Making Past Perfect

It is just another ordinary day for almost everyone, but it is different for Alice Meyers.

Today, December 21, 2023, is her eighteenth birthday. She can finally move out of her parent's house and live on her own. Having saved enough money through part-time jobs as a commercial model and an extra in various movies, Alice feels a sense of independence. However, she doesn’t have many real friends—just acquaintances or people who want to be close to her, but she keeps them at arm's length.

Johnson Taylor and Odette Sanchez are the childhood friends she cherishes. The three of them have known each other since they were five years old and attended the same school. Alice isn’t the friendly type; she often feels different from them and worries that they would think she’s weird if they ever learned about her true self. To her, she is a freak with extrasensory perception. In addition, she can make things happen when her emotions are particularly intense.

Her only two friends remain unaware of this hidden part of her life.

“Happy birthday!” Her parents, along with the Taylors and the Sanchez family, who happened to be their neighbors, greeted her as soon as she entered the living room.

“Is this for real?” Alice stared at the crowd before her, having just come home and feeling genuinely surprised.

Odette rushed over and hugged her. “Happy birthday, honey!” She handed Alice an envelope. “This is my gift for you. I know you will need this.”

“Thank you, Odette.” Johnson then stepped forward and hugged her too. “Happy birthday, sweetheart. You’ll find out what my gift is… later.” He smirked, but when Alice tried to read his mind, all she could see were the various dishes laid out on the table.

One by one, the other guests took turns greeting and hugging her. Finally, her parents stepped up. “Happy birthday, dear. We love you so much; you already know that!” Her mom’s eyes glistened with tears. Alice could hear her thoughts: I’m really afraid to let her go. I hope she’ll just stay with us.

“You’re a grown woman now, and we can’t hold you back from doing what you think is best for you. Happy birthday!” her dad added. “We will always be here when you need us.”

“Uncle, auntie, this is supposed to be a happy celebration! Why don’t we all eat before the food gets cold?” Johnson chimed in, as usual, thinking about food.

“How come you are such a glutton, but it doesn’t show in your figure?” Odette asked, looking at Johnson with envy.

“Just don’t think about going on a diet on my birthday!” Alice smiled and began filling her plate. “Let’s eat, everyone. I appreciate this wonderful surprise!” she said, happily munching on pasta.

“Yeah, we know!” Gordon, Odette’s younger brother, remarked, eyeing Alice’s plate piled high with food. Laughter filled the room as everyone grabbed food and settled into their chairs.

The surprise party was a success. Eventually, the older guests left, and the younger ones continued celebrating. Hours passed, and soon all the other visitors had departed, leaving just Johnson behind.

“Hey, remember what I told you earlier about my gift?” he asked Alice.

“Of course, I remember!” she replied, gazing at his handsome face. Hmm, I’ll try not to read his mind. I love surprises! she thought to herself.

“Come with me, then!” He took her hand and led her to his car.

“Where are we going?” she asked casually.

“You’ll see.” She sensed his excitement but didn’t press further.

Johnson drove for over an hour, and Alice eventually fell asleep during the journey. In her dream, she saw Odette running naked in the streets.

“Alice, help me!” Odette’s desperate cries pierced through the dream. Alice wanted to hug her and offer her the jacket she wore, but a crowd chased Odette, intent on harming her. Alice could hear their thoughts: Kill her! Kill her! Kill, kill…! She tried to run after Odette, but it felt as if she was moving in slow motion, floating helplessly in the air. Tears streamed down her face.

“Sweetheart, wake up. We’re already here!” Johnson’s voice pulled her back to reality. He noticed the tears in her eyes. “What’s wrong? I thought you were sleeping.”

“I fell asleep, but I had this weird dream about Odette,” she confessed.

Alice could interpret dreams, a talent she kept secret from everyone, including Johnson and Odette. She understood the significance of her dreams but often dismissed them, leaving everything to fate and destiny.

“You know dreams often mean the opposite. If you dream of being poor, it usually means you’ll be rich. Just don’t take it too seriously; sometimes they don’t mean anything at all.” Johnson waved his hand dismissively.

“Come on, let’s go, and I’ll show you something!” He got out of the car, and Alice followed.

As she looked around, she realized they were in a garage. A gate and a small garden caught her attention, and when she turned, she saw a beautiful house. “Oh my! Where are we?”

“Just shut up and let’s go inside!” Johnson laughed, unlocking the front door and pulling her in excitedly.

They walked through a spacious living room and climbed a staircase that led to a bedroom. When the door opened, Alice’s eyes widened in amazement. The room was adorned with purple wallpaper, and a small bookshelf sat on one side. The bed was covered with a galaxy-inspired blanket and matching pillow covers.

A glass door on the other side led to a balcony, and the ceiling appeared to be made of thick glass, revealing the bright moon and stars outside. It had an automatic cover and uncover function operated by remote control.

“Do you love it? This is my surprise for you!” Johnson beamed.

“I love it! This is my dream room!” Alice felt a surge of happiness and began to think it was time to open up to her friends without fear of their reactions. Now that she was eighteen, it was time to let her friends in and treat them as true friends, free of secrets.

“My dad bought this house for me after learning that I applied for a scholarship at the university. He said the house was affordable and would be perfect for when we start college.” Johnson explained as he opened the door to another room.

This room was similar to the first, though decorated differently. “Remember when we were in kindergarten and our teacher asked us to draw our dream house?” That was nearly thirteen years ago, but Alice knew Johnson had a remarkable memory.

“Yes, of course I remember. A lot of our classmates wanted the same house I drew,” she smiled.

“It inspired me too, and I promised myself that when we grew older, we would have the same house. For now, you and Odette won’t need to rent. We’ll all go to the same university and live in this house until we start building our careers or businesses.” Johnson was optimistic about their future.

“You’re embarrassing me. I know your family is wealthy, but did you tell them about your plans? About me and Odette living here?” she asked, already knowing the answer but asking out of formality.

She was aware that Mr. and Mrs. Taylor were kind and generous, so there would be no issues. Both she and Johnson were only children, but her family wasn't as affluent.

Johnson waved his hand dismissively. “As if you don’t know how nice they are, just like me.” He chuckled.

“Oh yeah, I know you’ve been nice since we were kids—when you tried to bully me several times!” Alice retorted.

“Hey! I’m not a bully. I just wanted us to be friends, but you were such a snob back then!” he shot back.

“What do you mean, snob? I’m not snobbish!” Alice sat on the bed, grabbed a pillow, and tossed it at Johnson.

“Oh, you want a pillow fight, huh?” he laughed, throwing the pillow back at her. Alice suddenly raised her hands in surrender.

“I surrender, I surrender!” she yelled, laughing.

Johnson sat on the bed too and was suddenly tackled by Alice, causing him to lie beneath her. “You cheater! I knew you had tricks up your sleeve!” He began rolling on the bed, trying to flip her over. They had always had these wrestling matches since childhood, but Johnson wondered why Alice was so strong, even as a girl. She remained surprisingly strong, despite his efforts to build a muscular body.

As they laughed and played, Alice suddenly saw a vision: Johnson’s face was covered in blood, with a gaping hole in the center of his forehead. Horror washed over her, and she cried out in terror, her beautiful face reflecting the shock. Tears instantly filled her eyes as she stared at Johnson.

Feeling her distress, Johnson looked back at her, concern etched on his face. Alice shook her head vigorously and composed herself, asking where the bathroom was.

“There’s a bathroom in this room, just like your future room,” he replied, pointing to a door near the study table. There she goes again—just as we’re having fun, she withdraws. Is it a sin for her to enjoy herself so much? Johnson thought to himself.