She had the nerve to laugh. Then she threw her head back and guffawed.
“What’s so funny?”
“Oh, Chad. I have something to tell you, and you’re going to think I’m nuts too.”
“Okay, you go first, then. I could use some company in the crazy department.”
She nodded. “Okay, here goes… I’m a time-traveler.”
He stared at Brianna, his mouth hanging open. "You're... What?"
She leaned forward, her eyes intense. "A time-traveler, Chad. I know it sounds insane, but it's true. And I think you've already figured that out, haven't you?"
His mind raced, trying to process this information. "The emails," he said slowly. "That was really you from the future?"
Brianna nodded. "Yep. Sorry about the confusion. Sometimes it's hard to keep track of which version of you I'm talking to. I must have used the wrong phone with your old email—I mean, your current one. See what I mean?"
He slumped back in his chair, feeling dizzy. "But... how? Why? I mean, time travel isn't possible, is it?"
"Not yet," Brianna said with a wry smile. "But if you’re a certain kind of witch…"
"Wait. You're a witch? And a time-traveler?" He had to double-check; certain he'd misheard her.
Brianna nodded, her expression deadpan. "Yep. It's a genetic thing, believe it or not. My great-great-grandmother first discovered the ability, and now it's passed down but skips a generation."
He stared at her incredulously. "And you expect me to believe this?"
She sighed, reaching into her purse. "Okay, fine, skeptic. Check out my email." She held up her phone, which looked identical to his... except for the date and time in the corner. It read: January 13, 2029 - 2:45 PM.
Chad leaped out of his chair as if the cushion had caught on fire. "How? How is this possible? So help me, if you found a way to alter the year on your emails…”
“No, I haven’t. You know I’m not that tech-savvy.”
“Okay. Let’s pretend you are what you say you are. How long have you known this about yourself?”
“Not that long, actually. A while ago, I accidentally walked through a portal and into the year 1692. My grandmother was with me. We were talking about the Salem witch trials and how we wished we could change the past. Then the next thing we knew, we were spotted by some local Puritans and wound up incarcerated in the Ipswich jail, simply because of our strange clothing and odd manner of speaking.”
He shook his head. “So, your grandmother has this ability too?”
“We think so. But I created the portal. She could have come through on my power alone.”
“You were able to keep the portal open to return?”
“Yes, but if I had known it was my fault for wishing I could go back and change the results… Oh, never mind that. I need to know you’re okay. I’m not just your friend. In fact, I can tell you that in the future we will become a lot closer.”
He felt his cheeks flush at Brianna's words. "Closer? What do you mean by that?"
She gave him a coy smile. "Let's just say our relationship evolves. But I can't give you too many details. You know, butterfly effect and all that."
Chad ran a hand through his hair, trying to process everything. "This is a lot to take in, Bri. Time travel, witches, usbecoming... closer. It's like something out of one of my students' creative writing assignments."
Brianna laughed. "Trust me, I know how it sounds. But it's all true. And there's more you need to know."
He braced himself. "More? What else could there possibly be?"
“I was recruited to be part of an organization of pretty bad-ass witches.”
His eyes popped wide open, and his eyebrows almost hit his hairline.
