f o r t y - t w o : they know

Shawn gives me a worried expression. "Everything okay?" he whispers.

I nod yes.

Clearing my throat, I hold out my hand to shake hers, "Hello, we were here yesterday. We've come back to talk to Terra Thompson again," I smile at my young mother. She hasn't even met dad yet. What if I did something to alter her life, and she doesn't meet him? Then I wouldn't have been born... I would cease to exist...

"Are you okay? You're looking a bit sick," she says warmly. If only she knew.

"Fine. Can you point us into her direction?" I respond curtly.

She smiles and points to Jack's mom-to-be. "Thank you."

We enter and she recognizes us immediately. As she's approaching us, Shawn pulls me aside, "I hope I'm not overwhelming you or anything," he says.

"Huh?"

"I mean, we've started this thing a little early. I hope it doesn't seem like I just want to serve myself with all of this. It's still a while before we planned to do this, but if we talk to her, there's no turning back," he says seriously.

I nod slowly, "I know. This will change the lives of everyone--billions of people, and I'm ready for that.

By the time we've finished, Terra is across from us, curious about why we're back.

We make it quick. It will probably not be long until my so-called friends tell my parents about my rebellious tendencies. Telling her that we need an equality chemical produced, and that she needs to keep it under wraps, she nods cautiously. Either she thinks we're crazy, or she's contemplating helping us.

"Hold up, hold up," she raises a hand. "Who are you two, really?"

I glance at Shawn, trying to convey "Should we tell her?"

He raises his eyebrows, implying "I guess?"

I take a deep breath, "We're Kara and Shawn, two sixteen-year-olds from the year 2040."

She simply gets up and locks the conference room door, pulling down the curtains with it.

"What?" she hisses.

Shawn picks up, "Newsflash, the Reversal worked, but sadly it made life a female-dominated hell. We," he gestures between the two of us, "along with other 'rebels' devised a plan to turn the world around. We need to initiate equality, and you can help with step one. We need you to formulate another chemical, and when the time comes to release it--December 31st, 2020, by the way--your gas should be released," he sums up.

I'm impressed. Shy Shawn is out the window, and this outspoken and direct Shawn is peeking through... I'm not mad about it.

She's utterly shocked.

"We're telling the truth," I interject, "We time traveled to get here, and Shawn is right: a world dominated by any one gender is not right, so we need you to rectify this mess. Please."

She nods, "This all sounds so serious. Maybe we should have listened to the naysayers... we never fully thought about the repercussions of this whole movement."

"We're not saying that the world should have stayed the same, we're saying we need a different world... an equal world, and you can be the change we need," I put my hand on hers.

She nods solemnly, "Is it really bad? The future?"

"It's not horrible, but the roles are in fact reversed. It's a woman's world, and men just live in it. These 'pesky naysayers'," I airquote, "are locked up in education camps and sent away from home if they even post anything anti-Reversal."

I sigh, "Please just--" I attempt one more plea.

"I'll do it."

"Really?" Shawn's shocked, and he lets out a shaky breath.

"100%," she confirms, "All I wanted was a comfortable living situation... not what you two describe. I'll get started working today... by 2020, it should be ready."

After a while she smiles suddenly, "What does my future look like?"

Shawn and I share grave expressions, but they don't leave our eyes. We can't alert her, or that'll compromise the plan. If she figures out that she dies on the day of the Reversal, she might not even help us.

"We don't really know you in the future," Shawn answers.

"Then how did you know to talk to me?" she asks suspiciously.

He looks panicked. "We read about you in Lacey Carrington's memoir," I answer confidently.

"We thought you were someone we could trust," I continue, "And now we know that to be true."

She nods with a warm smile, "This is so much to take in, but I take the situation seriously."

"We'll go back to 2020 soon to help with everything," Shawn says.

I nod. We're in agreement. We get up to leave and thank her. This means more to us than she knows, even more to Shawn.

June 2040

We get back to Shawn's room, and standing outside the front, there are three people I've been afraid to encounter again.

"Shit," I exclaim.

"What?"

I point to the visitors.

He slaps his forehead, "When will they leave me alone?"

"Shh," I put my index finger to his lips. I want to hear what they're saying.

Their muffled voices continue, "I swear, the location mechanism I implanted in it showed a bright blue beam over this house," he points.

"That boy from the meeting has our device, doing God knows what through time."

"No way your stupid malfunctioning location mechanism actually worked."

"Shut up, Hew," the first voice barks.

I turn sharply to Shawn and gasp. A location mechanism? What the fuck?

Then, he clasps his palm over my mouth to prevent more noise.

"Let's just go," a third voice settles. "We can't harrass this kid anymore. We just need to move on."

They get into a small car and leave the area.

He lowers his hand, giving me a knowing look... we're this close to being fucked.

Something weird sparks in me, though. If this doesn't turn out in our favor, I at least want to say I spent as much time with him as I could. I grab his collar and press his lips onto mine. With a low grunt he joins the kiss. Then, he plants me on the bed, continuing our passionate makeout session.

Tiana's POV:

"It's time," I say.

He looks defeated, oh well. He knows what the best approach is. Kaylynn and Lisa agree.

We're doing what's best for her...

Jack and I are outside her house, and of course she's still at Shawn's place. That was supposed to be me... tangled up in his sheets.

"I guess," he huffs.

I've come to terms with the fact that Jack doesn't want me. I've thrown myself at him, and he still chooses Kara... even as a homosexual, he chooses her. So, I upped my standards, and she took him, too.

Well, I don't truly consider Shawn taken... I have plans for him.

We exit my car and ring Kara's doorbell.

