Page 8

‘Prom night, baby!’

A pillow hits me in the face.

‘Come on, day’s a-wasting!’

Someone grabs my arms and tugs.

I open my eyes to find Chase hovering over me, his trademark grin plastered across his face.

What’s going on?

‘Seriously, Zach, how can you lie in on a day like today? You slept right through breakfast!’

‘Huh?’ I say, pulling my arms free.

‘What happened?’

I’m in my bed, but how the hell did I get here?

I reach my hand up to touch my lips – they’re still tingling from that kiss.

It feels like no more than a few seconds have gone by.

Did I pass out? Hit my head or something?

Was the kiss really that good?

‘You overslept is what happened,’ Chase says, and I realize it’s morning.

The daylight is pouring through the window.

He must be freshly showered because he’s free of fake blood, and wearing the same blue baseball cap and Miami Dolphins shirt as yesterday.

‘You can’t sleep all day, Zach.

Come on. You’re missing it!

The rugby team are outside doing naked laps!’

‘They’re doing – wait, what ?’

I say, the déjà vu really hitting now.

‘Naked laps!’ Chase says.

This all feels way too familiar.

I don’t say anything, but eye Chase suspiciously as I slowly get up and go over to the window.

Sure enough, there’s the rugby team, fully clothed, throwing the ball around.

It’s almost like I can predict their movements.

‘OK, what’s going on?’

I say. ‘You’re pretending it’s yesterday?’

‘I’m pretending it’s …

yesterday?’

‘Yes, yesterday.’

‘When all my troubles seemed so far away?’

‘Stop it,’ I say, unamused.

‘Seriously, what’s going on?

You managed to get all the blood off?

I thought that was gonna be stuck in your hair for weeks.’

‘Blood? Zach, what in God’s name are you talking about?’

‘Last night,’ I say.

‘Prom.’

Chase frowns.

‘Prom is tonight.’

‘What?’ I reach over to my bedside table and grab my phone.

The calendar says July 16.

This doesn’t make any sense.

I didn’t dream all that, surely?

It was far too real.

Besides, I never remember dreams in their entirety.

But this? I can remember every detail.

I see an unread message from Bec.

I remember this from yesterday.

I know exactly what it’s gonna say: HAPPY PROM!

I open it and there it is.

The capital letters seem to mock me.

The string of emojis in perfect order.

Like they’ve been copy-pasted from my memory.

Is this some kind of elaborate prank?

Change the date in Zach’s phone and then all pretend we’re living the same day twice?

Surely not? My friends may be quirky, and they may enjoy messing with me, but that would be the behaviour of the criminally insane .

‘Are you sure you’re feeling OK?’

Chase says, staring at me as if I’ve absolutely lost it.

And honestly? I think I very well may have.

Maybe I’m just dreaming.

That’s all this is. I mean, that’s the logical conclusion, right?

I try to remember going to bed, but all I can recall is that kiss.

I look around the room, searching for a ‘ flaw in the Matrix ’, something that will give this away as a trick created by my subconscious.

There has to be a piece out of place, but as I look around it seems everything’s exactly where it should be.

‘Zach?’ Chase says again.

‘Is something the matter?’

‘I’m fine,’ I finally say after a long pause, even though I’m absolutely not .

Act normal, Zachary.

At least until you can figure out what’s going on here.

‘Go long!’ Ethan yells from outside, tossing the ball.

‘Car alarm!’ I say, watching as Cameron sprints after it and tumbles straight into Mr Harrington’s car.

Sure enough, the alarm starts blaring, and the boys all scatter.

‘They have the coordination of a bunch of drunken toddlers,’ Chase says, watching them.

‘No wonder they didn’t bring back the trophy.’

‘That’s exactly what you said yesterday,’ I squeal.

‘This can’t be a coincidence!’

‘What can’t be a coincidence?

You’re not making any sense, Zach.’

‘This has all happened already,’ I explain, my mind spinning as I try to process it.

I look around the room, searching for something – anything – that might explain it.

‘OK, slow down,’ Chase says, gripping me by the shoulders.

‘Zach, can you chill out for a second, or do I need to call someone?’

‘OK,’ I say, trying to take deep breaths.

‘I’m calm. I’m chill.’

Notifications start pinging through on Chase’s phone.

‘It’s the results!’ I say, entirely losing my chill.

‘Huh?’ Chase says, looking at his phone.

‘Oh …’

‘Tiffany wins everything ,’ I say, pointing at his phone wildly.

‘ Hottest girl. Most likely to be prime minister. ’

Chase snorts at that.

‘Just check it!’

‘All right, all right,’ he says, scrolling through the results.

‘Huh, you’re right! Well, whaddya know?’

‘That’s all you have to say?

“ Well, whaddya know? ”’

Chase gives me a confused little laugh.

‘I don’t know what you expect.

It’s not exactly rocket science, Zach.

Obviously she was going to win everything.

It’s Tiffany. She probably made a bunch of fake accounts just to vote for herself.

Look, these results don’t even add up.

Bec got forty-nine votes for hottest girl.

Tiffany got fifty-one.’

‘There’s not even that many students in our year,’ I say before he can.

‘I know.’

‘I’m half tempted to hack in and fix it.’

‘Don’t,’ I say firmly.

That’s where everything started to go wrong yesterday.

‘I’m not going to,’ he says with a laugh.

‘Can you imagine Tiffany’s reaction?’

‘I don’t need to imagine,’ I say, the image of him drenched in blood still prominent in my mind.

