Chapter 7
It was only 10 minutes until 7 P.M. and Sango and Amber had somehow managed to make Misty look like she was in her 20's.
"Wow, I look different…" she said, smiling. Maybe Brock would have noticed her if she actually looked like this when she bumped into him in the hallway, instead of some 15 year old girl. But she WAS a 15 year old girl.
"You look absolutely stunning!" Amber exclaimed, as she continued to tease her hair a little.
Sango dug through a trash bag she had bought with her. "So I think you and I wear the same size shoe. I bought over several pairs that will go with the shorts you are wearing. Try them on and see what is most comfortable. I'll watch for Gary's car."
Misty picked out a pair of pink strappy sandals, and she was grateful that she had decided to put on a fresh coat of nail polish on her toes the night before, because they really made her feet look adorable.
"Don't forget perfume!" Amber said, looking through Misty's collection of perfume. "This smells good. Wear this." She said, spraying it all over, causing Misty to cough and sneeze a little.
"I feel like a Barbie doll," Misty grinned a little and looked at herself in the mirror.
"Barbie ain't got shit on you," Sango said, laughing and strapping on a bracelet to her wrist. "There."
Misty walked out of her bedroom to wait for Gary in the living room. "I'm kind of nervous."
"No reason to be nervous," Amber assured her. "It's just a date. You go, you have coffee, you talk, and then you go home…Unless your Sango, then you end up with babies to go along with your cappuccino."
Sango scowled at her and folded her arms. "That is NOT how it happened!"
Amber laughed and pulled the blinds down to check for Gary. Violet, Misty's older sister, walked into the room and gasped.
"Oh My God! Misty? You…you actually look like you are our sister! You look beautiful!"
"Thanks…I think," she said, grabbing her purse.
"Are you going out with that boy? The one you told me you had, like, a huge, huge crush on?" Violet giggled. "The one who bought you home yesterday?"
"No!" Misty quickly shook her head and looked at her friends. Great, now they really knew she had a bad crush on Brock. "I-it's another boy. His name is Gary."
"Is he totally cute? What happened to Marcus? Are you, like, this guy's girlfriend now? Who was the other boy? I so totally wanna meet him!"
A small beep sounded from outside.
"Uh, I have to go…I'll be home later…"
Violet sighed and waved out the window. "Have fun! Be home by, like, 10:00. Love you!" She turned to face the other two girls. "My little sister totally has the hots for Brock Harrison, doesn't she?"
Both of them nodded.
"That's what I was afraid of. I graduated last year, Brock was a junior and he dated one of my friends, and then cheated on her with some slut named Ivy!" She rolled her eyes. "He can't keep his dick in his pants to save his life! He's an egotistical, over-sexed, anti-christ!"
"I remember that Ivy girl," Sango recalled. "She actually cheated on him 4 months after they got together, but it served that jerk right!"
…
As an adult, Brock had grown to love coffee, so it wasn't a surprise to him that he remembered where the old Starbucks in town used to be. It had since been moved into a much bigger and more high tech facility, and now offered cakes and even catering services in his time, but in 2013, it was still just a college, preppy coffee café.
He walked in, ordered an White Chocolate Iced Mocha and relaxed by the window. He pulled out his cell phone. It didn't have a signal. Apparently, the cell towers of this time weren't advanced enough yet to give signal to his phone, but he could still see the picture of Molly and Caleb he had as the wallpaper lock screen on his iPhone 3000.
He almost choked on his coffee when he saw Misty walk in with Gary Oak. He casually ordered a Caramel Macchiato for himself, and Misty ordered a Vanilla Frappe. Brock knew Misty wasn't much of a coffee drinker before Molly was born, until she was forced to drink it to be able to stay awake all night with her when she would cry or when she would be sick.
It took everything in him not to stand up and stop the date, and he tried to stay hidden as much as he could in the corner, hoping that the hipster looking couple playing on their ancient iPhones would shield her view of him, he didn't want to look creepy.
