I stared down at the picture, every curve and every feature the same down to my smile lines. Each so distinct, I was amazed to the point of disbelief. I could feel my eyes widen as I turned to face Jenn.

“How is this even possible? Why does she look exactly like me?? It says she was born in 1815 and died in 1905, BUT IM RIGHT HERE!!” I was losing my mind I could feel it. Jenn looked at me and shook her head, part of me was hoping she’d start to snicker and then tell me it was all a joke. She sighed, and I knew that would not be the case.

“Zaylee do you believe in past lives?” I stared at her blankly and nodded my head slowly. “Zale you’re a reincarnation of this woman.” I snorted bluntly; she stared at me as serious as can be. I widened my eyes at her in shock, still praying that she would just break laughing and say ‘HAHA GOTCHA!’ but it never came. A heavy silence hung in the air; I looked back down at the book. The name was even the same. I began to trace the features of this woman with my fingertip, every line. Could it really be?

“H-how?” I wanted to cry as I looked back up at her, meeting her eyes. They were dark and empty like someone had taken the life out of her. She couldn’t answer; she looked down and bit her lip not meeting my eyes. Part of me wanted to believe her, she has never been wrong before. Yet, another part was screaming at me that this was ludicrous.

Question after question I asked her, never knowing enough about it all, I was hungry for information. Jenn answered them the best she could, and just as delicately. I believe she saw something in me arise half way through one of her sentences she stopped and then continued. I just sat there in awe. Why this, how that, anything I could think of I basically spat out at her. She was the library and I was a dedicated student. I eventually slowed down, the thought even the idea that I could be someone else, it scared me; it made sense in no sense at all. I grew tired and I couldn’t take much more, but I still had one more question that I had to have answered.

“Why can you remember and I cant?” I stared up at her; she looked up then with a wide-eyed look. I could feel hot tears forming in my eyes threatening to fall; I quickly pushed them back and sat paralyzed to the spot. Something about the question made Jenn worry, she began to pace and playing with her ear.

“I am the best friend, I’m always here, every time. I watch you die, I watch you fall in love and break your heart, always by your side. It’s always been like this since the beginning of time.” She was silent for a moment and then came beside me looking me in the eye. “The reason why I can remember and you can’t is because I choose to remember. You weren’t given that choice, but you eventually remember though, you always do.”

I sat there looking at her and one word slipped.

“Who?”

She eyes softened and she looked down then back up again as if she was trying to figure out how to tell me something.

“Someone who you will eventually meet again in this lifetime. You two always meet usually around the same time every time. He… loves you quite a bit and gave up a lot so you could live without worry.”

I was livid! Who thinks that they can have a hold on my life like that? It’s MY LIFE not THEIRS!

“Okay so what about this ‘dream’?” I asked her simply.

“It wasn’t a dream and if I were you I would stay away from this Sterling guy, he’s not safe. He’s not at all what you think he is.” Her voice got quieter and quieter as she said this. I looked at her wildly, fuming on the inside.

“So you’re telling me that this traumatic S*** wasn’t a dream?”

“Yes…” She was serious, completely and wholly.

I got up at that point I was ready to leave; I had had enough of fairy tales for one day. I grabbed Onyx and headed out her door. Jenn came after me stopping me from opening the front door.

“C’mon Zaylee please stay let me explain more!”

“No” and I was gone.