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I looked at my homework assignment, bequeathed to me from my ever-hopeful therapist and wanted to sigh. "Go on an exploration of your memories and find a peaceful moment. This is better known," I read aloud, becoming more irritable by the moment. "As getting in touch with one's inner child as childhood is seen as the most peaceful time of life." I clucked my tongue at that one. I wanted to meet a teen who'd had a good childhood. I'm sure it was those kids with the crazy hair and ear-stretching piercings.

I shuddered. Nasty things, plugs. Then growled at the way my mind was already wandering. "Click in, Darcy, click in," I muttered under my breath and one of the few people in the library around me looked over at me in a worried manner.

I bared my teeth in a snarl and he looked away quickly. I snorted then blew out a calming breath. I could do this, I could, I told myself and fought to calm my thoughts until my pulse was at a mellow beat and I felt centered, if a little bored. And then, I went inside my head, to the file cabinet marked "When I was a kid" and opened it up.

I picked a fun memory, when I'd finally realized I'd gotten boobs. I'd run out and bought a really pretty, really expensive push up bra to flaunt them and had danced in my room for hours, thrilled to finally be in the ranks of the busty.

In the back of my mind, I watched myself, amused by my childish glee over having something others didn't and my half-mature mindset of "wait 'til the guys in gym see me now". I stood in front of my mirror, not matching because I hadn't been able to find the underwear that matched the bra and preening. The present me looked at the posters on the wall, the school books splayed like hurricane victims on the floor and shook my head at my past self, even as I began to feel relaxed, my adult life pushed so far back, it was a dim beacon.

Then suddenly the past me looked at the mirror and went wide-eyed. I looked around, trying to remember what else had happened that day. Then the teen me screamed, a high-pitched sound that would have made cats howl. "Get out of my room, freak!"

I spun around, looking for anyone, someone...and saw no one. I turned again to the wide-eyed me and happened to catch a glimpse of the mirror along the way. I stared at my present self with my teen self standing slightly back and watched my jaw flop open.

My past self screamed again. "Get out, get out!"

I ignored her - ah, me- and stared. Was I really in my own memory and seeing myself? Something banged

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