Gary talked to her for a long while before he reached over and clasped his fingers together with hers. "Has anyone ever told you that you have the most gorgeous eyes?"
"Thank you," she said, blushing.
Flattery. Of Course. Brock sipped on his drink, seething in secret, but he knew he had to let this happen. Then, he thought about Misty marrying Gary Oak. The thought angered him and he felt extremely jealous. He bit down on his straw to try and suppress that feeling. This was harder than he thought it was going to be, and the way she looked…she looked 10 years older, and exactly like the Misty he had grown to know over the past decade.
It was amazing what make up could do.
He heard her laughter, as Gary's told him stories about his friends. One story even involved Brock, and his stupid attempt to snowboard off the roof to impress a girl and ended up breaking his arm when he was 13 years old.
Yes, he remembered that one very well.
Misty wished he hadn't mentioned Brock, because now she was wondering about him again, even checked her phone to see if he had sent her a text, but nothing. So, she tried to focus on her date.
Brock sighed and finished the last little bit of coffee in his plastic cup, and decided he would play a game on his phone. He had nothing to do in this time. He wasn't even supposed to be here, really, so he often found ways to pass the time in his hotel room, and avoided television a lot because it reminded him of Misty.
When he clicked on his phone he heart almost stopped. Half of Molly's image was gone. He could still see her smiling face, her hands on her little brother's shoulders, but her image was half gone from the waste down.
"What the fuck?" He said, causing the couple in front of him to turn around and give him a look. He didn't notice however. He quickly unlocked his phone and scrolled through the rest of the pictures. He had his wedding photos, in which case Misty's image was still all there, but seemed to be fainter and dimmer next to his own image. Molly's baby pictures were slowly fading into nothingness, and he quickly stood up and left the café.
He leaned against a tree and started to cry. It was happening. History was changing. His children were disappearing. His marriage was disappearing. Even some of Caleb's pictures were starting to be affected.
"Oh, God, no.." he shook his head and sobbed. This was so cruel. He knew he could stop it, but even if he went back right now, Misty would still be dead, and he would be balled up on his bed, crying into her pillow in the dark, and he didn't want to go back to that pain.
Either way, he was still suffering, but at least this way she still lived.
He took a cab back to his hotel and stayed there for the remainder of the evening, not daring to even look at his phone. He didn't want to have to see his family fading away like that.
…
For the next 20 minutes, Gary and Misty enjoyed good conversation, until Gary casually asked her to go back to his house.
"Uhm, actually, I'm supposed to be home by 10:00," she said, feeling a bit embarrassed. Gary felt disappointed, but he really wanted a second date with her, so he didn't push it.
"That's cool. I'll take you home and I'll see you at school tomorrow, then?"
"Sure," she said, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and led her to his car.
He told her all about his football record on the way back to the house, but all Misty could really think about was Brock, and she wanted to slap herself for it. Here she was on a date with a pretty nice guy, who was cute, popular, funny, and smart and all she could think about was Brock with his charming smile, sexy voice, warm hands, and a touch that made her quiver.
Gary pulled in front of her house and parked his Mustang by the blue Toyota her sister drove. "I had a great time with you."
"Me too," Misty said, blushing a little.
"I'll see you tomorrow? Maybe you can come sit with us at lunch," Gary suggested and Misty nodded nervously.
"Sure, sounds great…"
He leaned in and kissed her and she cautiously responded to him, kissing him back. He was better than Marcus, and she enjoyed the kiss very much, but she wanted that excitement that felt so strangely exciting to her when Brock touched her leg yesterday. She wanted to feel that again.
"Goodnight, Beautiful," Gary smiled.
"Goodnight," she got out of the car and hurried into the house. Wow, so that's what a real date is like? She liked Gary, she really did, but it didn't keep her from checking her phone once again when she got in the house to see if she had gotten a text from Brock. Nope. None.
