I rushed to my car and threw my bag on the passenger seat. I loved my english class because we were talking about H.G. Wells' story, The Time Machine, but I didn't like the fact that class went over twenty minutes today. I couldn't be late, not today. I had a date with this girl I've liked for years, this would be the first time she's actually giving me a chance, blowing this would ruin everything I've worked for.
I got to the coffee shop about fifteen minutes early. “Awesome,” I thought to myself. As soon as I sat down at a table, a guy who was maybe in his mid to late twenties sat down across from me.
“Can I help you?” I asked him.
“Don't worry, we've got fifteen minutes, she'll also be three minutes late.”
“How did you know I was waiting for someone?” I started to get worried.
“Relax,” he said, “I'm a friend.”
“I don't know you, but you do look familiar, I feel like I've seen you before.”
He just laughed.
“But really though man, can I help you?”
“Look, I know that you really like this girl, and I know you really want the two of you to date.”
He paused and sighed, “but you can't.”
“Why not?!”
“If you date this girl, you do get married, and you have a great career, and you have two great kids.”
“So why can't I? My life sounds awesome.”
“She is what destroys it. She uses you for your money, cheats on you, and then divorces you taking pretty much everything you own, your kids never see you, and you eventually kill yourself due to the loneliness.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“Because I'm your son.”
I laughed at this, there was no way this guy was serious.
“Did someone put you up to this?”
I proceeded to look around for one of my friends but saw no one I recognized.
“You have to believe me.” He said much softer then before.
As soon as he said this, the girl I was going on the date with approached the table.
“Hi,” she looked at me and hugged me. We both looked at the guy who claimed to be my son.
“Is this a friend of yours?” She asked.
“A relative actually.”
“But I was just leaving,” He said as he stood up and walked out of the coffee shop.
“What was that about?” She asked.
“Just a cousin that I haven't seen in years.”
We began to talk, but I couldn't focus.
Was this guy serious?
Was he really from the future?
How did I know I could trust him?
These questions mulled around in my head for a few minutes before I pulled out my phone.
I put it to my head and mimicked receiving a call.
“I'm sorry,” I looked at her and said, “It's my mom, I have to take this.”
“Uh huh....Ok...Really? Alright I'll be right over,” I fake conversed with nothing.
I turned and looked at her.
“I'm sorry, but my grandma is in the hospital, I need to go, rain check though?”
Before she could answer, I darted out of the coffee place and rushed towards my car.
I got in and took deep heavy breathes.
“What am I doing?” I said out loud.
“Saving yourself,” I heard a voice say.
I jumped out of fear.
“Relax, it's only me.”
I turned and saw the man who claimed to be my son sitting in my back seat.
“How'd you get in here?” I half yelled.
He held up a key.
“So, what? You broke in using key?”
“I didn't break in,” he said calmly as he gave me the key.
I grabbed the key and knew what he wanted me to do. I put it in the ignition and turned, the car started. I was confused and slightly scared.
“You'd be surprised for how long this piece of crap still runs, although, it's nice to see it not as beaten down as it will be.” He said as he smirked.
“If you really were my son, shouldn't you be gone already? Because, you know, you are not going to get made now!” I exclaimed trying to convince myself that this guy was just some nut job.
“That's not a for sure yet.” He turned and looked through my back window, we saw her sitting alone, looking mildly upset at my awkward and immediate departure.
“What are we waiting for?” I asked.
“Just watch,” he quickly said.
We watched her for maybe five minutes.
“I don't get what's going-” he quickly interrupted me.
“There! Look! Look!” He pointed frantically at her.
She began to get up and walk to the coffee bar.
Her and the barista exchanged a few words, she pointed to the seat, and then she wrote down something on a piece of paper and gave it to him.
“That guy,” my son said, “is the guy she would of cheated on you with.”
“And now what?”
“Well, now cheating on you won't be a step. Hopefully she'll just get with that guy and be happy.”
I turned around to stretch my neck and said, “Well, what happens to you?”
I turned back around and he was gone. No trace of him, it was like there was never anyone there.
I started the car and faintly heard the words, “thanks dad.”
“No problem son, no problem.”