[ WP ] Real life has a pause screen .

Time is the ultimate factor relied on by everything in this world. Although man can control its environment, it can never tame time. Time only moves forward. It can not be reversed, replicated, or in any means at all be manipulated. When time runs, we have no other choice but to move along with it, and when it runs out... we can only accept the fact that it has finished. 
 
 One thing, though: in this reality, time can be paused. It can be stopped for a short, brief moment. Through this, an individual can take a while to sit back and relax, and see everything for what they are... or at least, what they seem to be. 
 
 I have lived knowing this fact for as long as I can remember, and though it proved to be pointless most of my life, I have actually used it in two very crucial instances. 
 
 The first time being three years ago. I attended... or should I say was forced to attend a camp held on the other side of my town back then. It was boring really, and the only engaging parts were the buffet dinners and the after-party where I got to meet some new friends. 
 
 One girl, to be specific, named Jessica Andy. It has been a habit of mine to'check out' some fine women here and there, but when I first saw her, I switched on pause mode almost instantly. She was unbelievably beautiful. Only afterwards did I realize that it was the first time I actually toggled my ability to intermit time. 
 
 I tagged along with Jessica throughout the entire party that night, and boy, was it a blast. 
 
 `` It's really rare to meet genuinely nice guys like you here in the city. And you know what? I feel like I've seen or even met you before! I do n't know why, but you seem like those kind o' guys that I feel I've been friends with for a very long time.'' she said giggling, while we were strolling down the sidewalk going home after the event. 
 
 I gave her a little smirk, `` This is n't really an act of kindness in the name of being nice though. This is just a guy walking a girl home. I mean, why would I let a lady walk all alone at this time in the night? There are a lot of trippy dudes here in the neighborhood, and I ca n't afford letting them get their hands on you.'' 
 
 She smiled and turned away from me. `` Well here we are! ``, she exclaimed as we stopped across a house, `` This is home sweet home for me, Andrew! Thank you so much bringing me home, this was so nice of you!'' 
 
 `` Yeah, anytime. No problem.'' I replied. There was an awkward silence between us at that moment right there. `` So, hey, if you did n't know... there's a really great pizza place nearby this area that we could hangout at... and you know -- I just want to know, if uh, are you free tomorrow night..?'' I asked her as I had my hand on my hair. 
 
 `` Oh... I'm so sorry Drew, but I need to catch a flight home tomorrow, mum and dad expect me to back immediately after this camp.'' 
 
 `` Flight? Home? But I thought --'' I mumbled as I pointed at the house that we just stopped at. 
 
 `` Oh, this is my Aunt's house here in town! I actually reside in Sydney with my mum, dad and 3 brothers. I just made a visit here to attend the event.'' 
 
 For some reason I do n't know, I felt like my heart just got hit hard with a baseball bat when I heard the word'Sydney'. That's so far away from here. 
 
 `` Sydney? You mean you're from Australia!? No wonder you're so gorgeous!'' I told her in a silly manner... At this point I realized that this was most probably the last time I'll see her again, `` So... it was nice to meet you, Jessica Andy.'' 
 
 `` It was nice to meet you too, Andrew Alvarez.'' 
 
 ``... So should we hug?'' 
 
 Laughter bursted out, `` No, no we should n't.'' she said, as she leaned in on me and kissed me on the cheek. `` Thanks for being a good friend, Drew. See you again sometime.'' 
 
 `` Yeah, I'll see you again... sometime.''... hopefully. I watched as she paced towards the front door. She looked at me again and gave me a big smile before entering. I waved at her and returned an even bigger smile. 
 
 Yes, it may seem a bit over-exaggerated, we've known each other for only what? 4 hours? And it developed so fast for sure... but whatever. It felt great. And although that was already 3 years ago, I still ca n't forget about her. It was 3 years ago... the first time I ever used the ability to pause time. 
 
 So when was the second time I used it? Just today actually. As I was taking a walk around my university... there she was, again. Jessica Andy in the flesh. Not a daydream anymore. Not just a Facebook photo of her... It was her, the real her, right there. How could it be, that a girl from Sydney is back here again? Was there another camp? Or what? 
 
 I called her out from afar and she looked my direction to see who was shouting her name. She was just as surprised as I was when she saw me. I was so excited, I ran for it. 
 
 As I was so happy and giddy about this entire situation... all of a sudden, time paused involuntarily. I did n't want it to stop, but it did. I looked around and saw everything in a frozen frame. The falling leaves from the trees, the birds and the clouds in the sky, the civilians walking by, Jessica in front of me looking as wonderful as I first saw her years ago... they were all standing still. 
 
 I looked to my rear left, and saw the raging police car about to run me over. It may seem that it's standing still right now, but as soon as time gets away from this pause screen that I am in, my whole existence will have been put to an end. 
 
 Time **can** be paused... but it can not be permanently stopped. It is a linear process... it has a point of beginning, and a point of conclusion. Death is imminent. It can not be escaped. All of this is reality, and it can not be denied, but only accepted. 
 
 I am not afraid of dying... I am more afraid of missing the opportunity to live this life fully and appreciate it, not only for what it seems to be, but for what it really is. 
 
 I can not pause time forever. This was the third time I have used the ability to intermit it, and was it an absolute strike.
