Lydia Martin

8:30 pm. Her bedroom.

I stared at my reflection stuck on the vanity mirror, watching my light crimson hair flashing right before my eyes, while I brushed it. A silver barrette was used to wrap my hair at the left side, as I wear the right side loose. I got up from the seat and checked on my clothes. My dress dropped waist mixed with the wide silk skirts and the upper part was embroidered with shining rhinestones. The pearl necklace was ranging on my neck, matching with my glowing ring.

I closed my eyes and tried to push away all of my thoughts. Matt gave me that ring a long time ago. I never get the reason why he had done that but I knew that there was a great importance for him about the ring. Every time he saw me using it, he smiled and never let me ask about the story behind the accessory.

And the explanation for not wanting to think about it was Matt. I didn't want to think about him. But it was inevitable.

''So are you saying that you want me to be your guinea pig?'' I required, standing up from the chair. I was now walking side by side, trying to organize every word that Matt had just said into my head.

''Not exactly, because I'm going with you.'' he answered and almost reached my arms to stop me from moving, but I didn't allow him to. My feet lead me to the other side of the lab. Meanwhile, my mind was battling with all of the ideas I was having and I didn't know what to do.

''What will happen to me? Will I survive? Will I comeback?'' I asked myself.

As usual, I couldn't get a conclusion.

''How do you know this can actually work?'' I finally turned around. His absent facial expression was getting me worried. He was afraid that this could happen; that I wouldn't accept his proposal.

''I have a friend that went one day on this same trip. We've been working on this since we started to do things on our own. His name is Thomas. He was my first guinea pig, as you said. But he stayed there because we needed a connection from these two dimensions, these two different times that, are, actually, happening at the same moment. While we are here, discussing what we are going to do, Thomas is out there, in another epoch. Do you see how this is amazing? And we can communicate to him, you know that?'' Matt defended his point of view with enthusiasm and bounced, still explaining his plans. He was pointing at the monitor and words were quickly coming out of his mouth but I wasn't listening. I was blocking everything that he was telling me.

''Matt…'' I called him to return to earth and he reacted with a glance. ''I don't know if I want this. I don't know if I have a reason to go and leave everything behind.''

''What? Everything? Lydia, you will come back if you want to but we are not safe here.'' He snapped.

''What do you mean by we are not safe? We have the bigger security since my dad became the mayor.'' I retorted.

''I don't meanthatsecurity.'' He murmured. ''Lydia, they are back. And they want to know who is the responsible for the incident.''

A persistent knock on the door woke me up from my trance. I stood up immediately and opened it.

''M-miss Martin, the guests already have arrived. Y-your father asked me to come here and inform you.'' An attendant of the house states, her voice quavering, her small eyes looking everywhere but me; like something was causing her blood run cold.

''Thank you. I will be downstairs in a second.'' I returned and she timorously nodded, before she clumped away.

I inspect myself once more at the mirror and walked through the door, heading downstairs. My hand slide, without hindrance, on the handrail, as I concentrated on the talk I was hearing. A gravelly tone hummed into my ears. The voice was too tired to hurry, too low to rise.

When my shoe heel hit the marble floor, everyone at the front hall gawked at me. In another situation, I would feel my cheeks burning in red but, by hook or crock, I wasn't ashamed; perhaps, because I was too overloaded with recognizing the guests.

So I realized that I hadn't known them.

''Hello, dear.'' My father lurched and embraced my shoulders. ''Richard, William, this is my daughter, Lydia.'' He introduced me to the two men standing in front of me. The older and taller, Richard, was brightly smiling at me just after he stretched his arm to greet me.

''Your father have forgotten to tell me how beautiful you are, Miss Martin.''

I lightly smiled and shook his hand. I initially didn't realize that William was focusing his attention on me, since I was responding Richard's questions, but when grasped his action, I double-took. I met his coarse and scornful stare, his challenging eyebrows dancing at the bottom of his forehead. I had never been the kind of person that believes in stereotypes but I could identify the kind of man he was: the pretentious aura surrounding everything about him, his hands being folded behind the back, his chin raised.

He was definitely the kind of person I couldn't stand.

''It's a pleasure to meet you, Milady.'' He mocked irony and I gave him the best brittle smile I could form with my closed lips.

I'm afraid I can't tell you the same, my mind repeated this answer but I didn't want to get into an argument. I'd already had enough fights for one day.

''Well, I think the dinner is ready. Shall we?'' My father helped me to not huff and we all plodded toward the dinner room. I gave my father a bothered look and he winked at me.

I found in his eyes a vestige of the old Russell that I'd once known – and that had known me better than anyone else around. With time, we both lost the wasted connection and friendship we used to have.

