Page 39 of You've Found Oliver

Epilogue

One and a Half Years Later

It’s early summer on a warm, sundrenched afternoon in a new city.

Petals fall like snow into the canals that run between the narrow streets.

I’m studying at the University of Amsterdam before the start of my junior year.

It’s my first time traveling to another country.

Vibrant brick buildings lean into each other as houseboats float along the water.

I was planning to work at Mr.Lee’s bookstore for the summer, but Julie encouraged me to do something more adventurous.

Expand my perspective of the world. So I looked into different study abroad programs.

Professor Clarke connected me to one of her colleagues here.

He teaches a seminar on Greek philosophy, which I’ve been more interested in lately.

He gave me a list of books to read on my own.

I’ve been living here for over two weeks now.

I bought a used bicycle the day after I arrived and have been riding it everywhere.

It’s a big part of the culture here. It’s such an easy way to move through the city, feeling the summer breeze against your face.

It’s strange to be thousands of miles away from home. Sometimes, I find myself biking for hours, crossing one bridge after another, discovering new parts of the city. But I make sure to stop every once in a while to explore things on foot. Mom asked me to send pictures of everything.

I get off my bike at The Nine Streets. It’s a charming neighborhood, filled with little shops and restaurants that sit along the water.

It’s one of my favorite places to wander around after classes.

There’s this funny restaurant that sells hamburgers through a wall like a vending machine.

I restrain myself from buying another cheese croquette, which has become a new obsession of mine.

Instead, I grab a water and continue along the bustling street.

Amsterdam is crowded in the summertime. I wasn’t sure if I would like it here at first. Especially having to be on my own for three months.

There are so many things I haven’t done yet, like visit the Anne Frank House or walk through the Van Gogh Museum, lay a blanket in the park and drink some wine with friends I haven’t made yet.

I’m looking forward to my first pride festival in July.

There’s another reason I chose to come to Amsterdam, but I wasn’t expecting to run into him so soon….

I’ve turned down a quiet street I haven’t visited before.

Maybe it’s the golden hour, but everything seems bathed in fairy light.

He’s sitting outside a café, reading a book.

I almost didn’t recognize him at first. Then I catch a glimpse of his face and go completely still.

He’s wearing a faded burgundy shirt, and his hair is cut shorter than I remember.

For a moment, all the timelines are connected again.

I can’t tell if this is another daydream.

I knew he was studying here from a school’s news article I found.

But I wasn’t sure when, or if, we’d run into each other.

It’s as though he’s been waiting for me to show up for the last two years.

There are only a few tables outside, and all of them are already taken.

I consider waiting for one to open up, but it’s been far too long, so I walk right up to him and say, “Is anyone sitting here?”

He glances up from his book. Strands of dark hair drift across his forehead as he blinks at me. It feels like a lifetime since we last saw each other. I’m waiting to see a flicker of recognition somewhere in his eyes, but his expression doesn’t change when he says, “No. Go ahead.”

I wait for him to say more, but he looks back down at his book again.

It’s like every memory of us is gone. Just like that.

I’m a little sad at first. I remind myself this is a different version of him.

In this universe, we haven’t met before.

So I pull out the empty seat and push the sadness out of my mind.

It’s still nice to see him again. Even if he doesn’t know who I am.

A woman comes out to pour me a glass of water. I take a sip and think of how to start the conversation. In another timeline, I fell asleep in his bed. Now we’re sitting across from each other like strangers.

To my surprise, he says something first.

“Do you live in Washington?” he asks.

I glance down at my shirt. There’s a Wildcats logo on the pocket. I forgot I was wearing it. “Yeah. Born and raised,” I answer.

“I live in Seattle.”

“Really? I assume you’re on vacation, then.”

“I’m actually studying here.”

“Me too. I’m taking philosophy classes at the University of Amsterdam.” There are a couple of astronomy textbooks on the table. I glance at them and say, “I’m guessing you’re a…theater major.”

He laughs a little. “More or less,” he says, putting his book down. “I’m actually doing research at the Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy. It’s also a part of the university.”

“Impressive. What made you choose to study here?”

“They have an observatory with a Cassegrain telescope. It’s different from others I’ve worked with. It’s like uh…” He pauses to think of how to explain it.

“Like the Hubble Telescope.”

“Yeah. Exactly.”

“I hear it’s a good time of year to see Coma Berenices,” I add.

He smirks. “Is that so?”

“You know, it was named after Queen Berenice of Egypt. For sacrificing her hair to keep her husband safe during the war.”

“You seem to know a lot for a non-major.”

“An old friend taught me some things.”

He leans back in his chair, taking me in again. “I don’t think I got your name, by the way.”

I smile. “Oliver. And you?”

“I’m Ben.”

“Ben,” I say, mostly to myself. “I’ve always liked that name.”