Time’s Illusion

Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.

-Henry Van Dyke

Time. 60 seconds to a minute, 60 minutes to an hour, 24 hours to a day, 7 days in a week, 4 or 5 weeks to a month, 12 months to a year, so many years to a life.

Each day we wake up around a certain time, get ready for our day in a certain amount of minutes, go to work and spend the same amount of hours in the same place, doing our jobs. Then we come home and spend the rest of the day doing the same things. Cooking, cleaning, sitting with family, hanging with friends, playing with our children, watching television…

Time keeps us on a schedule, keeps our days at a pace that we’re comfortable with and if we slip up and mess up one second in our day, even just one tiny fragment of a second out of place, everything seems to lose it’s ease. The day then seems absurd, as if every second rushed and, in the end, we curse time for not stopping, for continuing on when we needed just a split second more.

It runs our life, controls what we do in a way that we don’t even realize it. No one stops to take the time to realize that time…is nothing but an illusion. Or at least, I never thought anyone would. In fact, I never did myself, I never cared to…never even considered it.

At 17, time wasn’t anything special to me, in a way I thought it went too slow. The days dragged on as I spent them going to school, then to work at the local arcade, then home and starting all over again. The weekends were always eventful, but all-in-all, the same. I was bored with life, even with the good grades, great friends and a wonderful home life, it always seemed like something was missing.

And I always wanted to find that something. But, when I finally did, I wasn’t ready to realize the world was spinning at my feet and I was simply going with it.

I wasn’t ready to realize I could do something about it. That my presence, albeit one that has nothing extraordinary about it, could change a week in someone’s life, that a week with one person could change mine forever.

-

Time to close up. Tommy Patterson thought to himself, moving quickly from the game room at the local arcade to the back storage room. He pulled the apron off over his head as did, hooking it on a hook as he walked by them, then took a seat on a stool next to his locker and let out a long breath of air. The Christmas season was the worst one when you worked at an arcade. Seemed people would rather be here with a group of friends then at home with their families. Isn’t that what Christmas was all about? Being with family?

He shook his head, stretching his legs out and glancing out the window. Snow, again. It seemed to be a constant thing this year. It snowed endlessly and the small town he lived in was completely white. All the hopeless dreamers would have their white Christmas this year. To him, the snow was a burden. It took him longer to get to his car, longer to get home, having to be careful when driving down the street, and he was the one who had to re-shovel it off the drive every time it fell.

Tommy diverted his gaze from the window to the door as it opened. Brendan Jones, the only other person he had working with him tonight walked in.

“Man, I’m so relieved it’s time to go.” Brendan told him with a happy grin as he pulled off his apron. “It gets so nuts in there. You’d think the mothers in this town would keep their kids in the house when we get 60 inches of snow.” He joked.

“I know.” Tommy agreed and grinned back slightly. “It wouldn’t have been so bad if Kelsey and Larson hadn’t both called in.”

“I know, man.” Brendan shook his head. “Those two call in way to much. If we weren’t all ready short on staff, I’m almost sure Mr. Fort would fire them.”

“It's more then likely.” Tommy agreed once again. He stood and pulled open his locker, pulling his coat out. “Anyone left in there?” He asked, looking over his shoulder at Brendan, who was opening his own locker across the room. The other boy cursed under his breath.

“I knew I forgot to do something.” He muttered. “I don’t have time to do a people check. Would you mind doing it for me? It was mostly cleared out before when I came back here, but you know how the people get sometimes. Teenagers thinking they can trick us, pulling pranks, hiding in the back booths…”

“I know how they get.” Tommy replied. “I’ll do the check, you seem to be…in a hurry.” He commented, watching the other boy. Brendan already had his coat on and was shoving his hands in his gloves. He slammed his beanie on his head before answering.

“I have to pick up my sister at her friends by 9.” Brendan grinned sheepishly. “It’s five after. Gotta go!” He exclaimed, shutting his locker and grabbing his car keys. “See ya tomorrow man.”

