You've Found Oliver (You've Reached Sam, #2)(65)

“Yes.” She rises from the couch. “Unless this really is a prank—”

I sit her down again and say, “I promise, it’s not. I was just worried you wouldn’t believe me. That’s why I took so long to tell you.”

Julie sighs. “Oliver. Strange things happen all the time, okay? Now explain to me what exactly is going on. How did this happen?”

I feel some weight lifted off my shoulders. “It started a few weeks ago. I was going back and forth for a while, which I didn’t realize at first. But I think I’m stuck here now, so I’m sort of freaking out a little. I don’t know how to get back.”

“So it’s been weeks?”

“Yes, ever since I started seeing Ben.”

“Does he have something to do with this? I’m confused.”

I should start from the beginning. I take another deep breath. “This is embarrassing, but I was texting Sam’s old number for a while after he died. I didn’t realize it had already transferred to someone else. And one day, when I accidently called it, Ben picked up the phone.”

“So that’s how you guys actually know each other?”

I nod. “Yeah.”

“You called Sam’s number…”

I explain the different timelines. Moving between them every time Ben and I met up. The moments we realized something was off: the bakery, the cherry blossoms, seeing her outside the library. “I probably should have noticed it sooner,” I admit.

She rubs her temples, processing this. “I guess that part makes more sense looking back. I remember you showed up with Ben, saying how much you needed to talk. And the next day you didn’t remember that at all. I should have guessed something was up.”

I always wondered what happens after I leave. “It’s alright. Honestly, I didn’t really mind at first. But I think I’m stuck here now.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because I always woke up to my own timeline,” I explain. “But it’s been over a week now. I don’t understand what I’m still doing here.”

“So you want to go back?”

“I’m not really sure, but I don’t want to regret not trying, you know?” My answer might have been different a few days ago. But it’s starting to feel like I’m living a different life. Like this one doesn’t truly belong to me.

“I’m still really confused,” she says, pressing her lips together. “This is all so…What do you think caused this?”

“I don’t know,” I say, exasperated. “I noticed that things were different when Ben and I were together. I would always slip into his timeline. The one we’re in now. The first time we met up, I actually couldn’t find him at first, even though he said he was standing at the same spot. Then I called him, and the next thing I knew, he was right there.”

Julie looks at me. “So you think it’s Sam’s phone number?”

“It must have something to do with it.” After all, it’s what connected us from the beginning.

“What happens if you call it now?”

“My phone’s not working, so I can’t call anyone.” I take it out of my pocket to show her.

“Did you drop it or something? What if that’s the reason?”

“I don’t remember doing that,” I say, checking the edges. “It just started glitching on me recently. I’ve restarted it a hundred times.”

Julie checks the phone herself. Of course, it doesn’t work for her, either. She stares at it for a long moment. Then she rises from the couch and says, “I might have an idea. Hold on.”

I wait in the living room while she heads upstairs. A moment later, she comes back down, holding a small plastic bag close to her chest. She sits on the couch and hands it to me silently.

“What’s this?” I ask.

“Some of Sam’s things.”

I don’t know what to say at first. Then I open the bag slowly. There are a few things inside, including his old cell phone. I take it out, looking at it more closely. “Julie, where did you get this?”

“I might have broken into his house at one point. But we don’t need to talk about that now.”

It feels weird holding it in my hands again. “What are you giving it to me for?”

“Why don’t you try to use it,” she says.

“Really?”

“I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. Just replace the SIM card.”

I stare at my reflection in the screen. Then I remove the SIM card from my phone and place it in Sam’s. It takes a while for the phone to set up. I try opening a few applications once it finishes, but it has the same problems as before. “This isn’t working, either. Maybe it’s my SIM card or something.”

“That’s weird. Let me see it.” Julie tries to call herself, but the screen glitches again. She tries a few times before handing it back to me. “Yeah, I don’t know why it’s not working.”

“Me neither.”

At least my messages are all there. I run my hand along the screen. I can’t believe I’m holding his phone again. I’m about to switch back to my own when I notice something…

The month on the screen is different.