When I get older, losing my hair, many years from now, will you still be sending me a Valentine's? Birthday greetings, bottle of wine?

I needed to know... but who could I ask?

I had happily been engaged to the love of my life, Maria, for several months, but I was starting to think she was cheating on me. A few nights ago, on Valentine's day, she received a bunch of roses from somebody - but she wouldn't tell me who. I had asked her, but she insisted they had come from a friend at work. This in itself was suspicious.

I had to go to the only place that might possibly hold the answer for me. I was stood outside the tatty looking house that belonged to the local crazy-lady, as most people called her. She claimed to be a professional fortune teller, and at that moment she was my only hope.

I walked up to the maroon-painted down and turned the brass door handle. Sleigh bells jangled above my head as I entered. A woman was sat relaxing in a velvet chair with her back towards me. I could see that she was holding a crystal ball in her hands, which were clothed in purple silk.

"Hello, James." She said, her voice as smooth as a cat's purr. "I've been expecting you. Come here." I gulped nervously. She beckoned towards me and gestured towards a strange looking radio that was sat on her table. She let me look at it for a second.

It was just a normal, boring, uninteresting transistor radio. I looked at her and she bent over and twisted the knob on the machine. A croaky-voiced presenter announced, "Welcome to today's news. The date is the 1st of August, 1968." I was shocked, but before I could say anything she was fiddling around with the radio again.

"Oops." She muttered, "I turned it the wrong way..." She twisted the knob in the opposite direction and the second time a female presenter announced that the first mission to Mars had been successful.

I blinked, startled. "What's happening?" She just looked at me. "You aren't thick are you?" She questioned. "What do you think is happening?"

"I... I don't know!" I stuttered, backing away. I'd heard the stories about time travellers before, and I didn't want to get tangled up in any kind of sticky situation. The fortune teller looked annoyed. "Do you want to find out if Maria will love you in a few years or not?"

I was too shocked to think straight. This woman already knew way too much about me - and yet we'd never met before that day! And now she was trying to get me to time-travel? She ignored my obvious state of confusion and passed me the radio.

"Now. There are some very simple rules." She stared at me intently. "The first one is making sure your future-self doesn't recognise you. The second rule - press that button to go back to the present. The third one is... well... don't die." Then, she reached over and pressed a button on the radio, which she gave to me to hold. "Good Luck, James." She whispered. A swirling vortex of colour overcame me and I screamed, but I don't think anyone heard me. Then I slipped through time and space.

*

When I became conscious again, I was sat on a bench in a park. The radio was next to me. I had no idea where I was and I looked around. The small area of grass was nothing compared to some of the parks near where I live, and when I started walking I realised it was artificial. When I took a closer look at the tree beside the bench, I saw that the bark was made of plastic, and the leaves were waterproof fabric. Where was I?

I could hear traffic and in a daze I walked towards the familiar sound. When I arrived at the road I am shocked. The vehicles revving up and down it looked like they have driven straight out of a sci-fi movie... streamlined and curved.

Then it dawned on me. I knew where I was.

If I looked at the shape of the road... that roundabout... I was almost right next to Maria's parent's house. I could ask them where she lived! Yes! It was a perfect plan.

I walked down the street, glancing around at the strange world I had found myself in. I hadn't realised the future would be so... plastic-y.

Nervously, I knocked on the door. I wasn't sure if people still did that in the future... Nonetheless, the door opened hesitantly and Maria's Mum peered at me. She looked a little older than in the 'present' which made sense, since this must be a few years after that.

"Hello, James." She said coldly. I blinked. He wasn't very happy to see me.

"Hi." I replied, slightly nervously. "I was wondering if you could tell me where Maria lives."

For some crazy reason, her Mum began to sob and she glared at me from behind the tears. "You're sick, James! Can you hear me? You think you're funny but you're just plain sick!" She slammed the door in my face and left me standing, confused in the doorway.

I turned around to see a woman staring at me from the street. I blushed, embarrassed. She didn't say anything but just held out her newspaper. I took it and said "Thank you." to her, but she just nodded and walked away.

Flustered, I started reading the paper, wondering why the woman had given it to me. Then, my jaw dropped. The headline read:

COURT CASE FOR THE DEATH OF MARIA SOUTHWOOD CLOSED

I gasped and read on, but my hands were starting to shake with fear.

The court case over the death of Maria, a young 24 year old, finally came to rest yesterday when evidence arose that she was not murdered deliberately. She was hit by an ex-boyfriend in a car, which led to the belief that he intentionally hit her in his vehicle on the 18th February, 2018. He has, however provided enough evidence to be charged for manslaughter instead.

I was absolutely horrified. She had been ran over? I dropped the paper, but then picked it up again to double check something. The article said she had been killed on the 18th February, right? That was... that was the day I went tine travelling on!

I hurriedly pressed the button that would hopefully bring me back to the future. The swirling colours enveloped me again, but just out of the corner of my eye I saw someone walking by.

He didn't seem to notice me but I recognised them immediately. It was me, except older. With a hideous beard. I reminded myself never to grow a beard like that in my life. My future self looked miserable. He walked along the street by himself with hunched shoulders and his face looked like the world had ended.

As I was transported back to the present through the swirling colours, I whispered to myself one thing.

I will save Maria. Don't you worry, future-self. I'll save her and you can live happily with her.

*

When I arrived back in the present I was stood in the fortune teller's shop. The lady looked up lazily and smiled at me. She opened her mouth to say something, but I interrupted her "Sorry! Can't talk! Got to go!" I threw her radio at her and ran out of the doorway, leaving her gawping at me.

I ran down the familiar street and breathed in the smell of fresh grass. It was good to be in the present again.

It turned out that I was just in time. Maria was stood. about to cross the road. I yelled at her "Don't cross!" But she didn't hear me. She glanced left and right and started to walk.

I shouted and rushed towards her, just as I saw a small van whiz down the road towards us. Inside was a young man aged about 20, playing on his phone while driving.

I was filled with anger. His ignorance caused Maria's death! Panicking, I ran faster to the oblivious Maria, who was simply crossing the road like a normal person. The van was coming closer...

Maria saw me. She looked up and smiled her beautiful smile. "Hi, James." She greeted me, unaware of the danger just 10 metres away from her. I leapt into the road and grabbed her, pulling her away from the van, just as it was about to collide directly with her. The side of it skimmed my trousers.

"Oh my God." She whispered, as the vehicle drove away, totally ignorant of what could have just happened. "I could have died!" She exclaimed. I pulled her into a hug and kissed her lightly on the cheek.

"It's okay. You didn't though, did you?" I murmured back to her. She smiled at me, but her happiness seemed to fade quickly. She started sobbing gently.

"Aww, Maria, what's wrong?" I asked, concerned. She buried her head in my shirt and carried on crying.

"You... you don't deserve me!" She wailed, "I've been cheating on you and you still love me!" She carried on sobbing, dampening my clothes.

"It's okay." I replied and she looked up at me. "As long as you're okay, I'm happy."

Maria hugged me tighter. "No, I've been stupid." She said, "I'm not going to see that other guy any more. He was a jerk anyway... he would never save my life like you just did. Can you forgive me, James?"

"I didn't save your life!" I retorted, even thought I know I did. "And yes, I forgive you. It's fine."

She grinned, and she took my hand in hers. I knew she would be mine for a long, long time.

The End

Thanks to SnookerWither for suggesting!