“Later Brendan.” Tommy replied, grinning now. Brendan was one of those people who was always doing something amusing, without ever intending to. He was a great guy to hang around and Tommy enjoyed working with him.

Grabbing his snow-cap from his locker, he shut it and then stuffed the dark green cloth over his short mess of thick black hair. Grabbing his keys from the table, he walked back into the main arcade room. Time for the People Check. He thought with a shake of his head. It was a ridiculous name for what he was about to do, which was nothing but check the booths for people. He usually never found anything but a few plates someone forgot to pitch.

Therefore, he was completely shocked when he found a person. Or rather a girl. She looked to be around his age and was rather pretty, but he’d never seen her before, not that he could remember. Which was a bit odd, because this town was too small for him not to have seen her before, especially when he worked in the arcade. All kids his age came here on a regular basis and he knew each one of them by name.

Besides this girl. She was reading a book, her legs stretched out across the booth and her back against the wall. One of her elbows rested on the table, propping her head on her palm. She looked as if this was exactly were she was meant to be, yet at the same time, Tommy knew she was completely out of place.

He shifted on his foot, and a shadow cast over her. She looked up quickly, as if caught doing something she shouldn’t be. Tommy grinned a bit, not sure what to say. She was prettier then he’d first thought, her eyes seemed an icy gray, and to big for her face. Her hair was short and cut crocked and odd, the ends jagged, and blacker then his own. The color of her eyes and hair seemed to clash, sending off a fragile and soft outlook.

At 17, Tommy had never thought it was possible to have his stomach twist in knots by looking at someone. He was experiencing it now though, and it was a bit odd.

The girl tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled slightly, knocking Tommy from his thoughts on his stomach’s peculiarity. “Hey.” Tommy greeted, falling back into the role of arcade worker.

“Hello.” The girl returned with another smile.

“The arcade closed-” He checked his watch. “-almost ten minutes ago.” He informed her with a small frown.

“I know.” She nodded her head, smiling still.

“Then why didn’t you leave?” He asked, his frown deepening.

“I was waiting for you.” Her voice was soft and sounded completely serious. Her words sent him into a small round of shock again, a chill going through him.

“You were waiting for me?” Tommy asked in a confused voice. “Why?”

She shook her head. “I wasn’t really.” She told him with an amused look. “But, wouldn’t it be odd if I was?”

“Yea, it would.” Tommy nodded with a thoughtful look on his face. “Considering I’ve never meet you before. But, that’s beside the point. You can’t be here.”

“I know.” She said again, nodding. “I just wasn’t ready to leave.” She gathered her stuff in her arms and stood. “I’ll go now though. Nice meeting you.” She smiled once more and then walked away from him. Tommy watched her go, feeling more then a bit confused. She was…odd. Their conversation had been that too and now, he was feeling it.

He checked his watch once more and then finished checking the booths for people. He was overly glad when he found no one else. After locking the backroom, he headed out the front door, the cold hitting him sharply. He stuffed his hands in his coat pockets and hugged his arms close to his body, trying to put a bit of warmth in himself till he got to his car.

Buy yourself some snow boots. He told himself as the coldness of the snow began seeping in the top of his shoes. He hated having to shake the snow from his tennis shoe every step and having some of those big snow boots would solve that problem.

He reached his car with a relieved sigh, quickly opening the door and folding himself into it, wishing he’d come out and started it before it was time to go. The inside of his car wasn’t any warmer then it had been outside. Tommy gunned the heat after starting the engine, and grabbed his gear-shift, going to put it in drive when he saw her.

It was the same girl he had seen before in the arcade. And she was being just as odd as she had been in there. Now, she was just sitting there, in the snow, reading her book, the snow falling around and on her, covering her black hair in white. She looked…like an angel. Or an insane person. He corrected mentally, watching her.

It was almost like she didn’t notice the snow, like she was completely oblivious to anything but herself and her book. But, that was impossible considering it was under 10 degrees and she was sitting in the snow. He knew she had to be cold, he was still cold and he was in an almost heated car.