Just one from Amber asking how she was enjoying her date with Gary.
"I had a good time," she responded to Amber and then retreated to her room to pass the time by playing Sonic the Hedgehog and avoiding the thought of Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome Harrison.
…
Brock noticed Marcus Cooper had returned to school today. He was still fuming at him all through science class, and Miroku was acutely aware of the fact that Marcus hadn't seemed to have bathed in a few days either.
Gary Oak walked around the school like he was on cloud nine, and he leaned against Misty's locker as they waited for second period to start.
"Listen, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go out or something Friday night after the game?" Gary asked. "Maybe like a late movie, if your sisters wouldn't mind you being out so late. Or we could go to my house."
His last suggestion seemed a little too eager. Misty put her books away.
"I'll have to see. I think Sango and Amber wanted me to go to one of their houses to study and hang out after the game Friday…"
"Oh," Gary nodded his head. "Alright, well maybe Saturday?"
"Sure," she said, nodding her head. Gary ran his fingers down her arm and smiled at her. "See you at lunch, baby doll."
Baby doll?
Misty was startled when she heard the sound of a locker open up right behind her, and she turned around to see that it was Brock, who was obviously trying to avoid eye contact with her as he got his English book out.
She thought twice before saying anything to him. She wanted to know why he hadn't sent her a text or a call since she had given him her number, and honestly, she was too embarrassed to even address the subject.
She just quickly went to her next class and tried to push him out of her mind. It wasn't until lunch period that she found out that was going to be nearly impossible to do around Gary. Misty found herself right in the middle of the "Jock Table"
That's what Marcus called it anyway. The "Jock Table" consisted of Gary Oak, Nelly Haynes, Miroku Keseki, and of course, Brock Harrison. As one got closer to the end of the table, the less popular they were, and so on. It was a high school caste system and it seemed to happen naturally, without anyone really making it up. It's just how it was.
She had seen Sango and Amber visit this certain table, which was situated right by the far left window of the cafeteria in the corner. She had just stayed at their designated table and didn't move until they returned. Brock didn't even sit at the table, he sat on the radiator vent next to it, and propped his feet up on the side of Miroku's chair and ate pizza.
Mr. Lyttle came by and told Brock to sit in his chair, but Brock just smiled at him and ignored him.
Shaking his head, Mr. Lyttle then smiled at Misty. "Are you ready for the big game Friday night?"
"Oh, y-yes, sir," Misty nodded. "Sango and Amber have been going over the routine with me all week!"
"Awesome! I knew those two would help you get a head start. I'll see you in class!" He said, walking off.
This table was loud, the loudest in the whole cafeteria. Sango sat in Miroku's chair, while he stood behind her, stuffing curly fries in his face, and Nelly rudely made Amber stand up behind him while he ate a cheeseburger.
Gary had pulled Brock's unused chair beside him and made sure Misty was comfortably seated. Of course, having Brock look at her the whole time he ate pizza was not really her definition of comfort. Why was he staring at her like that?
"So are you dating now?" Nelly asked with his mouth full.
Gary smiled at Misty. "Well, that is going to be up to this beautiful girl right here. She's thinking about it."
Brock put his pizza down on his plate and rubbed his hands together. "I'm going to get me another soda."
Misty noticed his soda was still half full, and she watched him walk across the cafeteria to the vending machine, insert a dollar and punch the Dr. Pepper button.
He came back, sipping on it, sat back on the radiator and continued to eat, but he was a little more quiet this time. Miroku was sticking fries in his nose and telling everyone he was a walrus, and Brock only laughed a little bit this time.
The bell rang and Gary stood up, along with Misty and the two of them walked out together. Brock didn't like the idea of Gary dating the girl he wanted, even though he knew he couldn't really have her, but he still felt like he was just letting him take something he wanted without fighting for her.
She glanced back at him before Gary led her into the crowd of students that were eager to get to their 5th period on time.
…
