Love Across Time

Chapter 7: The Beginning

The storm raged outside. I changed into jeans and a T-shirt that said You know when the cafeteria food is bad when it…smells bad... tastes bad… fights back. Jack's reaction to the change in my appearance was, how can I put it, satisfying. It was the first time since I told him I was a girl that he looked at me like I was a girl.

I then spent the next few hours showing him how to use things like the TV, radio, and even a pen. I was getting a little tired of this when he asked me if I had anything to eat. That made me laugh. I led him to the fridge. I opened it casually. He gasped. I laughed.

"What is this?"

"It's called a refrigerator… It's like an icebox only smaller."

He pointed to my food. "What kind of food is this."

"21st century food." I grabbed to root beers and a large carton of sherbert. "Common."

I led him over to the window that led to the fire escape. I heard him gasp. The entire city stretched out before us. The lights looked like tiny fireflies and you could see the river in all its natural glory. The blanket of cloud looked like you could reach up and pull it down to wrap yourself up in. It was like nothing you've ever seen.

The landing outside the window was covered by an overhang which kept us dry. We sat with our bare feet dangling over the edge.

I showed him the food. He knew what the sherbert was… but the soda pop was a different story.

I opened a bottle, it fizzed up. The noise surprised him. "What is that?"

"RootBeer." I said happily. Some girls get chocolate cravings… I get RootBeer cravings.

"Was it supposed to make that noise?"

"Yes."

"How… Why?"

"It's just carbonated water with flavoring." I said calmly. I took a sip. It fizzed slightly as I put the cap back on. He winced… I laughed. "Here you try some."

The look on his face told me he'd rather not. But never the less curiosity took over and he took the bottle from me like he was waiting for the bottle to explode. But once he tasted it he calmed down. I laughed. "Tasty?"

"Very." he said smiling at his own stupidity. He should know I wouldn't hurt him… I couldn't hurt him.

He chuckled as he took another sip, a bigger one, and looked out over the city. A fork of lightning flashed across the sky. But my eyes were for Jack. I've seen enough lightning in my time. 'His hair's grown.' I thought 'And his eyes have a little blue in them.' My eyes swept over his high cheekbones and his honey brown hair… Wait stop. Why am I thinking these things? What's happening to me?