Chapter Twelve: Gwen

"Woah it's so sunny outside today after it was snowing hard," I say out loud as I walk to the window. "Hey you, stop right there," I notice Rosaline try to tiptoe past me. She stops and stares at me innocently.

"I didn't do anything wrong! I only twinned you with Alejandro is all"

"Ok, I wouldn't say anything if you just matched us up with something unnoticeable but you twinned us with the color desert pink and a Tommy Hilfiger denim jacket" She giggles "No wonder you said you wanted to pick Alejandros and my outfit"

"Now come with me" Rosa drags me to the bathroom.

"What are you doing?" She sits me on a chair and adds light red lipstick to my lips. She uses eyeliner to eyeline the bottom of my eyes. Once she finishes she turns the chair around to face the mirror.

"I know you hate makeup but just once in a while. These are new products for my makeup company and I wanted to try them on. You inspired me for this color since it's your favorite color"

"I guess I will let it pass this time" We leave the bathroom and join the others in the dining room.

"You look beautiful, Nuna," Alejandro says after Akio stands up from his chair. He called me older sister. But to him, could it mean more than frie-

"She twinned you two?" Ross laughs. "That's why you asked me what cute outfit would fit on a couple"

"Yeah I did" Rosa shrugs her shoulders as she sits down. Rosaline mouths something to Alejandro but he just covers his face with his hands. I have my coffee and start eating too.

"What are the plans for today? Because let me give you my thoughts, go to the statue of liberty so we can take pictures" Alejandro smiles leaning back like he solved a problem.

"We can go to that shopping mall first?" I say.

"Hmm..." Azul starts "We can go to the statue of liberty first and maybe walk around there and got to the little museum there. We have to take a ferry so that would be cool. After that, we can do what Jane said and go to that Brookfield Place and then..."

"What if we just go back home?" Hunter suggests taking off his jacket. "It is getting a little hot for me," He laughs but Azul frowns.

"Does that mean that...we are not going to see each other for a while?" Azul has a sob in her throat while she speaks.

"No I live in Virginia, I am not sure if you still live there..." He puts his arm around Azul.

"The same house in Springfield with my parents, but they built me my own house on the farm"

"Same here, they built me a house but all of our houses are separated well so we have our place and grow independently" Akio interrupts.

"I live in Washington D.C. which is where I got my job...maybe when you all go back I can go with you and you can take me to your parents..." Hunter leans in "...I heard from Gwen that your mom loves me" He chuckles and my eyes open wide knowing I have been exposed. Azul glares at me.

"Hey I didn't do anything wrong, I was telling the truth" I have no guilt. Azul turns back to Hunter.

"Yeah, I would love that" Azul blushes.

"Alright people. No more lovey-dovey" TJ says stuffing his face "I'm trying to eat in peace not throw up"

"Ann-Marie you did well in making some of the food" I compliment her eating the food.

"Thank you, I learned from the best" She bumps Alejandro's shoulder. He smiles at her making me feel a weird feeling...anger.

"We should get going soon. It is already 10:20 a.m" Rosa says as she looks at the big roman numeral black clock behind me.

"Yeah everyone done eatin'?" I say picking up my plate and putting it in the kitchen.

"Yeah" I hear. They start getting up. I begin to wash them as they place their plates in the sink.

"I'm full so yeah," TJ says rubbing his stomach. I finish washing the dishes and grab my jacket as we head out. We take the elevator to the garage. We walk until we reach the cars. I put in the address to the statue of liberty and we are about 5 minutes away at the least. We drive there having plenty of conversation. However, on my way there, I start falling asleep at the wheel. I could not sleep at all last night because I was worried that Alejandro could get suspicious of the pills last night with the date from 2025. I was worried that Rosaline would find out about them. I have never told her about any of this...I do not even know how she would react if she found out. We arrive at the parking to take the ferry to the statue of liberty.