But, straightaway, we've grown to accept that we both lost ourselves in the middle of this knotty battle.

A butler removed the chair and allowed me to sit. I appreciated his kindness and accommodated on my sit, next to my father. The dinner was served and we all started to eat. The first seconds of meal remained pacific and my attempt to not make an eye contact with William was working. I knew his darkly eyes were laid on me and I felt discomfited with the situation. The undulated but warm song was navigating through the room by the gold phonograph, the gentle violin sound tickling my ears. My father and Richard were talking about politics and business and I tried to pay attention on it.

It appears to me that Richard was one of the biggest owners of the city. He controlled a wide automotive industry that was extending the company outlet all over the country. Consequently, I could comprehend the reason why the Clayton's men were there.

''How much do I exactly owe you, Richard? I don't like the idea of having a personal debt with you since…'' My father cut his sentence and peeped at my direction, his pitiful eyes showed me what he was referring to.

In a fraction of a second, the reality hit me. For some minutes, I thought that this meeting was about Richard's industry or some financial support that my father could offer him. But then, I realized who he really was.

Richard Clayton wasn't the owner of an auto industry; his brother, Louis Clayton, was the real proprietor. He was, in fact, the captain of the Beacon Hills' police department. I raised my gaze to glare my father and he breathed out.

Perhaps, the sullen stare of mine was too vexatious for him to handle, although it could never be compared to my intolerably and occult past. Within my father's soul, he understood that, somehow, I was the cause of all his sleepless nights; all his thoughts about how everything could have been different; all the sorrow that he kept to himself.

Little did he know that I'd been feeling the same way – or worse. But how could he know such a simple thing about me if he didn't even seem to care about me anymore? How could he try to have me back if he'd abandoned me? How could he try to fight my own demons if he hadn't begun this battle aside me?

''It's nothing to worry about. Your secret is safe with me.'' Richard broke the ice with a quick answer and when I thought he was done: ''But, as far as the incident is concerned, we have to take some providence about the hunters.''

''You might take care of this, according to our agreement, right?'' My father remembered and Richard nodded. ''So, can I do something to recompense you for protecting us?''

''Well'' Richard cleared the throat ''there might be something you can do to help me.''

A heavy sigh escaped from my droughty lips and I inspected William's moderate smirk that spilled tons of sarcasm. I sensed a frightful sign and stared down at my empty hand. I couldn't let myself believe that I was afraid of what was about to happen, what Richard was going to say. I wondered the scene of my father allowing Richard to proceed with his suggestion because my mind was far away from that table, that house or from our little, cozy but messy Beacon Hills to watch the policeman continue.

''Louis, my brother, is about to give industry command to one of the heirs but, since it belonged to my father, William is one of the industry heir. On the other hand, there is also Louis' son, so, by my father's testament, the first heir that gets married will be in charge of administrate the industry. I thought that we could manage an arranged marriage between William and your daughter.'' Richard explained and I froze. My eyebrows went up and curve following the same steps of my upper eyelids and goose bumps strongly grasped my entire body.

''Excuse me'' I mumbled and, as a reaction, got out of my sit, not wanting to stay there any longer.

I climbed the stairs and, when I left them behind, I could only see one door on the hallway. I entered in the familiar room and, forcefully, I closed the door when I smash my back on it. I slide down and sat on the cold ground as my heavy tears were shed, forming enormous pools of the leftover makeup and water.

In the moment I allowed myself to barely open my eyes, I observed the old books horizontal aligned in the bookshelves; the wasted papers over the table; the dust accumulated on the corner. All those stuff remained untouchable, just the way my mother left. That room belonged to her. It was her shelter, the place where she could have a moment with herself, with her thoughts, without any disturbance.

The naphthalene smell united with the sweet and flowery perfume that my mother used to impregnate the room. It smelled like memories from the Friday's afternoon, when my particular professor dismissed me from my classes earlier and I ran to her office. Even if she was busy or in the middle of a self-reflection, she would let me in and I would listen to her reciting poems or reading the most wonderful and inspiring stories.

I heard a knock and got up, cleaned up any vestige of tears in my face. I opened the door and came across my father. I thought for a second that I might meet him with a worried expression, asking me if I was fine.

Obviously, this didn't happen.

''I had to tell them to come back later because of your little spectacle.'' He hissed and stepped into the room, without asking permission. ''You…'' He pointed his forefinger at me. ''You've gone so far tonight. Do you think you can act like this in front of your own guests? What kind of person have you become?''

I snorted at his accusatory. ''Don't be so pathetic. You shouldn't complain about what I've become. Do you want to make fun of this?''

