NAUPO sina Rhylee at Adie sa swing na nasa playground na malapit sa bahay nila. The tension between the two has subsided and they decided to talk.

Future Rhylee never mentioned anything about Adie in the past. Maging ang kanyang auntie Gigi ay gano'n din. Is she a part of her past? But, this Adie girl owns a fragment of the Calvert meteorite. Could it be that she met her in a different timeline? Kung gano'n ay paano at saan silang nagkakilala and why is Adie looking for her past self?

Marami pang ibang tanong sa isipan ni Rhylee and  if there is only one person who can answer all the questions in her mind ay walang iba kung hindi si Adie iyon. She barely knew Adie pero mukhang kilalang-kilala siya nito. Mapagkakatiwalaan niya ba ito?

"I'm sorry for my behavior earlier. I shouldn't have done that." pagpapaumanhin ni Adie rito, "By the way I am Adie and I came from the future." sabi nito kay Rhylee.

"You're from the future?" tanong ni Rhylee rito. Siguro'y kaya hindi ito naikwento ng kanyang future self ay dahil hindi pa sila nagmi-meet nito. But, Adie really looks familiar. She knows to herself na nakita na niya ito dati. Hindi lang niya maalala kung saan.

"Yes. Ikaw? Saang timeline ka galing?" tanong ni Adie sa kanya. Nagdadalawang-isip pa rin si Rhylee kung pagkakatiwalaan niya ito pero mas nananaig ang kagustuhan niyang magtiwala rito. Mukha namang mabait si Adie plus she knows her at marami pa siguro siyang malalaman dito.

"I came from the present." sagot ni Rhylee rito na ikinagulat naman ni Adie.

"P—present? Y—you survived? I thought you died." sabi ni Adie sa kanya. Did Adie know about the accident? If so, paano niya itong nalaman? Adie said she came from the future. Then Rhylee found her looking for her past self in this timeline. Ngayon naman ay may alam din ito sa present niya. Sino ka ba talaga Adie?

"You knew about me in the present? Paano mo ako nakilala? I thought you're from the future. Have we met in my present time?" sunod-sunod na tanong ni Rhylee rito.

Adie looked at Rhylee and gave her a quick smile, "I did and yes, we also met in your present time." sagot nito sa kanya.

"Why were you in my present time?" tanong ni Rhylee rito. Naguguluhan na ito.

Tears formed in Adie's eyes. Muli itong tumingin kay Rhylee at saka nagsalita, "To save you. I came from the future but I had to come back and save you." sagot nito sa kanya.

"Bakit mo ako kailangang iligtas?" naguguluhang tanong ni Rhylee rito at doon na tuluyang naluha si Adie.

"You and I are best friends in the future time." sagot ni Adie sa kanya habang patuloy ang pagpatak ng luha nito.

"Best friend kita?"

"Oo, naging malapit na magkaibigan tayo in your future time. You knew about who I was and despite of knowing that befriending me might put you in danger or worst get killed ay kinaibigan mo pa rin ako." sagot ni Adie sa kanya.

"Anong ibig mong sabihin? Bakit ko ikamamatay ang pakikipagkaibigan sa'yo? Sino ka ba talaga?" tanong niya kay Adie. Rhylee never asked her future self about the future dahil sobrang napako siya sa nakaraan niya at ang lahat ng sinasabi ni Adie ay bago sa kanya kaya gulong-gulo ang isip niya.

Adie wiped her tears away and took a deep breath bago muling magsalita, "You see this piece of rock?" sabi nito at muli ay kinuha ang bato na kung tawagin niya ay Calvert meteorite, "Like what I said, this is a Calvert meteorite fragment. Bahagi lang ito ng napakaraming piraso ng Calvert meteorite. That meteorite was God's gift to human race. Isa itong mystical wish-fulfilling stone na kahit anong hilingin mo ay matutupad ngunit pinag-interesan itong nakawin at sarilinin ng ilang mga tao. The people were too greedy and God knew about it. He became enraged. He tore the Calvert meteorite into pieces and gave it to trusted people who He called the keepers and me?" Adie paused at muling tiningnan si Rhylee, "I am one of them. You knew who I was and still became my friend despite it." pagpapatuloy ni Adie.