"What are the prices, today I am going to pay so Alejandro and Gwen stay out of it," Rosa says as she looks up the prices "Hunter, Azul grab those two" Both of them grab us and hold us. "Sorry, but you and Alejandro always pay for everything"

"We need to go to the crown" Ann-Marie yells.

"Yeah Yeah, fun" Alejandro jumps up like a child "And you better no hold on my sleeve like you always do"

"I never do that"

"Yeah ok," He mumbles.

"What did you say, bum?" I glare at him.

"Do you want to die?" How dare he call me a bum.

"Do you want to die?" He mimics me. I flick him in the head.

"Ow," He flicks me back on my forehead.

"You two quick being lovey-dovey. We already have two couples. We ain't need a third" TJ shakes his head. Rosa pays and we park. We all get out of the two cars and walk to the ferry. Once we arrive, we board the three-floor ferry.

"We have to run to the top of the ship so we can get the best view," I say to the others.

"Bet," TJ and Alejandro say. The others smirk and nod their heads yes. We all start to run to the top hoping no one crashes into anyone. Brings me to the memory of one time when Bo-A went to a place in the mountains called Luray Caverns at Luray Virginia with our family. Our families did everything together. I told her we have to race to the exit and whoever wins gets a big pack of silly bands. While I was running I ran into a mom and her little son, he was about 6. I felt really bad so I did not want that to happen. I slip a little thinking about the memory reminding myself that she is gone.

As I continue to run up the stairs I felt something pulling me. I turned around to see what it was. It's...I'm holding onto Alejandro's sleeve...I look at him and he looks up at me...he didn't seem bothered by me holding onto him...he is used to it...maybe by how many times I did it.

"I told you to not grab my sleeve," He giggles as we are still running up the stairs. I automatically let go of his sleeve. I get frustrated and continue running until I reach the top. I turn around and Alejandro is there.

"Don't follow m-"

"Gwen..." He looks at me in the eyes.

"Yeah" I look at him.

"Your eyes are so much lighter than your dark hair...you are a beautiful woman..." He turns his head after he says that. His face turns to look at the ocean again. How could he say that so easily? There is something different about Alejandro put I just can not pinpoint what it is. The feeling that I have known him for a long time still rises.

We reach the island of the statue of liberty and get off the ferry. We walk to the statue of liberty.

"Woah it is so huge" Ann-Marie jumps for joy.

"Woah," Alejandro says in his Hispanic and Korean accent.

"We need to take pictures for the gram," Rosaline says pulling out her phone.

"What is a gram, do you mean the weight gram?"

"No, like Instagram" Rosaline laughs. Alejandro looks embarrassed. "I will tell everyone where to stand for the pictures okay?"

"Tallest on the sides and shortest guy in the middle also with the girls the same thing," Rosaline says as she sets up her tripod. "Ok come over here" Rosaline yells startling everyone. Akio goes to the right end followed by Hunter. Next to him is Ross. After is TJ. Alejandro is placed at the far left. The shortest guy in our group is Ross reaching 5'6 to the tallest which is Alejandro, 6'3. Ann-Marie is placed between Alejandro and TJ. Next to her is Jane. Jane is only one inch shorter than Ann-Marie. Rosa is placed between Ross and Hunter. Following this, Azul is placed in between Hunter and Akio. Since I am the shortest out of all the girls, I am placed in the center. We all pose for the picture.

"There is a CVS close home we can go to after here" Jane perks up.

"We can do that after we are done here?" Azul asks us. All of us nod our heads yes.

"What if we take group pictures. One smiling and the other with funny faces" Ross suggests.

"Good idea, Babe" Rosa compliments him like always.

"What if we take separate pictures with each other too?" Akio says adjusting his jacket uncomfortably.

"What were you thinking?" Hunter asks Akio.

"Like if we want to take a picture with someone separately" His face turns a little red. He glances at me. He opens his mouth "I want to take a picture with Gwen" He blurts out.

