"Well, self," I thought. "Why not sit down and see? I'm sure 18 year-old Victoria is hidden around here somewhere."
It doesn’t take me long to find her. The first thing one notices when looking or talking to 18 year old Victoria is that she can't hold still. She's sitting on a chair, her foot bopping in the air to some inaudible tune. She's also cracking her jaw and staring into space, like she doesn't see anything in this white room we've found ourselves in.
She looks up and meets my eyes, but then immediately looks away. She does that a few times, not really able to hold a gaze for longer than a few seconds. Her eyes are sad, though I wonder if I only see that because I know what to look for. Her fingers are signing the alphabet absentmindedly. I catch a few words, "hi" "weird" "Pixie cut" Figures that would be the thing old me picks up on.
"Hi," I say, and sit down. I figure since I'm the older one, I should probably act like this isn't weird and get the ball rolling.
"Hey." She smiles. It's a pretty convincing smile. "You must be future me."
"Yep."
"We don't look that different. I mean, you have short hair and everything, but you haven't like, exploded in wrinkles or anything." She's studying my face, "Though you do have. . ."
"Well, self," I thought. "Why not sit down and see? I'm sure 18 year-old Victoria is hidden around here somewhere."
"Well, self," I thought. "Why not sit down and see? I'm sure 18 year-old Victoria is hidden around here somewhere."
It doesn’t take me long to find her. The first thing one notices when looking or talking to 18 year old Victoria is that she can't hold still. She's sitting on a chair, her foot bopping in the air to some inaudible tune. She's also cracking her jaw and staring into space, like she doesn't see anything in this white room we've found ourselves in.
She looks up and meets my eyes, but then immediately looks away. She does that a few times, not really able to hold a gaze for longer than a few seconds. Her eyes are sad, though I wonder if I only see that because I know what to look for. Her fingers are signing the alphabet absentmindedly. I catch a few words, "hi" "weird" "Pixie cut" Figures that would be the thing old me picks up on.
"Hi," I say, and sit down. I figure since I'm the older one, I should probably act like this isn't weird and get the ball rolling.
"Hey." She smiles. It's a pretty convincing smile. "You must be future me."
"Yep."
"We don't look that different. I mean, you have short hair and everything, but you haven't like, exploded in wrinkles or anything." She's studying my face, "Though you do have. . ."
20 PEONY MAGAZINE