I opened the door, gripping a frying pan in my hand.
"Hello, Astrid!" said the stranger. She had a high pink ponytail and wore a school uniform—the same one I had worn back in high school. It was Sadie Carter.
"Astrid, why didn't you tell me you weren't going to school today?" she asked, crossing her arms. Then, with a curious tilt of her head, she added, "Is Autie here yet?"
I hesitated. The familiarity in her voice suggested she knew my mother well. "No, not yet," I replied, my curiosity piqued. "Why are you here?"
"Well, then let's go to the bakery!" she said excitedly. Before I could respond, she grabbed my hand and pulled me outside.
"Wait! I need to lock the door," I protested.
"Oh, okay," she said, finally letting go. She waited patiently as I secured the lock, shifting on her feet like she was eager to get going.
As we walked down the street, she suddenly spoke. "You know, we used to joke around with Tess that you and Elliot were going to get married in the future. You two were so close! When we heard you weren't coming to school, we heard it from Elliot first. He said Auntie Mabel called him, but not me, your best friend. Suspicious, right?"
Her words brought back memories. Elliot Hayes. He had been my best friend in high school, but when I met Darian, we slowly drifted apart. Just like I had with Sadie.
As I lost myself in reminiscing, Sadie's voice pulled me back. "You know, I'm sorry for missing your birthday yesterday. I had something to deal with."
"It's okay, really," I said softly. "I'm just glad you're here."
She studied me with a suspicious look. "Are you okay, Astrid?"
"Yes, I'm fine," I said quickly, realizing I probably looked off. I had the mentality of a 30-year-old, and some of my memories were missing. "I just wanted to look more mature this year."
Sadie didn't seem entirely convinced, but she didn't press further. As we turned into an alleyway, a voice echoed behind us, calling out, "Sadie Sterling!"
We both turned. A boy with tousled blonde hair and striking hazel eyes was running toward us.
"James!" Sadie said, surprised.
I stared at him, trying to place his face. There were no pictures of him on my phone. I had no memory of ever knowing him.
"Why are you here, Sadie?" James asked, slightly out of breath.
"Oh, we were just heading to the bakery," Sadie replied.
As they talked, they seemed to forget I was there. Then, something clicked in my mind. Sadie's full name was Sadie Sterling. Not Sadie Carter. If she were now Carter, that meant she must have gotten married in the future.
As their conversation ended, James gave a quick wave. "I have to go now. Don't want to keep you from your bakery trip."
He turned and walked away. I was still stuck on the realization. If Sadie were Sterling now, then…
"He's the club president of the Literature Club, James Carter," Sadie said, noticing my confusion.
I froze. "WHAT?!" I blurted out in shock.