Mr. and Mrs. Vox open the door with warm grins. They were always a pretty happy couple, but now we're going to have to rain on that parade.

"Kara's not here, guys," Mrs. Vox says.

"We actually came to tell you two something important," I state.

Jack's acting a little standoffish, shifting his weight, and not making eye contact.

I stare at him. Finally he asks, "May we come in?," in a grave tone.

These boys would be nothing without me... I wonder why they resist so much...

Both of their faces fall a bit. They know that what we have to say can't be too good.

Sitting across from them on the couch, I start bluntly, "Kara and her new friend Shawn are members in an anti-New World faction. They hate the New World, and I think some of these rebel groups even talk of reversing our world back to how it was before," I can barely get the words out. It sounds ridiculous out loud.

Kara's dad just laughs out loud.

Her mom covers her mouth. "Wow. I never thought she'd..."

He turns sharply, "Did you think this would be possible?"

"N-No. She seemed a little off since she met the boy... I just thought it was teenage stuff, not that she was doing something this extreme."

Her dad rubs his thighs and sighs simultaneously.

"She kept asking me what I would do if she was caught posting something anti-New World... if I would send her to one of the education camps... I-I," Mrs. Vox's face falls.

Her dad pipes up, "There was that bust a while ago... that rebel group."

"Yeah, we think she and her new friend escaped somehow," I say.

Jack finally adds, "I don't think she had malicious intent. I think that guy planted ideas in her head," he shrugs, at a loss for words.

I could tell he really cared about her, despite his fucked up way of showing it... I mean cheating on her this whole time. If she was smart enough, she'd realize the truth was within my picture. In a way, this was all his fault. He left her feeling insecure and she looked for some other form of companionship to fill the void.

"I think that when she returns home, you shouldn't let her know that you know about this," I say.

"We need to send her to get help," Mr. Vox blurts.

"No. If you act any differently toward her, she'll be tipped off, then any possibility of getting the old Kara back will be lost," I add.

They both nod. Good, we're in agreement. I feel like I'm running this whole damn show.

Kara's POV:

His lips are crashing against mine in a continuous rhythym that I don't want to break free from. I decide to slow it down. We might get too far, and if I don't control myself, we'll reach a place where there's no turning back from.

I take a deep breath and smile down at him. Currently, I'm on his lap, my final position after rolling around on the bed.

"I like this," he murmurs. Me too.

"I want to keep doing this for... longer than the end of summer," I say.

His face twists, "I thought we agreed on that already."

"Hmm?"

"That we'd just let the relationship take us where it... takes us," he says.

Phew. I let out a sigh of relief. I thought he'd want this to end soon. I chuckle, "I was so anxious about your wanting to see other..."

"I want you," he emphasizes. Something about that declaration just...

*Butterflies*

Then he kisses my cheek softly.

I scratch behind my ear and straighten, "Remember when you told me about your trip to 2042?"

He nods slowly, "Yes."

"Was there really... no life whatsoever?"

He nods again.

"So are we going to..." my voice cracks.

I know he's okay with finality and not having expectations, but I have hopes and dreams... I know there's lots more out there for me. An empty land and no life is not hopeful... at all. I can see he's come to terms with it, though.

He rubs my back, "I-I don't know. Maybe there's something that reverses that, that we just haven't done yet? Let's just not dwell on it. We have now, and we have a mission."

I nod. I won't dwell on it. I won't waste anxiety on something that might not happen.

Then I perk up, "I just remembered that there's a charity gala at the White House that my family is invited to... wanna be my plus one?"

He thinks for a second. "Is Tiana available?"

I throw a pillow at him. "Shawn!"

Great, he'd disarmed my suspicions about them being together earlier, now it's on my mind again. I know she wants him... tough.

He laughs, "When is it?"

"Next Friday."

He checks an imaginary watch. "I think I can make time in my schedule."

I chuckle, "I'll pick you up. My parents will ride in their car... it will also lessen the awkwardness, you know?"

He nods yes.

"It's suit and tie. I'll be wearing a teal dress... do with that information what you will..." I smile.

He smiles, "Noted."

"We definitely should go back to 2020 for the altered Reversal at the gala... really change the world with a bang. Also, the irony of us reversing the Reversal in the home of its creator is just too rich."

He laughs, "Damn, girl. Did not know you had it in you."

We high five.

Lacey's POV:

I tap my foot senselessly against the hardwood floor. What to do... what to do.

I decide to call my PI. Every good president needs one.

"I need you to find my first assistant. I need his number."

She hangs up, indicating that she's starting the search. Within 30 seconds, my phone buzzes again. Damn, she's good.

I call it eagerly.

"Hello?" a familiar voice answers.

"Hello, it's Lacey."

Some rumbling noises come through. "President Carrington?" he asks in a hushed tone.

"I need to know what you did with my... son."

"The baby... in 2024?"

What other son? What other fucking son could I be talking about?

"Yes," I reply curtly.

"I gave him to an old friend. He raised the boy up until he was 9... then," he trails.

"Then what?" I snap.

He replies shakily, "CPS took him away. My friend hadn't been keeping the house clean, unsafe environment, et cetera."

"After I told you to find him a safe home?" I snap again.

I knew he was a shitty assistant, which is why I fired his ass 3 months after that.

Silence.

"Where is he now?"

"Some woman adopted him... I believe they live very close to you actually."

I gulp, "What state?"

"He lives in Maryland. Right on the edge of DC."

My son's been under my nose this whole time?

I probably crossed paths with this kid, and he didn't even know he came out of me. Now, emotions I had pushed down years ago are resurfacing. Shit.