Chapter 9

"Rough night?" Smith asked Sarah.

"Wow, I'm glad somebody noticed the circles under my eyes." Sarah yawned and slammed her locker door closed.

"Last day." Alicia said quietly.

"Is it even worth trying anymore?" Sarah asked. "I know I acted way too rashly yesterday, and I saw all of Billy's hate and anger revealed. I know how our lives will end, and it isn't pretty."

"Every minute is worth it." Smith said. "You've still got a few hours left. That could be a world of difference. Everybody has setbacks."

"And how do you know for sure?"

A twinkle appeared in Smith's eye.

"Hey Tess!" Bobby called to Sarah in the hallway after school. "Have you seen Billy?"

"No I haven't." Sarah replied. "Why?"

"Well, he left early this morning but I haven't seen him in any of his classes. I looked for him all during lunch and I couldn't find him anywhere either."

"Did you check the theatre?"

"First place I checked. I called home too—nobody was there."

"Alright, it can't be that bad." Sarah tried to stay calm. "Split up, and I'm sure we'll find him faster."

Sarah was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief as she opened the door to the theatre and saw Billy in a corner strumming on a guitar.

"Billy." Sarah ran up to him and gave him a big hug. "I'm so glad you're alright. You know how much worrying you caused for me and Bobby?"

Billy looked up and there was a hint of tears in his eyes. "Sorry, I just really needed some time alone to think, so I went and sat in the park for the whole day, but the theatre just kept calling me back."

Sarah slowly sat down beside the boy. "What stuff did you think about?"

Billy played a few chords on his guitar before stopping again. A half-hearted laugh echoed through the theatre.

"It's so darn funny when I think about it." Billy finally said. "Do you believe in love at first sight? I didn't until I met Sarah. I was so mad myself for accidentally crashing into her in the hallway a year ago, but perhaps that happened for a reason. I thought she liked me too, at least as a friend, but I guess that wasn't the case when she started treating me like crap. Funny how love works doesn't it? I keep telling myself that it's the best to let her go, to forget about her. But no matter how hard I try, I can't."

Sarah could hardly believe her ears. "What did you say? You have a crush on me—I mean—Sarah?"

"Yeah I do." Billy finally said. "I don't know why I continue to like her. There's no way she could feel the same way about me. No way."

"Maybe today is the day for miracles."

Sarah and Billy looked up surprise to find the younger Sarah standing in front of them. Neither one of them had heard her enter. Her eyes were red and puffy from hours of crying. A single tear escaped and slid down her face.

Billy quickly put down his guitar and stood up. He fished into his pockets, pulled out a Kleenex and gave it to Sarah.

"Thanks." Sarah sniffled and wiped her eyes.

"I'm so sorry about yelling at you yesterday." Billy said.

"You had all the right in the world to do that." Sarah sighed. "I was so horrible to you, and talking to Tess here made me realize all the shame that I should have felt a long time ago. And I want you to know that I'll never do that again, to you or to anyone else."

"I'm glad to hear it." Billy said honestly.

"I just wanted to ask you one last thing."

"Anything."

"Well," Sarah shifted her weight uncomfortably between her feet. "I couldn't help but overhear what you were telling Tess, about having a crush on me. I have to confess, I had one on you too, and that's why I teased you for so long. That's some weird and twisted logic I have right?"

There were several moments of awkward silence.

"Yeah well, I'd better get going." Sarah finally said, slowly turning around.

"Wait."

Sarah stopped.

"Uh...would you like to come up to the tech booth and watch me put on a light show?" Billy offered quietly.

A smile slowly spread across the young girl's face. "I'd like that." She said.

Sarah could feel her heart almost burst with happiness as she watched the two trample up the stairs and into the tech booth.

Unseen, Smith and Alicia had watched all the drama unfold. "So, it did work out." Alicia said quietly.

Smith looked at his watch. "It's been three days exactly. Time for Sarah to go back to her new life." He snapped his fingers and the theatre was filled with a blinding white flash.