"Who wouldn't?" Alejandro rolls his eyes smiling "Hurry start the picture camera thing so we can take pictures with the bum" Rosaline heads quickly to restart the tripod.

"It is ready for the funny faces" Rosaline runs back to her spot. I crouch down, stick my lips out, and filling my cheeks with air. I cross my eyes and tilt my head. The picture is taken. Then, everyone starts to pair up with who they want to take pictures with. Akio takes a picture with me. He put his hand on my shoulder since I am short. He crosses his bottom leg. I reach up to his shoulder. After the picture is taken, I walk over to Alejandro. I began noticing that the closer I walked to Alejandro, the more of a headache I developed.

"Ya Alejandro" meaning 'hey' in Korean "Take a picture with me"

"I can take the picture for you all" TJ offers himself as Ann-Marie stands next to him looking at me as if she is mad at me. TJ counts down from 3. When he reaches 1, Alejandro picks me up, sweeping me up. I get so surprised that I start laughing at the shock.

"Ain't nobody ask you to do that" I look up at him, scolding the kid. I absorb his smell of cologne and the natural smell he always has.

"Ain't nobody ask you to do that" Alejandro mimics me. He is trying hard to get me mad. Ann-Marie walks between us.

"Alejandro let's head inside to the crown" Ann-Marie pulls him away. I follow everyone else as they start walking. We head up to the Crown tower. We climb up all 393 steps. I look out of the crown and we are so high up.

"Am I dead?" I hear behind me. It's TJ.

"You are not dead" Akio shakes TJ.

"I'm going to die. I tell you"

"It's going to be alright TJ. Don't think about it too much" Akio says. A few minutes pass by and I begin to feel nauseous.

"Do you have Ross's number or the other guys so we can leave now?" I ask Akio, "I am not feeling very well" When I say this my head starts to hurt again with sharp pain.

"Why? What's wrong? Are you okay? Are you sick?" Akio places his hand on my forehead.

"I'm okay"

"Your forehead is a little warm," He says. I put my hand over my forehead and I am warmer than usual. I packed my pills but it's in Rosa's bag...

"Hurry call Ross if you have his number, my stuff is in Rosas purse," I urge Akio.

"What stuf-Ok ok," He pulls out his phone and calls him, "Hey Ross where are you? Oh...You are not far just keep going straight until you see my big head" Akio laughs. "Yeah just keep going straight...I can wave my hand" He waves his hand in the air back and forth. "Ok, I can see every one of you all now" I start to see the others. Ann-Marie and Alejandro join them. I scan through the crowd to see Rosaline. I run to her.

"Rosaline, can I get my stuff from your bag?" I say unzipping her little black Louis Vuitton backpack.

"Yeah sure, what's the rush?" She gives me an awkward laugh. Did she already see my pills? My palms start to sweat.

"I just need to get something" I find the pills in the bag.

"What do you 'need' to get?"

"What is this interrogation?" I walk away finding the pills. I slide two pills into my hand, ready to take them quickly. Before I could put them in my mouth. Alejandro takes them from my hands.

"Don't take them" Alejandro looks worried.

"I have to... you don't understand my pain and what I have to go through so you don't have to interrupt or get in any of my business Alejandro" I shove them in my mouth, taking a sip of water. Alejandro looks hurt. "Maybe I was a little harsh," I say feeling sorry.

"Just a little?" Alejandro walks away to Ann-Marie. I don't think I have time for this. Today I need to time travel. I need to travel to the future. The year 2029, the year I never reached and no one can stop me from those plans. I need to know why I can not go on that date. The only way is to focus on the date and nothing else. That is the only way I can succeed in finding the answer. I'm done having curiosity and not attacking this problem of not going to 2029.

I have more energy now because of the pills. We reach the floor and continue walking.

"Gwen"

"Yeah, Rosaline"

"Don't fall in love with Alejandro"

"..."

