The next few days rush by. Things get busy at work and at home. At work they are implementing a new workout course that everyone must be trained in. I spend my days learning new core strengthening moves and answering questions for Arnold. He has so many questions. Ever since he found out about the time traveler, he has wanted to know every single detail. Some of his questions about the old man are so personal that I doubt I will ever know the answer to them.

At home Arnold's questions give way to mom's. Things are ramping up with the wedding planning so she is constantly asking me about flowers, cakes, and place settings. Then there is the wedding party. Although the wedding party is traditionally announced at the engagement party, that is just a formality. The party is usually informed ahead of time so that they can get fitted for their dresses and suits. A good amount of my time is spent on the phone with family members and friends, convincing them that I won't pick ugly colored dresses. By the time I slow down long enough to take an uninterrupted breath, It's the day of my engagement party.

My family is always late to things and it seems like Charles's family is the same. The party is meant to start at 8pm but it's 8:15 now and only five people are in the building. Three of those people live in my house. The other two are Charles and Mandy.

To her credit, Mandy was the first one here. She was standing outside of the Derby C. Andrews convention center when my parents and I arrived. But Mandy is like that. She takes care of you better than you can take care of yourself. Although she's not a mother yet, I know she'll be a good one. She'll definitely be a better mom than me. Mandy has been a life saver for the past couple of days. I was so stressed with my mom's constant questioning. Whenever I was super stressed or didn't have an answer, Mandy was there to help. She basically planned half of my wedding and I'm not complaining.

At the moment Mandy is straightening the tablecloths on the ten circular tables while I calculate the spot in the room that can get me as far away from Charles as possible. I don't want to risk things tonight. There will be too many people here. I move around the room as calmly as possible, trying not to draw attention to myself.

"Are you ok?" Mandy asks. Apparently she was moving in my direction as she straightened the tablecloths.

"Of course, why?" I say, frazzled.

"Because you've picked up a knife from every table you passed." She looks down at my hands. I follow her gaze and see that I have two fists full of knives. I look at Mandy with a surprised expression and laugh nervously.

"Let me put these down." I say as I backtrack.

"Seriously, are you ok?" Mandy asks again. I don't know how to answer but luckily I don't get the chance to. Guests begin to arrive and my mom tells me I should go to the front and greet people as they enter. Mandy takes the knives from me to put them back so I can go to the front.

I move toward the front doors but I notice that Charles is already there. His family and friends smile happily as he greets them. Slowly, I inch toward the door, hoping that there's no heat or anger. So far so good. I'm about ten feet away and I'm only anxious, not angry.

I'm almost at the front when I see that darned time traveler outside the building. He's here again. It seems like he arrives before all of my worst moments. I can't let anyone at the party see him.

Charles's parents arrive, dragging Brian with them. They go over to talk to Charles and I slip out behind them. The old man seems to be pacing back and forth across the street. It's like he's trying to decide whether or not to come inside. When he sees me he stops pacing. He rummages around in his bag and pulls out a small bottle. It's either hand sanitizer or lotion. He pours a large amount into his hand and rubs it in thoroughly.

"How bad will it be?" I ask as soon as I think I'm in earshot. He grabs my hand in both of his and rubs gently. He always touches me. At first I thought it was because he's married to me in the future and he touches future me all the time. But now it seems weird. His hands are trembling as they hold mine and he seems unsure of himself.

"It'll be really bad. You've been trying to work it out with him this far but after tonight you'll change your tune. This party will show you how bad things can really get. You'll realize I'm right. My solution is the only solution. After the wedding ceremony you have to part ways with him forever." He says. I don't want to hear any more from him. Even if he is right, hearing it now with his greasy hands wrapped around mine feels gross. I try to shake off his hands but he holds on tighter.

"I wish it didn't have to go this way. Believe me." He says.

"Let go of me!" I say. I'm freaking out. The way he's acting is scaring me.

"Just a little longer." He looks down at our hands as if something is going to happen. I really don't like it.

"No!" I say, pulling harder on my trapped hand. His grip is strong and I fail to shake him loose. Suddenly two arms appear on either side of me. They push the time traveler and he releases me in order to break his fall. I turn around to see that the arms belong to Arnold.

"The future has no place in the past." Arnold says. The old man looks up at Arnold from the ground. Recognition flashes across his face. He stands from the ground and brushes dirt off of his pants.

"I guess I've worn out my welcome. That's fine. I've been ready to go home for a while now." The time traveler turns away from us and heads toward a car parked on the street. He looks over his shoulder at us. "Say hi to Vina for me. You two really are perfect." He says to Arnold. He then gets in the car ad drives off.

Arnold and I return to the party venue where Davina is standing out front talking to Camryn.

"Is everything alright?" Davina asks in a voice with such a strong timbre that I'm sure it's her courtroom voice.