Tommy tapped his hands on the wheel, not sure what to do. He couldn’t just leave her sitting there. She’d die of frost bite or something. He shook his head, marveling at how crazy some people are and then honked his horn once.

Her head shot up the same way it had before and she looked around. He honked once more, her head slowly turning to look at him. He waved to her through the window shield and the look she gave him made him grin. She sort of cocked an eyebrow at him, and gave him a ‘what now?’ look. Tommy couldn’t help but grin, waving her over. When she reached the car, Tommy rolled down the window.

“You know that it’s under 10 degrees out here right now?”

“Yes, in fact I do. Hard fact to miss.” She grinned. Tommy nodded, figuring that wasn’t going to get his point across. He reworded what he was trying to get through.

“Why are you sitting in the snow in under 10 degree weather?”

“Because I wanted to.” She replied. “Is there a problem with that too?” Her voice was unsure and slightly worried. Tommy presumed she thought he was going to kick her out of the snow the same way he had the arcade.

“Well, not really. Besides the fact that you could get really sick from sitting in wet snow.”

“Nothing but a little cold.” She smiled, seeming more amused then ever, and rocked back on her heels. “I’ll be okay.”

“Well, if you’re sure.” He shrugged and moved his gear shift finally.

“I am. Thanks for the concern.”

Tommy nodded and rolled up his window. He made to pull off and actually drove a few inches before stopping again. Something was digging at the back of his mind, saying he really shouldn‘t leave this girl in the snow, no matter how odd she was. So, Tommy put his car in reverse and stopped when his window was back in front of her.

She cocked an eyebrow and grinned again. “Yes?” She asked.

“Would you like a ride home?” He muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. He’d never been one to offer strange people rides home, that hadn’t even been what he was going to ask, that was just what came out.

“Well…” She glanced over to her spot on the ground. “No thank you.”

“I…what?” He gapped at her.

“I said no thank you.”

“I know, I heard but…” He let out a breath of air. “You’re just going to stay here? It’s almost 9:30, most girls like you are at home in their beds.”

“I don’t think you’ve ever meet a girl like me.” She retorted in a playful tone.

Well, isn’t that the truth. Tommy thought, giving the girl a good once over. Now that he was looking at her standing, he noticed just how skinny she was. Almost sickly, and her skin was pale, too pale. He figured that’s why her eyes looked so big. Her clothes looked to big for her, but didn’t look like hand me downs, as if the skinniness was recent and new. Tommy frowned.

“Would you please let me give you a ride?”

She tilted her head to the side, thinking it over. “You’re being persistent about this.” She stated. “Why?”

“Because, it’s under 10 degrees.” He mumbled lamely, only to have her grin once more.

“I’ve always been told to never get in cars with strange boys.” She told him. “You definitely fit the strange bill, but I feel like I can trust you.” She nodded, and then walked around the car and pulled the door open, climbing into his car. Tommy watched her in almost complete amazement. She really was odd.

-

Her name was Saniya. A name that she explained meant a moment in time, something that she said was ironic for her. He’d asked why and she’d smiled and asked what he thought of time. Tommy had told her time was how someone judged the day, that he’d never seen the importance of it.

He’d never thought he was saying something wrong. But, Saniya had turned her head to look the window and Tommy hadn’t known what to do. From the moment he’d first met her in the arcade, she’d been all smiles. Now, she seemed a bit sad. He was trying to think of a way to ask her what was wrong, but his tongue seemed to get stuck in his throat and he couldn’t talk. Then, he didn’t have to.

“Time…” She’d spoke so softly that Tommy had almost not heard her. “Is like an illusion.”

“Why do you say that?” He asked, his voice just as soft as hers, as if the two of them were in a crowded room and sharing a secret no-one else could know.

“Because it’s true.” Saniya looked over at him. “It’s just something that we let judge how long we’re going to take to accomplish something. We let an inanimate object hold the power over the world.”

“I don’t…” He frowned. “I don’t understand what you mean.”

“You wouldn’t.” She stated in a dull tone. But, she offered a smile, as if to soften her words and then looked back out the window.