Tumayo si Adie at nagtungo sa pader na nasa may tabi nila. Sinundan lang ito ng tingin ni Rhylee. Adie drew on the wall at saka muling nagsalita, "The fragments of the Calvert meteorite holds a power na paglakbayin ang mga keeper na gaya ko sa iba't-ibang timeline. It was granted by God so we can travel across time to protect the fragments of the meteorite keeping them safe and away from greedy people. But, there are still some people who try to steal the fragments from us. They believed that putting all the Calvert meteorite shards back together will grant them anything that they desire — including immortality." sabi ni Adie sa kanya.

Adie drew a door on the wall with the word Future 2023 at ilang sandali pa ay naramdaman nilang dalawa ang pagyanig ng lupa. Tumigil rin ito makaraan ang ilang segundo at nang tingnan ni Rhylee ang pader kung saan gumuhit si Adie ay nakita niya ang isang ginintuang pinto rito.

"You can only pass through sa loob ng isang minuto bago ito maglaho." Adie said at naglakad pabalik sa tabi ni Rhylee. Muli itong naupo sa swing.

"How did you know about all this?" tanong ni Rhylee.

"The Calvert meteorite fragment honors the selected keepers by blood. The fragments are passed down through generations and nobody can take the stone away from the keeper unless the current keeper dies at hindi naipasa ang bato sa iba. That's where the thieves come in." paliwanag ni Adie sa kanya.

"And my future self knew about this?"

"She should be. Have you met her?" tanong ni Adie sa kanya.

"Yes and she's the one who gave me this pero wala siyang nabanggit sa akin tungkol dito. Ang sabi lang niya, this rock appeared from nowhere and drew her a door to my timeline." sabi ni Rhylee rito.

"What? This fragment can't draw by itself. Someone may have drawn it." sagot ni Adie sa kanya.

Napaisip si Rhylee sa sinabi ni Adie. If she's telling the truth then could it be that her future self is lying to her? Muling napatingin si Rhylee kay Adie, "You mentioned you needed to save me? Why?" tanong niya rito.

Adie looked at her na tila ba hindi nito alam kung dapat ba nitong sagutin ang sagot ni Rhylee but her best friend deserves to know. Adie sighed bago muling nagsalita, "Because you fell in love with a Calvert meteorite thief." sagot ni Adie sa kanya.

"What?" gulat na tanong ni Rhylee rito.

"It was your future self who did. In our future time where we met, you fell in love with Keeno." sabi ni Adie sa kanya.

"Sino si Keeno?" tanong ni Rhylee rito. Her future self never mentioned a guy named Keeno to him.

"Keeno is a Calvert meteorite thief and you fell in love with him. You didn't know that he was a thief but I knew about it because he was after me. He knows who I was and that we were close and he used you to steal away the fragment that I own. I told you about it pero nabulag ka sa pagmamahal na akala mo ay totoo. Hindi ka nakinig sa akin and you pushed me away. Sumama ka sa kanya at tinalikuran mo ako." muli ay namuo ang luha sa mga mata ni Adie saka ito nagpatuloy na magsalita, "Keeno said he'd harm all the Rhylees sa lahat ng timeline if I will not give up the fragment. But, I can't just give it to him. I was a keeper of the fragment. So what I just did is to protect you in the future and I did. But, Keeno went back in the present time and harmed you there. When I came to the present time, it was too late. You already got caught in the accident and you were covered in blood nang makita kita. That is why I thought you were dead. Iniwan kita roon as Keeno might harm your past self next that is why I came here para mailigtas ang past self mo." pagpapatuloy ni Adie.

"Is that why you are dressed like that?" tanong ni Rhylee rito.

"Yes, I was dressed like this in this timeline so I can blend in and protect your past self but I was too late. Keeno arrived here a little earlier and your past self met him first. I tried to protect your past self by telling her the truth but Keeno already brainwashed her. Now, your past self has gone. I don't know if Keeno took her or she fled with him. I tried to look for her but I couldn't find her and when I saw you, I thought you were the Rhylee from this timeline." sagot ni Adie rito. Hindi na nito napigilan pa ang pagpatak ng kanyang mga luha. Tumayo ito at lumuhod sa harapan niya, "It shouldn't have happened but it did and I'm sorry if I failed to protect you. I'm really sorry."

Hinaplos ni Rhylee ang buhok ni Adie habang umiiyak ito. Base sa kwento ni Adie ay ginawa naman nito ang lahat ng makakaya niya para protektahan siya, "Shhh. You tried to protect me and you didn't fail Adie. You see? Me and my future self are both safe and thank you for always trying to keeping me safe." sabi ni Rhylee rito.

So Adie is her best friend in the future time and she was in danger. Kung ganoon ay bakit hindi ito naulit ng kanyang future self sa kanya? Is her future self hiding something?