"I see you've met Camryn." I change the subject before Arnold has time to explain things to Davina. I haven't told Camryn and Mandy about the time traveler yet and I don't want Camryn to hear about it from Arnold.

Davina gives me a suspicious look but she doesn't say anything.

"I was just asking Davina about her insight into the criminal mindset." Camryn says.

"Well let me formally introduce you guys. Davina, Arnold this is Camryn Cross. Camryn this is Davina Davis-Ramirez and Arnold........ uh Arnold......."

"Zavendi." Arnold says. I don't know how I went without knowing his last name until now.

"Nice to meet you." Camryn says to Arnold and Davina. "We should go in now. Absolutely everyone is inside." She says to me.

I know Camryn is exaggerating but when we get into the civic center it really feels like everyone I have ever met is there. The ten chairs that surround each of the ten tables are all filled. The only open seat is the one at the head table where I'm supposed to sit. Davina and Arnold have to stand in the back. Camryn sits on Mandy's lap and blows my Uncle Alvin a kiss when he gawks at her.

With everyone else slipping into the crowd, I walk to the head table alone. It's on the other side of the large convention hall so I have a ways to walk. This is my party. It's my engagement. I'm the bride-to-be which means I'm the center of attention. All eyes are on me as I walk to the far off table. Being the center of attention isn't really my thing. I even get self conscious when I'm teaching cycling and all the students are watching me.

To avoid noticing all the people currently watching me, I stare straight ahead. My eyes are locked on the head table. More specifically, my eyes are locked on one person at the head table, Charles Milburn III. He looks good tonight. Who am I kidding, he looks good every night. Tonight, though, he's wearing a powder blue suit that perfectly matches one of our wedding colors. The suit also provides a beautiful contrast to his dark skin. I, of course, am in a crimson red dress to match our other wedding color. The colors should be together.

I want to sit next to him. The seat is open and I want to be in it. I want to smile at him from right by his side and lay my head on his shoulder. But this engagement could never be so simple. I'm only fifteen steps away from the table when my hand feels hot. It's so hot i think it might burn off and I'll start losing body parts like a zombie.

Charles looks scared. He knows. Whatever it is that triggers anger in me causes fear in him as well. I can't stop walking. Too many people are watching me. I make it to the table and to my seat, but it isn't easy. I want to scream and cry. I grit my teeth. I grab the table as squeeze as hard as I can. My hands need to squeeze something. Someone, somewhere in the room, taps on a microphone.

"The wedding party will now be announced." It's my mother. She sounds far away but she's right next to me. She thrusts the mic in my face. I'm shocked by it but I take it. I stand up and clear my throat.

"My maid of honor will be Mandy Stevenson." Mandy stands, almost knocking Camryn to the ground as she does so, and waves to the clapping crowd. I then announce Camryn as a bridesmaid so Camryn waves as well. The rest of my wedding party are much younger and most don't feel like standing or waving. I announce three young cousins as flower girls and a fourth cousin as a ring bearer. I'm surprised at how easily I'm able to get through this. Immediately after standing I was able to place my left hand down on the table. Squeezing the table has helped me keep my anger under control.

Once I'm finished announcing my half of the party, I notice that the table shifts under my weight. When I look down I see that it's not the table I'm squeezing. It's Charles's shoulder. Immediately I release my grip. Charles rubs at his shoulder with a grimace on his face. There is a small speckle of red left behind on his suit. It's about where my thumb was which means I either chipped my nail polish, or I drew blood. I take a quick inventory of my manicure. To my dismay it's as pristine as it was when I got it done yesterday.

Charles takes the mic. It's shaky in his hand and I'm sure his bloody shoulder isn't helping.

"For my best man I have chosen my brother, Brian Milburn." Charles says. He tries to sit back down but I stop him.

"Is that it?" I may be yelling. Everyone is looking at me but on this occasion that could be because I'm yelling or because I look dazzling in this dress.

"Should there be more?" He asks. I'm sure I'm not the only one to notice the shakiness in his voice.

"I have two bridesmaids which means we need two groomsmen to walk them down the aisle."

"I--I don't have anyone else in mind." Charles stutters as he speaks. He looks down in my direction but doesn't make eye contact. I can imagine what my face looks like now. My lips are twisted and puckered and my eyes are thin slits.

"Find someone else!" I'm definitely yelling now if I wasn't before. My ears are ringing with how loud my voice is.

I mean to slam my fists down on the table but I forget that I'm already gripping it. So instead of hitting the table, I pull it down. My cup slides into my lap, spilling all of its contents. Charles's cup also slides down and hits his leg. A gasp from my mother tells me that she also got a drink in the lap.

Luckily dinner has not been served yet so no one gets food in their face. I'm not trying to start a food fight at my engagement party. Although I'm also not trying to hurt my fiance at my engagement party. I wish my emotions could understand that.

Everyone in the room is freaking out and I'm no exception. I stand up causing my water glass to smash on the ground. Then I run to the bathroom.