Page 20 of You've Found Oliver

It must have all been a weird dream because when I wake up, I’m not in Ben’s apartment.

I rub my eyes until everything comes into focus.

The pile of clothes on the chair, the popcorn ceiling, the curtain that divides the room in half.

When did I get back to my dorm? I push myself up and take a look around.

I don’t have to glance out the window to know it’s spring again.

A lawn mower passes outside, accompanied by the sound of birds.

I run my hand along the sheets, remembering the night before. Could it have really been in my head? Why do the memories feel so real? I grab my phone from the bed. There are over a dozen messages from Ben. I open them right away.

Did you leave?

Oliver???

Where did you go?

Is everything ok?

I’m momentarily confused. Then I read the rest of the messages and realize—I really was at his apartment last night.

So it wasn’t a dream after all. But how did I wake up back here?

I’m about to respond when I decide to call him instead.

Strangely, the call doesn’t go through. It doesn’t even ring or go to voicemail. I send him a text message.

Hey! sorry

I’m in my dorm right now

He must be waiting by the phone. Because he responds instantly.

Back in Ellensburg?

When did you leave? I was worried about you

I wish I had an answer to this.

I don’t really remember. I just woke up here

I tried calling a dozen times

I just tried calling you too! It didn’t go through

Must be one of our phones

But I’m glad to know you’re safe

One more hour and I was about to call a search team

Sorry for scaring you. I honestly have no idea how I got back here

I don’t even remember leaving your apartment

My head is spinning again. At least everything seems back to normal.

Even Ben’s gift is sitting on the table.

Then what exactly happened yesterday? Did I actually return to the fall?

Then I remember something. Julie was supposed to call me back.

I check my notifications. There are a few messages from her, too.

Nyhavn was beautiful

There were cute boys everywhere

You would have loved it

The texts are followed by pictures of the waterfront.

That means she’s in Copenhagen. But we just saw each other yesterday.

I pull up her location, which shows her thousands of miles away.

I don’t even know what time it is there, but I call her immediately.

She better not ignore me again. Thankfully, she answers this time.

“ Julie! Hello?”

There’s noise in the background. “Sorry, can you hear me?”

“Yes. Where are you?”

“I’m out with some friends right now.”

“So you’re not in Ellensburg?”

“What are you talking about? Of course not.”

“What about yesterday? Do you remember seeing me?”

“Seeing you where ?”

“On campus! Outside of the library. I introduced you to Ben.”

“I don’t really understand the joke. But I can barely hear you.” Someone is speaking to her in the background. It sounds like she’s at a bar.

She doesn’t remember, then. Does that mean it never happened? I have to ask one more time. “So you really weren’t here yesterday?”

“ No. Is everything alright?”

I’m not really sure how to answer that. I think about telling her everything, but I probably shouldn’t freak her out right now. Especially while she’s out with her friends. I let out a sigh and say, “Yeah, it’s fine. I’ll tell you about it later.”

“Alright. Text me later, okay? Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

I say goodbye and hang up the phone. Then I check the date. I’ve never been so relieved to see the month of April on the screen. I even check a few news articles. A question occurs to me. I send Ben another message.

What day is it for you?

November third

It’s April again

Are you sure?

Yes, I’m looking at my calendar now

I even tell him about my call with Julie. How she’s still in Copenhagen, that she doesn’t remember seeing us. Neither of us can make any sense of it. There’s no way Ben and I are living six months apart. How could we have seen each other yesterday?

This is a lot to process

You’re telling me

At least we’re experiencing this together, so we have each other to talk to about it with. Who else would believe any of this? A million questions run through my mind.

I have to meet someone in the lab soon

But let’s talk later?

No worries

I check the time again. I guess I have my own work to get started on.

How am I supposed to focus on anything right now?

I lie in bed for a moment longer. Then I get dressed and step outside for the first time.

The spring air feels warm against my skin.

Cherry blossom petals cover the ground as I make my way through campus.

It’s like I’ve woken up from a strange dream.

Then I touch my lips, remembering the kiss with Nolan.

I can’t believe that actually happened. He was always romantic in that way—sneaking up behind me while I was waiting in line at the dining hall, or surprising me with flowers after class.

Admittedly, there are things I miss about him.

But that version of him doesn’t exist anymore.

I wander around campus to clear my mind. If only Ben didn’t live so far away. We could meet up and talk this through in person. Hopefully, it won’t be long until we see each other again…

It’s a strange few days, sitting at the library, trying to focus on schoolwork.

I wake up wondering what month it is. At least I have some structure on the weekdays.

I head into my history class on Monday morning and find a seat in the back.

It’s another long lecture with slides slowly changing behind the professor.

But it’s hard to pay attention to any of it. All I can think about is Ben.

My mind goes back to Twede’s Cafe. I could have sworn the door was locked when I arrived, but it somehow opened easily for Ben.

And the time we met at the movie theater, I couldn’t find him sitting anywhere the first time I looked around.

Then I checked again and there he was. I should have known something weird was happening between us.

I wonder if he’s connected these things, too.

Eventually, the class ends. I wish I could go back to my dorm, but I’m scheduled to work at the library this afternoon. Unfortunately, Rami called out sick, so it’s only me at the circulation desk. At least it’s not too busy today. Ben hasn’t texted me yet. He’s probably still in class.

After checking books in and out for a few hours, I find a table to sit down at. I have several assignments I’m behind on. I pull out The Poetics of Space from my bag. It’s been a few days since I looked at it, so I open it up to a random page and choose a passage.

“If a poet looks through a microscope or telescope, he always sees the same thing.”

I’m not really sure what that means. How could you possibly see the same thing?

Sometimes it feels like I need a microscope to read between the lines in this book. If there are no wrong interpretations, it could literally mean anything at all.

And, of course, the telescope makes me think of Ben. That’s probably why it caught my eye in the first place. I remember something he said to me on the roof, about the universe. The more we find out, the more we realize how little we actually know about it.

I read the passage over again. Maybe it’s about the process of searching itself.

Both the microscope and the telescope allow us to gaze into the unknown, hoping to find something meaningful—a discovery that only leads to a million more possibilities.

I grab a pencil and start writing down every thought that comes to me.

The rest of the school day is uneventful. I’m just counting down the hours until I hear from Ben. He’s been extra busy with classes this week. It’s not until I’m back in my dorm that I get a text from him.

Sorry for taking so long

Just getting home now

Any new developments on your end?

Not as far as I know

I wish we could call each other

Yeah me too

I try his number again. But it still doesn’t go through.

Have you told anyone else about it?

No not yet

I barely believe any of it myself

I know what you mean. I haven’t either

I considered telling Julie everything. But she might think I’m playing some prank on her, which wouldn’t be completely out of character for me. I’ll decide this later.

I didn’t get the chance to say this before, but I had a lot of fun with you last time

Sorry this might have ruined it

It didn’t ruin anything

I had a great time too

Thanks again for letting me stay over

Anytime

Sad I didn’t get the chance to make you breakfast though

I smile at his message.

Raincheck for next time?

Definitely

I can’t wait to see you again

I’m so glad this hasn’t scared him off. We text for a while longer, making plans to meet up again. I’m not sure how we’re going to find each other, but somehow it’s worked so far. Maybe we can figure it out in person.

Can I ask you one more thing

Do you really believe all of this?

It’s okay if you don’t

He doesn’t take long to respond.

I’m not really sure what’s going on

But I trust you

Thank you

I keep the phone close to me as I lie in bed. This feels like some strange dream. But I’m glad I don’t have to experience it alone.