“What are you talking about? It’s not like I’m going to tell her.”
“It took my picture.” His watery eyes meet mine. “I’m going to get a ticket in the mail.”
I freeze.
A ticket? Like the one Sam showed me in my timeline? “No,” I say. “There’s no way.” Myles isn’t a killer. He isn’t goingto hurt Mallory, but if this is the same ticket Sam showed me, then that means the past isn’t changing.
“There was a flash.”
I shake my head. “No, you can’t get a ticket.”
His mouth falls open as he searches for words and his brows meet. “I can’t change it.”
Can’t change it.
Does this mean I’ve already tried to save Mallory and failed? That I’ve done all of this before?
“No,” I say, heart falling. A shiver runs down my spine as I refuse to believe it. “You can’t.”
His sadness softens, switching to confusion. “Why not?”
I don’t want to tell him because I don’t want it to be true. “I’ve seen it.”
His head tilts, clearly not processing what I’m saying. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve seen the ticket in the future. This has already happened, which means Mallory is still going to die!” My voice snaps like a broken record.
“No, she isn’t. I’m mad at myself, not her. I swear I won’t hurt her.” He speaks so fast that the words fall out of his mouth jumbled, running into each other. “I’m with you right now.”
What he’s saying is right, so why doesn’t it make me feel better?
Tears sting my eyes as I rip my phone out of my pocket. I dial Mallory's number and hold the phone up to my ear as my breath shakes. I bite my lip to try and stop it from trembling, and I shake my head again as a hot tear rolls down my cheek.
The phone rings and rings, but Mallory doesn't answer.
I need to hear her voice to make sure she’s okay.
“Something’s wrong,” I say.
Myles touches me. His hand is on my shoulder, a touch so gentle that I almost don’t feel it. “I’m right here in front of you, so nothing’s going to happen.”
“I need to hear her voice.” I need proof that she’s okay. I need to have my arms wrapped around her.
“What do you want me to do?” His tears have been replaced by worry, and I have his full attention like I’m distracting him from his own pain.
I need to find her.
My heart is beating out of my chest, afraid every decision I make is wrong, but I’m convinced Myles won’t hurt her. “Take me home.”
He takes a deep breath and starts driving while I try to call Mallory again. With every ring my anxiety goes up. Why isn’t she answering me? Is she still upset with me? Is that why she didn’t bother finding out why I skipped school?
There are so many questions in my brain it’s about to explode.
She doesn’t answer and the phone goes straight to voicemail.
Myles steals glances at me and then he grabs my hand. “It’s going to be okay. She’ll be there.”
“She will,” I say, trying to convince myself he’s right. We’re going to drive to the house and walk in to see her studying like always. She’ll yell at me to get out of her room.