Tommy had been completely at lost for words. It was about halfway to the street Saniya said she lived on when either of them spoke again. Only she didn’t speak, she squealed, making Tommy jump.

“What? What is it?” He asked, shooting her a crazed look.

“Stop the car, stop the car.” She demanded, Tommy quickly pulled over to the side and put his car in park and then before he could demand to know what was going on, she was up and out. Tommy stared after her and then shut his eyes and let out a long breath.

And then he followed her.

He’d never know why, but he felt like he had to. It was like he couldn’t leave this poor girl to fend for her self…and he wanted to know her mystery. And he didn’t just find a mystery, Tommy…found him a Labyrinth of wonder, all in a single girl with a funny haircut.

He followed her all the way over to the town’s ice pond, where the kids played ice hockey during the day. She was just standing there when he reached her, her hands folded behind her back, her hair blowing in the wind. He walked over and stood next to her and looked out over the rink beside her, standing exactly how she was.

“This…” She whispered softly, as if trying not to break the silence. He looked over at her, waiting for more. “This is time to me.”

Tommy looked back out to the ice, trying to see what she saw. He didn’t see time, he didn’t see much of anything, but an ice rink he’d played on as a child, now covered in a layer of snow.

“Do you see time in this Tommy?” She asked, her voice still soft. Tommy hesitated, a part of him not wanting to disappoint her, then he shook his head. She smiled softly and then turned to face him completely. “We should be going.” She said simply, then began walking back to his car. Tommy stayed at the ice for another moment, willing the image of time to come to him. Then with a sad, puzzled sigh he followed her back.

-

She was back the next night. She sat at the same booth in the back of the arcade, watching the people or reading a book. Tommy found his gaze on her more then once. She looked a bit different tonight. Her short choppy hair was up in a small bob of a pony tail, a few tendrils of hair falling free from the hold of the barrette. Tommy thought she looked enchanting.

He also thought he was losing his mind.

He offered to do the people check for Brendan again, who graciously accepted the offer, leaving before Tommy could get in a You’re welcome. And then Tommy walked over, and took a seat across from Saniya in her booth. She smiled at him.

“Going to kick me out again Tommy?” She asked playfully, her eyes gleaming happily. Tommy couldn’t help but grin back.

“No, I thought we’d have a drink, or talk.” He shrugged and Saniya beamed.

“What would you like to talk about?” She asked, and Tommy shrugged.

“You pick.” He told her and she nodded, then tapped a finger on her chin in thought. Then, they began talking about the weather. She’d picked that subject as a joke, he suspected, being they say weather is something people use to make small-talk, but Tommy and Saniya really talked. It was amazing how much you could learn about someone from talking about the weather.

The conversation slipped from there to family. Tommy learned she was an only child and was being raised by her father; her mother had died a year and a half ago in a car accident. Tommy told her about his parents and his little brother Mike. They shared stories of childhood, which led them to talking about food. And from there they went on to drinks.

“I would love…to drink the snow.” Saniya stated, her voice thoughtful.

“The snow isn’t clean.” Tommy argued.

“That’s not the point.” She shook her head. “That’s my new goal, to drink the snow.”

Tommy knew, that in some way, she’d manage it.

-

Tommy wasn’t surprised to see Saniya the next night. He’d expected to see her, and was glad to have her company. She sat at the counter that night, on one of the stools, and chatted about whatever came to mind. Most of which, he’d disagreed on. Leaving them debating over the simplest things: cars, bees, why the world spins and then, of course, her favorite subject, time.

He never understood why she brought it up so much. He thought maybe she just found it interesting, or because her name meant it…but he never fully got it. Not yet, at least.

Saniya stated, once again, that time was like an illusion. Something we want to keep, but is too untouchable, too inanimate to keep. It’s always moving and pushing us through life, or that’s that image the world has of it. To her, it was just there. And she’d never let it get her. He would have smiled when she said that, but she looked too serious and, in a way, too sad.

