I’ve always found Irish music to be intoxicating. I honestly couldn’t tell you why. Maybe it’s the way the melody seems to pick you up and move your feet. Perhaps it’s the way the fiddles or violins or whatever come together. There’s just something magical about it.

It was June 11, 2013, when my life changed forever.

I had just gotten out of the movie theater. My friend and I had just gone to see Sherlock Holmes 3 (it was quite good too!). The one thing I hate about the movie theater is how dark it is. Inside, it’s like you’ve walked into a cave. When you step out into the real world, the light is ridiculously blinding. That’s why I prefer to go to night showings whenever I can.

Later, I would wonder why I had to go the night showing of that movie. Why couldn’t we had seen the new Disney movie, like Bell had wanted? Why did drama practice have to run late, making us see the 8:00 showing instead of 6:30? Would any of it have made a difference?

Everyone I ask says no. I still would have seen what I saw, done what I had done. I prefer to disagree. If we had gone to a later showing, we could have avoided it. Maybe. At least, I’d like to believe so.

As much as I wonder, I know I cannot change what happened. Unless someone happens to have a time machine on them.
Anyone? No?
I thought so.
We were coming out of the theater. It was exactly 10:16 pm, as security footage would later tell me. Bell and I couldn’t stop talking about the movie. Way better than the Disney movie, we both decided.
Bell had to use the bathroom. She went in and braved the long line while I relaxed on a bench nearby, fighting off a desire to fall asleep right then and there. Our drama coach- I mean teacher- had kept us late to practice a huge song-and-dance number, even though the entire cast knew it by heart. I dimly surveyed the movie posters that smothered the walls, wishing for my cozy bed. That was when my neck tingled.
It was the smallest feeling, something I could have easily ignored.
And yet I didn’t.
I turned and saw a man staring at me intently. My heart sped us as I glanced away. Trying to look inconspicuous, I stood up and walked in what I hoped was a lazy stroll towards The Hunger Games poster. I stood looking at it with my arms slightly crossed, as if trying to locate the release date (November 23, by the way). From my position, I could see the reflection of the man. Seeing him clearer, I saw that he looked to be about a year or two older than me, maybe 20 or 21. He was wearing deep blue denim jeans with a solid black shirt. His hair was deep black and groomed nicely back, spiked just a tiny bit. He would have been completely normal had it not been for his gaze. Even from a reflection, I shivered at the intensity that burned from his bright blue eyes. No, this wasn’t just some guy checking me out (as if that ever happened. Bell would be the one to get that type of attention). I got the feeling that it was something more.
Don’t ask me how, or why. The simple answer is that I just did. I just did. I know that’s an absolutely ridiculous and aggravating answer, but it’s the best I’ve got.
I heard the familiar clunk of heels, and turned to see Bell come out of the bathroom, looking like a supermodel even though she never tried.
“Ready to go?” she asked, looking completely unperturbed. Oh yeah. Why would she?
I turned my head again, and then felt bewilderment eat at me.
He was gone.
Just like that. There one moment, gone the next.
I turned back to Bell, half expecting her to have disappeared as well. But she was in the same spot, now looking at me with concern.
“Hey, you okay? You look scared.”
I nodded, but she seemed unconvinced.
“Lily? Did something happen?”
I did my best to look surprised and annoyed, like I always do when someone ask me about my emotional stability.
“Yeah.” My voiced sounded a little hoarse.
Crap.
I cleared it and tried again.
“Yeah I’m fine.” Bell continued to look at me, unsure. “Stop looking at me like I have three heads. I have one.”
Bell rolled her eyes and smiled. I’d convinced her.
As we walked out of the theater towards the car, I glanced back once more, feeling mystified.
What the hell was that about? I thought. I hoped I wasn’t going crazy and imagining things.
That would seriously suck.