Pinunasan ni Adie ay kanyang luha, "I'm really glad that you're safe, Rhylee." sabi nito at hinawakan ang kamay ng kanyang best friend, "I'll never let anyone hurt you again." sabi nito sa kanya.

Rhylee smiled at ginulo ang buhok ni Adie, "I'll be fine." sabi niya rito.

"You'll be fine? Hindi mo nga maprotektahan ang sarili mo kanina from me and you're telling me that you will be fine?" biro ni Adie rito.

"Sabagay. Pero salamat Adie. Thank you for telling me all about it. Kahit papaano ay may ideya na ako sa kung ano ang nangyari sa akin." sabi ni Rhylee rito.

Muling naupo si Adie sa swing na katabi niya, "Wala ba talagang nabanggit ang future self mo sa'yo kung paano siya nagkaroon ng fragment ng Calvert meteorite? The Rhylee I know from the future didn't own one. She might have stolen it from someone." sabi ni Adie sa kanya.

Rhylee shook her heard at sinagot si Adie, "My future self said that this stone suddenly appeared from nowhere and drew a door that led her here. That's all I know." sabi niya rito. Rhylee is starting to doubt her future self. Ano nga ba talaga ang nangyari sa future at paanong nagkaroon ang kanyang future self ng fragment na ito? Is her future self really telling the truth?

Naputol ang pag-iisip ni Rhylee nang muling magsalita si Adie, "It really can't be. I think that is something we need to find out along with your past self. Pero sa ngayon, let's keep you and the fragment safe, Rhylee. You shouldn't wear the fragment like that. Mamaya makita 'yan ng mga Calvert thieves at pagtangkaan nila ang buhay mo. You should always be wary of your surroundings especially now that you own a fragment of the meteorite. I am here to protect you but you should also learn how to protect yourself from now on." sabi ni Adie rito.

Natakot naman si Rhylee sa sinabi ni Adie at kaagad na itinago ang kwintas sa loob ng kanyang damit. Adie is right. Now that she owns a fragment of the meteorite ay kailangan na rin niyang mag-ingat dahil maaari niyang ikapamahak ito.

Naalala pa ni Rhylee nang tutokan siya ni Adie ng patalim kanina, "Kaya ka ba may patalim?" tanong ni Rhylee rito.

Tumango si Adie, "Yes, keepers are trained to protect the fragments from thieves. Thieves can also travel across time just to collect these fragments. They could be everywhere at hindi sila mag-aalinlangan na patayin ka kapag nalaman nila na may fragment ka." sagot nito sa kanya.

"So that means I should bring a weapon too." sabi ni Rhylee kay Adie.

Napakunot naman ang noo ni Adie, "Bring where?" tanong nito sa kanya.

"You are looking for my past self right and I'm looking for her too so that means that I am coming with you."

"No, Rhylee. It's dangerous. What I meant by protecting the fragment is to keep you away from danger. That means you should hide." sabi ni Adie sa kanya.

"But I have to find myself plus I need to find auntie Gigi too. Mula nang dumating ako rito ay hindi ko pa siya nakikita. I'm afraid that Keeno guy might have harmed her too." nag-aalalang sabi ni Rhylee rito.

"I'm sorry Rhylee. I didn't know she's gone too. But, I hope she's okay. Don't worry. Hahanapin natin ang auntie Gigi mo." sabi ni Adie sa kanya.

"Natin? You mean—"

"Yes, you can come with me but bringing a weapon is not enough. You need to train for basic combat and I can help you with that."

"T—talaga?"excited na tanong ni Rhylee rito.

"Oo but, let's call it a day for now. I know na pagod ka pa maghapon. You should rest and we'll meet again here tomorrow." sabi ni Adie rito na sinang-ayunan naman ni Rhylee. Nagpaalam na rin si Adie sa kanya.

Umuwi na si Rhylee sa bahay nila. Nahiga siya sa kanyang kwarto at nagpahinga. It was a very long tiring day to her. Pumikit na siya ngunit binabagabag pa rin siya ng mga tanong sa kanyang isipan.

Future Rhylee said that their future has been destroyed pero paano kung ito rin ang naging dahilan ng pagkawasak nito? What if her future self stole the fragment from someone so she can travel back in time and not die in the future? And what if it was a trap all along and that her future self purposely sent her back in time so future Rhylee can continue to live in the present timeline? Ginamit lang ba siya at niloko nito?