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There was rules for anyone time travelling. Rules Amanda loved to ignore for the sake of fun and adventure. She wasn't even suppose to have a time machine, but sometimes you just sort of luck into things.
Now obviously she didn't ignore all the rules — not like she was going around broadcasting it to the world or anything. And she wasn't gonna go get involved in any major moments in history, time paradox is very real and not something she was looking to start.
Amanda spent of her time in past years exploring places that no longer existed, attending events and parties she wasn't alive for, fun things like that. Had been so much better than slowly dying inside at her boring job or crying over the fact that everyone she'd known was off married with kids while she lived in an apartment above her father's restaurant.
All her luck in getting the time machine didn't carry through to using it, however. It'd probably been seven months for her — she was terrible at keeping track — since she first got the small, handheld thing, and she still wasn't fully sure how to use it. So it wasn't really a surprise, when trying to go to Woodstock 69, she found herself in falling in the dirt of some field in god-knows-where.
"Nice going," she muttered as she picked herself up and took in her new surroundings. The grass was tall and wild, sway in the warm breeze. Likely summer, mid afternoon maybe? There looked to be a house off in the distance, as well as a horse stable closer by. Judging by the looks of the building at what little she remembered from her history classes, it seemed Amanda had ended up probably over one hundred years earlier than intended, and maybe the wrong continent. She was feeling Europe, not because of anything specific. Just sort of vibes.
Amanda glanced down at her time machine, only just noticing the device missing from her hand.
"Ah — shit!"
She dropped back to the ground, running her hand through the tall grass and along the dirt in hopes of finding the metallic box.
"Someone there?"
Amanda's head popped up like a wild animal, catching sight of a beautiful girl standing just a couple feet from her.
She had light brown hair very precisely pinned up and a stunning light blue and white dress straight out of a painting. She herself looks as if she'd stepped right out of the paintings Amanda use to admire at her local museum. And her eyes, soft and brown, staring down at Amanda with great interest.
"What are you doing?"
And she was English! So this was Europe.
"Sorry, I've just seemed to have lost something in the grass," Amanda explained as she stood up, quickly brushing the dirt off her overalls in an attempt to look less of a mess.
The other girl studied her for a moment, Amanda found herself focusing on how pretty her eyes looked in the bright sun.
"You speak a bit oddly. And you dress… well almost like a man does. Can I ask why?"
"I'm not from here, if that's what you're wondering," Amanda confirmed. "And these clothes were all I could pick from. Didn't realize I'd be running into someone so beautiful all the way out here."
Her face went a little red, a small smile touched her lips.
"Well… thank you. You said you lost something, Miss…?"
"Amanda," she introduced. "Just Amanda is fine."
"Amanda," the girl repeated. "I quite like that. Oh — and my name is Venetia."
"What a fitting name," Amanda commented. "And yes, I did say I lost something. Just a small metal box, should be around here somewhere…"
She got back on the ground, Venetia walked over and started pushing grass aside with her foot. Amanda couldn't help but pause her search and watch her as she scanned the ground.
She'd met a lot of people everywhere she went. A lot of arguably very attractive people. But none could compare to Venetia. There was something about her, not just her looks but the timid way she spoke, the way she navigated the long grass with her dress, her wiliness to help a stranger with surprisingly little questions.
Amanda was pretty sure she didn't believe in love at first sight. But, if it was real, this must be what it felt like.
"Are you alright?" Venetia inquired after Amanda hadn't really moved for a minute.
"Yes, sorry. You're just distracting me a little, I suppose."
"Oh — well I'm very sorry. I can — I could leave or —"
"Not a bad thing," Amanda reassured quickly with a small laugh. "And I appreciate your help — ah! There it is!"
She picked up her time machine while bouncing back to her feet, dusting it off and checking for damage.
"Sure is a strange little thing," Venetia commented. "But I am glad you were able to find it."
She really wasn't going to question anything, now was she?
"Thank you for helping," Amanda replied. "Not everyone's as kind to a stranger as you've been."
Venetia nodded, her face was turning red again. Amanda said nothing more, just smiled at her.
"Would you — if you aren't busy that is — perhaps like to come up to the house with me for a cup of tea? Only if you don't have somewhere to be — I understand if you do, of course. But if you have the time…?"
Amanda's smile widened, sliding the device into her pocket.
"I've got lots of time."