So, he’d reached across the counter and flicked her hair lightly. It was softer then he’d expected, and it made him hold a piece between his fingers for a brief moment. He’d pulled away, a bit startled by his own actions, only to have Saniya smile. She always smiled.

“I use a special treatment formula to get the light and fluffy feeling.” She told him, reaching up to brush a hand over her hair.

“And the cut?” Tommy cocked an eyebrow at her to show he was only teasing.

“Figured I’m going to lose it all anyways, might as well cut it how I’d like to wear it.”

“I like it.” He’d stated and then turned to pour someone sitting farther down the counter a cup of coffee. Saniya had simply smiled at his back.

-

She didn’t show up the next day. Tommy expected her to jump out from behind his car as he went to get into it, but she didn’t. He didn’t see her at all that day, and he felt a bit hurt that she hadn’t come. He tried to ignore the fact that he missed her as he drove home in complete silence, something he hadn’t had done for two days. By now, he was used to her care-free yammering, actually enjoyed it to be honest.

It was two days till Christmas. She’d asked him on the drive home yesterday if he’d like to spend Christmas Eve with her, since the arcade was closed and she wouldn’t be able to see him. He couldn’t do anything but agree. They planned to get together around noon. She’d asked him to meet her at the ice skating pond and he’d agreed again.

He hadn’t seen any reason not to.

She was always in his head. No matter what he was doing. Working, writing, studying, eating, brushing his teeth, sleeping…she was there, hovering over him. Her cute smile, her bright eyes and her funny haircut never leaving his train of thought. He wasn’t sure how he was so wrapped up in her, and only after three days.

Tommy sighed as he parked in front of his house and then turned off his car. He walked into his house, the smell of cooking filling his senses instantly. His stomach grumbled as he made his way to the kitchen. The leftovers from the family dinner were on the counter and he made himself a plate, then ate it while leaning against the stove.

He hadn’t eaten dinner with his family in the longest time. He worked too much to have the chance, but he still saw them. He had the weekends and Holidays off and his parents insisted on a family day each week. One he had to attend. It kept their family close, close enough to where they could talk about whatever they need.

But, for some odd reason, Tommy felt he couldn’t talk about Saniya to anyone. Like she was his secret.

He smiled, biting the food off his fork. His mother would insist on meeting her, more then likely the very second she heard about her. His mother was friendly and loveable and wanted to know anyone Tommy considered a friend. That’s what he considered Saniya. That and more.

He just wasn’t sure what the more was yet.

-

Tommy went to meet her the next day. He arrived at the ice pond at noon and sat on a bench, hands in his lap and waited. He hadn’t gotten her a gift, wasn’t sure if he should. They hadn’t talked about buying gifts, even if it was Christmas Eve. He didn’t want anything from her. Nothing expect for her being here and them talking.

But, she never showed. He waited for an hour, until he finally started to get cold and left. He gripped his steering wheel as he got in the car, trying to calm his feelings. He was hurt again, hurt that they’d made plans and she hadn’t showed. It was rude also, to back out on someone. Especially when you asked if they wanted to make plans.

And he wasn’t going to stand for being backed out on. So he put his car in drive and drove the short distance to her house. She lived in one of those large houses, the ones that are considered rich in the small town they lived in. He’d never asked if she was wealthy, but just assumed it. Her shoes were nice and her clothes, though a bit too big for her, were fancy looking. Her attitude was anything but stuck up, so the wealth didn’t bother him. He wasn’t exactly poor himself, but he also thought he could fit his entire house in her foyer.

He’d been in her house only once before. She’d asked him in when they’d stopped by after work the third night so she could get her coat. She hadn’t wanted it, but he’d told her he wasn’t going to go anywhere with her, in the cold, if she didn’t have one. Thus, them coming to get her one. She’d gone to go get her coat from her room and he’d stood in the foyer, absolutely amazed by the size of the room.

Now, his second time standing there, he wasn’t so amazed. It was probably because his hurt and anger were boiling over to the edge. She was here. He was hoping he’d come here and they’d tell him she’d left, that she was on her way to meet him.

