shirt, and a brown cardigan. I’ll say screw it to the purse and just use my lanyard for my keys for the day since I won’t be doing much today. Finally heading out of my apartment, I sighed seeing the stairs to go down. These are only 3 story apartments so it isn’t that bad, and pretty cheap too. Then again my area is kind of a “low middle class barely scraping for money” kind of area. Going through the back of the property, I see the cafe I suggested to meet everyone. It’s a simple nerdy cafe that has almost every kind of fandom nerd and gamer likes. I enter the cafe and see my friends who took the round table in the corner. Looks like I am the only one late, the 5 others are already there, including Kami who bothered me and her girlfriend, Rosalind or Rosa for short. 

Before I even bothered greeting them, I went to the counter to order my usual iced matcha with oat milk. I realized I forgot to even put on makeup so I definitely have eye bags. This is a fun day so far.

I turned to my right, only looking back at the menu I didn’t realize I bumped into a guy who just grunted on impact. No one fell and nothing spilled so that’s a relief. 

I quickly stammered an apology and his brown eyes. It’s almost like a beautiful brown kind of color. 

“Christine I swear you’re the only one I want” The same dream male voice echoed in my head

“Are you alright?” he asked, with a worried look. 

Same voice? Freaky coincidence and why do I suddenly remember that dream now?

“Yeah I’m fine,” I said quietly before walking past him, not even daring to look at the rest of his features. I went to the round table and sat between Rosalind and Wynn. 

“Oh morning sleepy head!” Wynn chuckles. 

Wynn, the most adult kind of person in this group. Everyone is surprised he doesn’t have a wife yet since he’s the most financially stable and has a better job than the rest of us. 

“Whoa your eye bags,” Vincent raised a brow, sitting between Wynn and Kami. 

“Hey don’t be so mean,” Rosa sighs. 

“Didn’t you want me to text her multiple times?” Kami asked, in clear confusion and almost annoyance.

“Yes but you were mean in your texts,” Rosa pointed out with a hint of annoyance as well.

I raised my hands to stop everyone and decided to change topics. “Guys it’s cool, I’ll do my best next time. So what’s the purpose of our friend meeting this time?”

“I’m moving away” Vincent blurted with what looks like a sad expression?

“Why are you upset about it?” I asked. 

“Cause I won’t see you guys again,” he sighs. “But I’ll do my best to always text when I can or maybe even video call!”

“At least you’re getting out of this place,” Kami sighs. “Rosa and I still have much left of college to do.”

“But congratulations!” Rosa clapped. 

“Where to?” I asked.

Vincent answered, “Oh Arizona is where the med school I got accepted.”

“Oh so you’re not too far,” Wynn said.

“Ice matcha for Jess! And… Ice mocha for Adrian!”

I quickly got up and went towards the counter to see my ice matcha next to what looks like their iced mocha drink. Must be a guy named Adrian’s drink.

“Thanks” I told the barista as I took a quick sip. Perfect. I turned my body and noticed the same brown eyes from earlier looking down at me. “Sorry I’m in your way.” I stepped to the side.

“Oh no worries,” he said. His voice sounded raspy yet soft. Almost attractive. 

Seeing his features better, a mole under his right eye, some freckles more around his nose, but overall it’s quite an attractive face. You can definitely see this guy in famous dramas. 

“Oh, is something on me?” he asked politely. I didn’t think he would notice my stare.

Looking around there was a beautiful man with the most handsome smile looking back at me. The mole under his right eye can be discussed later, but he’s looking right at me. Now he’s coming over here. 

“Lady Christine Willinton, I wasn't expecting you to be here,” he bowed.

I bowed as well. “Lord Quinn Kilper,” I chuckled at his last name. 

“Ah my last name is still funny to you?” He gave me such an attractive smirk.

“Of course,” I kept chuckling. “Kil-PER. It’s such a fun name.”

“Are you alright?” The same voice was louder and I felt like I was suddenly back to real life. Did I dream? A flashback? 

“Oh yes. I… sorry” I quickly walked away to go back to my table. Not even letting him speak.

I sat down and aggressively started drinking my matcha.

“Whoa, what’s up with you?” Wynn asked. I’m sure he meant that tone in a worried way and not a ‘you’re weird’ tone.

“Is it the guy?” Rosa asked with interest. She is always finding new tea that isn’t hers, but who could blame her.

“The one who she kind of stared off into space in front of?” Kami teased.

“Oh shush honey” Rosa waves her hand towards her.

“I just feel tired is all,” I lied. “He is gone now right?”

“Yup” Vincent confirmed which resulted in a sigh of relief from me.

Thankfully from there, Vincent switched topics to his moving out day and small party of just us. The familiar almost deja vu feeling from the guy is still bothering me. I never spaced out and suddenly have such a vivid vision like that before. It’s almost so bothersome I barely paid attention to the rest of the jokes and comments of my friends.

