Chapter 2The Day I Woke Up Dead

Liam’s breath hitches. He strides forward and crushes me into a hug.

My face slams into his rock-hard chest. My nose actually hurts.

...When did he get so tall?

Wait, if he has a partner, he shouldn't be hugging me like this!

I try to push him away, but his strength has grown with his height. I can't budge him.

Maybe he's just excited to see a dead friend's ghost?

I let him hug me for a minute, then whisper, "I'm not interrupting anything, am I? Your dad isn't..."

No, wait. It's been ten years. He looks successful.

I correct myself. "I'm not causing trouble, am I?"

He buries his face in my neck and rubs against me like a puppy.

"I missed you so much."

I stiffen. This is wrong.

Is this really Liam?

We were "friends," sure, but this is way too intimate.

Does his partner know?

I turn beet red from my ears to my toes. I smack his back.

"Liam! Let go! Off, off!"

He finally loosens his grip but insists on interlacing his fingers with mine.

I try to shake him off. He holds tight.

...Maybe Future Me and him were really close.

"Doesn't your 'Babe' mind us doing this?" I ask awkwardly.

"?" He looks at me, then smiles. "You are my Babe."

Me: "..."

What the hell did I do in the last ten years?

I can't process this.

He takes my backpack. Since I sold all my books, it's empty and light.

Liam, looking like a CEO, slings my high school bag over one shoulder and holds my hand with the other.

He asks zero questions about how I’m here. His acceptance level is suspiciously high.

I chatter nervously as he leads me away. "What year is it?"

He smiles secretly. "2035."

Damn! I really time-traveled ten years.

The tombstone said "2032." I’ve been dead for three years.

...Why did I die so young? Twenty-five? That sucks.

I frown. "What was my SAT score? Class rank? Which college?"

"Never mind, you probably don't remember the details. just tell me the college."

His voice is soft, melting into the wind. "1560. Top 1%. Z State University."

My eyes go wide. I grab his arm. "That good?! So I..."

I stop. I see the ring on his left ring finger.

It glints in the sun.

I drop his hand like it's radioactive.

"Liam, you're married?"