"His father is dangerous"

"How do you know his father"

"I don't" She hesitates "I just read it online"

"I-"

"Ight, when we bouta dip to get some coffee?" TJ interrupts.

"I want some coffee!" Ann-Marie bounces up "Ooo me, me!"

"For real, I need some, I barely drank any," Alejandro adds "Whoever wants coffee, something to drink or eat can come with me and Ann-Marie to the coffee shop"

"Good idea" I jump up complimenting Alejandro. Alejandro, however, doesn't even glance at me or moves a muscle, he acts like a statue.

"Who wants in then...I know TJ, me, and Ann-Marie are in..." Alejandro completely ignored me.

"Ross and I are heading to the car" Rosa holds onto Ross.

"I am in," I say out loud raising my hand like I am answering a question in a classroom.

"Gwen, you don't need any more coffee," Jane says.

"What do you mean?"

"You has like 5 or 6 cups of coffee today" Jane shakes her head.

"What is wrong with that? That is not even a lot, you trippin'" I fold my arms. Suddenly, Akio grabs me by my arm before I could respond to Jane.

"Yeah, she is right Gwen. You do not need any right now, just come with me and us to the car" I turn to look at Akio. I find myself looking at Alejandro instead. Our eyes meet, lock, for a second. A moment in time, similar to when we were at the Cherry Esplanade. He rolls his eyes, ruining the moment, "I can buy you the best coffee later, deal?" Akio gives the sweetest smile.

"Deal"

"Hunter is not feeling well. Coffee makes him go to the oval office so he is going to head to the car with the rest of you all" Azul adds.

"Let's get on our way" Alejandro starts to walk with the others the way to the coffee shop. We head their same way since the dock to the Ferry is that way. There is a long line to get on the boat. I can't help but stare at Alejandro's puts his bucket hat, which I didn't notice before, on Ann-Marie's head.

"Earth to Gwen, are you there? copy? Earth to Gwen" Akio snaps me back to reality.

"Hey"

"What's wrong?"

"You just have been off and lost in thought a lot today" He tilts his head crouching a bit to be at the height of me. I have been thinking a lot about my plan to go to 2029 and when.

"Oh..." Is all that comes out of my mouth. We board the ferry. A phone rings. I pull the phone out of my pocket. This is not my phone.

Park Gro-

I feel like I heard this name before.

"Why are you looking at my phone?" Rosa snatches the phone out of my hands.

"I thought it was mine"A few 10 minutes pass by and we get off the boat. We all walk to the parking lot and reach Azul's cars. The car is big just like I remember. Hunter unlocks the car.

"Gwen you can sit in the passenger seat" Akio opens the door and grabs my hand, our hands become entangled.

"Uh sure"

"Here," he slides his jacket around me.

"Thank you"

"Of course, love," He says leaving me speechless.

10 minutes later

I see the second half of our group coming our way.

"We are back" Jane yells and we roll down our windows. We drive to CVS and print the pictures. Rosa and Jane worked together to send the pictures from the camera to the place. We get inside and get the pictures out.

"Yo Park this picture what you looking at?" TJ has one of the pictures we caught off guard. Alejandro is looking in my direction or it could be Ann-Marie's direction.

"Not you" Alejandro laughs. He looks my way and gazes at me like the gaze he made in the photo. His face turns serious again and turns away. We pay for the picture and head back out and head to Brookfield Place. We park our cars and enter the place. We all walk around different places around the store and buy food as we walk. I buy different pastries and donuts to take home for later. I also buy some chips and chocolate, my favorite. When we finish buying the food we head to sit at the stairs of the circle at the entrance of this place. I gaze at Alejandro and when his eyes find mine. The pain hits me again. I slide off the big white jacket and slide my jean jacket down exposing the skin of my shoulder. I have bruises gain. No...no...not again.

"Hey, I...I got to go" I rush out of the mall without an explanation. This can't be happening to me again...