''Watch your tone, lady.''

''So what? Are you trying to act like a father right now? You haven't been a father for 2 years because you simply rejected me since she's gone. And you'' I thundered and breathed in. I had to find strengths to keep releasing all those words stuck on my throat – and to not let the fire in my veins take control of me. ''You try to deny but I can see what you think. You think that I'm the reason she's dead, that I killed her; that your own daughter is a murderer. You shouldn't blame me because I couldn't control it. But instead, you did and you locked me out. I suffered and you, not even for a second, stopped what you were doing and checked if I needed someone. I mourned my mother's death all by myself because my father…He wasn't there.''

''Shut your mouth, Lydia.'' He roared.

''You know all this is true and you can't defend yourself.'' I hissed back and laughed lightly.'' If you feel ashamed of me, you aren't really my father. And if you aren't responsible for me anymore, you don't make my decisions. So I'm telling you, I will not marry William.''

I reminded him, for the very last time and turned my back on him, making he got out of my sight. From the corridor, I could hear him screaming my name while I made my way towards the front door. He didn't know where I was going but, in my decision, I wouldn't inform him about my courses anymore.

I looked over my shoulders and confirmed that the driver had already gone. The cold wind was tearing my cheek and I controlled my lips from shaking. The streets were empty; nobody had come to visit them that night. My hand hit the door one more time and it was opened. Matt's face appeared from behind the door white wood and I noticed the surprise stamped on his eyes.

''Lydia? What are you doing here, so late?'' He asked and I crossed my arms.

''I need to talk to you about something really important.'' I answered and he nodded, opening a path for my entrance. As soon as he closed the door, Matt turned his attention to me.

''Lyds, I'm so sorry for the pressure that I put in your shoulders. I shouldn't have done that and…''

''Stop, please. Matt, you don't need to apologize because if you didn't tell me about your project I wouldn't have any other place to go. I made a decision.'' I snitched and observed that he'd been listening carefully to every word I was saying. ''I accept your propose. I want to get out of here, as soon as possible, and the only way out is this machine. So now, it's me asking you: please, take me to another time, far away from here.''

Matt's expression went from glancing to slack-jawed but, in the blink of an eye, he pushed my arm and, instantly, we were at his laboratory.

''You came on the right time, it's almost midnight and we must do it when the clock is reset, starting his count again. Here, take this.'' He gave me the helmet and I put on my head, while he continued talking cheerfully. ''I already made my bags but I think you didn't right? It's okay, no problem. So, the machine is connected to Thomas' new house. He met somebody there and he's living with this one. The person, obviously, knows about everything we've been planning. At the halfway, we will need to pass across a place called wormhole, which is the shortcut through space-time. If our travel goes right, we will get to Thomas'.''

I was nodding whenever he explained something important – even if I couldn't understand some subjects he put on his summary. He was already with his helmet, analyzing every device from the machine. He regulated the clock and kept things in their proper places.

When he finished his arrangement, he gave me his hand and I eyed it. For the first time since I'd made my decision, I was nervous. My heart was jumping into speed; my stomach rolling over and being smashed by an unknown force. After all the inside drama, I glanced Matt's face. I could tell he was just as apprehensive as I was but he was better at hiding than me. I took his warm hand in mine and get on the machine. The sphere was now opened, the sits behind me and the gadget in front of me. We both sat down and fit the seat belts.

''Good luck.'' I stammered and Matt tremulously smiled.

He pressed a button and the sphere clustered around us. He glimpsed the watch and midnight came in. He pulled the arm of the machine and, in less than a minute, I felt an unlike sensation embracing me. We were moving in an offbeat velocity, faster than the beats of my heart. We weren't at the laboratory anymore; we were in the wormhole.

A million of light beams passed through my sight similarly to the vibrant colors points. Hues of purple, blue, white and black predominated at the space surrounding us. Everything was magnificent, splendid and surreal. I wished I could stay there for a long time, without thinking about the problems, my father, the decisions I had took. But rumor has it that every good last a short period time. And I was the living proof of it.

All of a sudden, the speed increased and the last thing that I remembered seeing was a black hole. We were entering in the void but I knew everything was okay.

We were beginning again.

Author's Note: Hello my dears! How are you? I know I dawdle with this chapter but I worked really hard at it and, to tell you the truth, everything around me made me more and more busy. So what can you tell me about this? What are you expecting to happen next? Did you like it or not? Tell me anything you can, please it's really important to me. If you want to talk, leave a review or send me something on my tumblr ask (crytalsreed). Don't forget to follow the story or fave.

Have a great week xx