That hadn’t been the case. Like last time, he was ushered in and then asked to wait for a moment. Then the maid, yes the maid, scurried from the room and now, Tommy was just standing there, waiting. He wasn’t sure why he had to continue waiting so long, how hard could it be for Saniya to walk from her room and down to greet her. It wasn’t like he was going to bit her head off or snap her into little pieces. He wasn’t that mad, but how was she to know that?

Tommy really doubted she was afraid of him though. Saniya never seemed afraid of anything, not really. She seemed to be one of those people who place there hands on their hips and announce ‘Fear? Ha! I laugh in the face of fear!’.

“Mr. Patterson?” The maid spoke, startling Tommy from his thoughts. “Please come this way sir.” She nodded efficiently and then turned on her black maid slippers and began walking down the hall. Tommy followed quickly, not exactly sure what was happening. He’d never had any reason to come farther into the house then the foyer before, he didn’t see one now.

The maid stopped in front of a yellow door and turned in a way that reminded him of a solider. She knocked on the door curtly and then spoke so she could be heard through the wood. “I’ve brought Mr. Patterson.”

“Thank you Amelia.” A male voice responded, as the door opened. “You may be off.” The maid nodded, just as curtly as she’d knocked and then was off within the blink of an eye. The man then turned to look at Tommy. He held out a hand, grinning. Tommy noted, as he shook his hand, that his smile didn’t seem to reach his eyes. “Mr. Patterson, it’s nice to meet you finally. I’m Mr. Turk, Saniya’s father.”

“It’s nice to meet you Mr. Turk. You…ah, know about me?” He asked with a small frown. The man brushed a hand over his sandy brown but graying hair and smiled once more.

“Of course I do. You’re all I’ve heard about these last few-”

“Daddy!” Saniya’s voice broke in, sounding completely mortified.

“Oh, sorry dear.” Mr. Turk’s grin turned sheepish. “I didn’t mean to tell you that. If you’d just forget it…” He muttered and then turned and walked into the room. Tommy, grinning now, followed him.

The sight knocked the smile off his face. Saniya was laying in bed, an IV in her arm and a small smile on her face. She was always smiling. He slowly walked to the bed, swallowing hard. Her dad watched them for a few seconds, then walked away from the room.

“San?” Tommy asked softly, questioning all this. What was happening, why it was happening…how it was possible. She looked so sick, so unhealthy. She hadn’t been that way two days again, was it really possible for someone to change that much over night?

But, as he thought about it, she didn’t really. She’d always had a sickly look. Her too-big clothes, her deep eyes that hadn’t seemed to fit on her face…

Tommy sunk into the chair beside her bed and Saniya continued smiling at him.

“Hey.” She whispered her voice tight. Almost as if she had trouble saying just that one word. Tommy stared at her, not able to return the greeting. He didn’t understand any of this, it wasn’t fair, wasn’t right. She was young and happy, so happy. “I’m sorry I missed yesterday and-”

“No.” Tommy shook his head. “Don’t apologize.”

“I need to. I should have told you about me being sick. But, I was having so much…” She paused, taking in a long, shaky breath. “…so much fun.”

“Saniya, I don’t understand.” He muttered, shaking his head. “This all makes no sense.”

“It’s actually all pretty understandable once you think about it.” She whispered back, staring at the ceiling. They feel into silence, Tommy staring at her, still not fully getting it.

“Do you have a cold?” He asked, with a hopeful tone. “You’ve been out in the cold a lot in the past three days and-”

“I was diagnosed with leukemia when I was 11.” She looked over at him, smiling still. Tommy’s heart sank and his throat tightened. “I spent the next 3 years home hospitalized. I had a personal nurse and doctor who treated to my every need. I got better, much better.” She licked her lips, as if wetting them from the dryness she was feeling. His own were dry, but he couldn’t find the motivation to lick them. “Then a few months ago the leukemia returned. It was a lot worse then the first time and the treatments weren’t working anymore. They tried everything, and before long, we just gave up. At the beginning of December, I was told I’d have less then a month to live.”