***

I collapsed back on my bed with just underwear and a tank top. It’s annoying to have something like the guy be stuck in my mind. Oh gosh… I hope I don’t develop a crush who’s definitely out of my league. That’ll be horrible. Maybe I should sleep it off. Yeah I should. 

“Lord Kilper,” I greeted seeing the man at my front door. “What is it you want this time?”

“Lady Willinton, I have urgent business to discuss. May I come in?” He says with what looks like a smug look.

“Let me get tea from my maids and go to my office,” I smiled, letting him in and head over to my office. Everything is decorated almost like a beautiful renaissance library in the office. The sun from the windows on the sides bring so much light into the room I feel so proud of what this place looks like.

“Ah, thank you Marisol,” I said, seeing my top maid enter to leave the tea on the table then leave and leave while closing the door.

“So what is it?” I asked as I poured some tea for us.

“I would like to discuss the ball the other night. It seemed Lady Gallaway noticed our interaction. I didn’t notice it, but she said you couldn’t stop looking at me all night,” he smirks.

“My friend Lady Gallaway doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” I tried to laugh it off thinking why she exposed me like that. 

“Well I’m here to discuss plans,” he added as he nods his head in a way to thank me for the tea before he sips.

“Plans?”

He nodded and bit his lower lip as if he’s nervous.

“You’re nervous. You don’t get nervous,” I said.

“You are correct and may I be informal?” 

“You may.”

“Christine, please do me the honor to admit I wish to be the only soul in your life that you marry.”

“What?”

BZZ!BZZ!BZZ!

Waking up after that dream is the weirdest feeling ever. I feel my heart racing and the “need to go back”. The guy looks like the man I saw at the coffee shop too. I know he’s pretty attractive, but is he that attractive to occur in my dreams?

I went to see if I could shower the weird familiar feeling off, but it took me almost two hours to get out of my head and finally out of the water. Maybe this time he won’t be at the coffee shop.

Putting on some random pants and sweater, I made my way to the shop, passing by a few younger kids getting out of school on the way. Entering, I noticed a few students, some older people minding their business, and some age demographic in between but not the coffee guy. 

After a sigh of relief, I went to the register and decided to get a nutter butter kind of coffee frappe. Why not? I turned my body and I swear my heart felt like bursting out of my chest seeing the same guy enter the shop while being on the phone. I quickly turned the corner and took a seat on a couch that's in the corner of the cafe, hoping he doesn’t see me. 

Wait, why am I nervous about a guy I barely know? But I do know him. I don’t?

I’ve been staring at the ground for so long, I just realized some feet in front of me. It’s some nice loafers this person got on though, has some golden color edges and it’s shiny. 

“I like your loafers,” I complimented, then looked up to see the coffee guy. I jumped and tried my best to smile.

“You left this yesterday,” he holds out a small frog with a broken keychain end.

“Oh I didn’t even notice,” I took it from him, surprised. “Thank you.”

“Um,” he scratches the bag of his head. I just realized his hair is different, it isn’t as long. He got faded sides showing off his studded piercings. He’s making himself more attractive and I hate it. “I’m Adrian. Can I join you?”

“Oh…” I wasn’t expecting that. “I’m Jessica… but please call me Jess. And, uh, you may.”

Adrian nodded as he took a seat in front of me and the only thing between us was a small table where we would set our drinks on. “So this might be a bit weird to ask, but have we met before? Somewhere else that isn’t here?”

One blink and I was definitely not in the cafe anymore. More of a study with a fireplace across the way. The couch I’m sitting on is green velvet which is surprisingly comfortable to sit on and Quinn or Adrian in front of me kneeling on the floor with both of his hands gripped around mine. 

“Christine, you know how bad of a man Lord Perrit is. There’s been rumors about him overthrowing Lady Gallaway,” Quinn stammered. “I cannot let you go to that meeting knowing he’s there. Who knows what that man will do.”

“I will be fine, besides it isn’t like he will murder someone.” I scoffed. “He’s too… unintelligent about how to probably even slit someone’s throat.”

“He could hire people who do,” Quinn rebuttal quickly.

I rolled my eyes and took a big annoyed sigh. “My jewel, trust me please. You’re invited to this too as a Lord. You should be fine as well.”

“At first I wasn’t planning on coming,” he sighs. “Since you’re always so stubborn I will come with you. I can’t afford to lose you. You’re my soul.”

I smiled hearing those words and I definitely felt my heart leap out of my chest hearing it. Quinn stood up and kissed my forehead.

Another blink I’m back in the cafe…

“Jess?” Adrian called me out, making me look into his eyes. “Sorry, was that too weird of a question?”

“No, not at all. Did you not see a vision?” I asked. 

“Visions?” He asked with slight confusion.

“Sorry,” I shook my head and scoffed at myself. “I’m just not myself lately.”

“I had dreams,” he finally said. “Of a woman that looks almost exactly like you. But not the same name.”

“Christine?”

Silence fell.

“Quinn?”