“And your month?” He asked, swallowing hard.

“Is almost gone.” She smiled once more.

“I…” He stopped. “Saniya you can’t die.”

“I am.” She shook her head. “There’s nothing we can do to stop it.”

“But I…” He stopped again, staring at her. He didn’t want to lose her. He cared for her and it was hurting him to see her like this. He wasn’t ready to let go. He’d met her three days ago and hearing that she was…that she was dying, was completely tearing him apart. How can you care for someone so much after such a short time. “But, we need more time.”

Saniya looked away now, shaking her head. “I’ve tried to tell you that time is only an illusion.”

“Time isn’t what you say!” Tommy shook his head. “It’s here, San, and we’re running out of it.”

“Tommy.” She whispered, her voice almost desperate. “We could do anything we wanted with the life I have left. Time isn’t there to stop us. If I die soon, I die, but should we be spending what time I have left doing something we want to do instead of wishing we had time to do it? Time is not here to stop us.” She shook her head once more, and Tommy felt like she was pleading with him to understand.

“But, San, you’re…” He moved over to the bed, laying a hand on her cheek. “I don’t want you to die.”

“I don’t want to die, but it’s happening Tommy.” She took his hand and kissed his palm, the action shooting a shock through him. It showed that she cared, that she was afraid to lose him, just as much as he was her. Tommy ran his other hand other her hair, pushing away tears. He wanted to be strong for her. “Dad and I would love if you’d stay for Christmas Eve. We were going to play Scrabble, but we could do something-”

Tommy moved his hand from her hair and placed to fingers lightly on her lips, cutting off all words.

“Scrabbles fine.” He told her, moving his fingers from her lips and then bending down and placing his lips lightly against hers. It was the briefest of kisses, the lightest of touches. But to them, it felt as if time had stopped.

-

Tommy stayed by her side until Christmas morning when she slowly passed away. They had talked about anything and everything over the scrabble game, her dad laughing at the many things the two of them had done in three days time. Saniya had explained that the weird things she did were because she wanted to experience what she could. The day they’d met, she’d purposely hid in that booth to see if she could get kicked out of the shop. She’d told him she’d never gotten kicked out of anywhere before. When she’d sat in the snow to read, she was trying to experience the ultimate cold.

Tommy had apologized profusely for interrupting her. She laughed…he loved to see her laugh. After the Scrabble game, Tommy had laid in her bed with her, and they’d talked about whatever they could…anything they could think of. Tommy enjoyed spending time with her and her father. He saw a lot of Saniya in him.

And when Mr. Turk had stepped out of the room, they’d shared another small kiss. Just as sweet as before, and just as time stopping. They’d talked until sunrise, until Saniya couldn’t talk anymore. Tommy had held her hand while she was dying. He’d never forget the way she’d smiled at him, the last smile he’d ever see from her…he’d never forget it. And on the drive away from her house, Tommy cried.

Then he went to the ice pond and stood in front of it as the snow fell. He stood and looked out over the lake, and he saw it. He saw time. He saw Saniya.

A snowy covered pond is a glorious sight, completely untouched. Something beautiful that you want to keep forever. Peace, hope…he saw it all. But, fate stepped in. Time stepped in. And everything became an illusion. He finally saw what she meant, he finally understood. Reaching down, Tommy grabbed a handful of snow and tossed it out onto the pond. And then, the illusion was gone. And time…continued.

Maybe, that day in the arcade, maybe she had really been waiting for him. Maybe she just hadn’t known it yet. Or maybe…maybe he’d been waiting for her. He smiled, shaking his head. He’d never met anyone like her before. He had to have been waiting.

Then Tommy sat down in the snow, hoping to reach the ultimate cold, then grabbed the notebook and pen he’d brought with him. He wanted her memory to live on forever. Saniya Turk deserved to be known forever, to never be forgotten. She deserved to stand with time. He felt a shiver run through him as he placed his pen to his paper and wrote…

Time. 60 seconds to a minute, 60 minutes to an hour…