‘I need you to listen to me. Something weird is going on. It’s like everything is happening all over again.

Like … twice . Like we’re in some kind of time loop or something!’

Chase looks at me weirdly.

‘OK,’ he says, putting one of his hands behind his back.

‘So how many fingers am I holding up?’

‘I don’t know,’ I say.

‘You didn’t do that last time.’

‘So everything’s not repeating then?’

‘Most things are.’

‘Convenient.’ Chase chuckles.

‘Zach, is this a joke or something? You’re secretly filming me for TikTok?

Is it revenge for that prank I pulled back in the spring?’

‘I’m not filming anything.

You know I hate TikTok!’

‘Mmm-hmm,’ he says.

‘Where’s the camera?’

‘There’s no camera!

Chase, I’m telling you, something weird is happening.’

I look around the room helplessly, pinching the back of my hand, hoping that will wake me up.

But nothing happens.

I’m still here, in our dorm room, on the morning of prom.

Harrington must have got to his car because the alarm stops.

‘You don’t believe me, do you?’

‘I don’t know what there is to believe, Zach.’

‘OK, but have I ever lied to you?’

‘Dozens of times.’

‘When?!’

‘That time last week I came in and heard you watching porn, and you said it was a workout video.’

He’d pretended to believe me at the time.

I thought I’d got away with it.

I should have known that would come back to haunt me.

‘OK, but –’

‘And when you repeatedly denied hooking up with Josh in the boathouse.’

‘That’s not the same!’

I protest. ‘Just listen, will you? I promise I’m not lying.

Yesterday is repeating itself.

I’m certain of it. I just need to find a way to prove it.’

‘This is a really weird prank, Zach.’

‘It’s not a prank!’

I say indignantly.

‘Well, whatever it is,’ he says, ‘you better get ready. Madzikanda will be calling for team captains soon. We need to be there. Bec’s gonna put herself forward …’

‘I know,’ I say.

‘I already know all of this …’

‘You OK, Bec?’

We find her in the hall, peering into the trophy cabinet exactly like she was yesterday.

Same shorts. Same crop top.

Same everything down to the last detail.

‘Sorry,’ she says. ‘I just can’t believe this was two years ago.’

‘I swear this literally happened yesterday,’ Chase replies as expected.

‘This did happen yesterday,’ I mutter.

I’m already sick of hearing everything for the second time.

It makes me realize how unoriginal our conversations are.

Chase sighs. ‘So Zach has decided to make this the day he loses his mind.’

‘What?’ Bec says, looking back and forth between us.

‘He says we’re stuck in a time machine.’

‘I never said we’re stuck in a time machine!’

As if I don’t sound crazy enough without him putting words in my mouth.

‘Clearly been watching too many episodes of Doctor Who .’

‘I’ve literally never watched an episode of Doctor Who in my life!’

Surely he knows I hate sci-fi by now?

It’s just about the only genre I don’t have time for.

He’s just doing this to annoy me.

‘OK, well, you both sound equally ridiculous,’ Bec says.

‘A time machine? This is bonkers even for you two. What’s going on, Zach?’

I sigh with exasperation.

‘What’s the point? You’re not going to believe me anyway.’

‘Well, I think I might draw the line at time machines,’ she says, leaning against the cabinet.

‘But you never know. I’m listening.

Try me.’

I take a deep breath.

‘I think we’re stuck in some sort of …

loop ,’ I say. ‘Like in Groundhog Day . Where Bill Murray keeps living the same day over and over?’

‘Never saw it,’ Bec says with a shrug.

‘You never saw Groundhog Day ? It’s literally a classic!’

‘And I literally don’t care …’

‘I never saw it either,’ says Chase.

Just my luck. Neither of them have seen the one movie that would explain my situation.

‘But I think it’s a bit like Russian Doll ,’ he continues.

‘The one where Natasha Lyonne keeps falling down the stairs.’

‘ Ohhhhh ,’ Bec says.

‘I loved that show! It’s like Happy Death Day or Palm Springs !’

How have they seen every rip-off but not the original?

‘I love those movies!’ Chase says.

‘Where they keep dying over and over! That’s what you’re saying is happening to you, Zach?’

‘What? No! I never said anything about dying !’

‘You said it was like Groundhog Day .’

‘Nobody dies in Groundhog Day !’

‘Well, that sounds very boring. You should watch Russian Doll , Zach.’

‘Oh my God!’ I say.

‘Will you just listen?’

‘I am listening,’ Bec says.

‘You’re stuck in a time machine.

Continue.’

‘There’s no time machine!’

I blurt, so loud that people actually look in our direction.

I see Kellen give me a really weird look before continuing to fuss over Rhys.

At this rate, everyone is gonna think I’m a lunatic.

I’ll be spending prom night in a padded cell.

Chase is laughing now.

‘See, I told you he’d lost it.’

‘I’m stuck in a time loop !’

I say. ‘Prom was yesterday. Everything that is happening right now has already happened. I know everything – I’m impotent!’

Bec splutters. ‘You’re impotent ?’

‘It means “all-knowing” .’

‘That’s not what it means, Zach.’

‘Huh?’ I swear that’s what it means.

‘OK,’ Bec says patronizingly.

‘So, if you know everything … what number am I thinking of?’

‘It doesn’t work like that.’

‘What animal then? No, what vegetable!’

‘I dunno – a carrot?’

Bec blinks in mock surprise.

‘Oh my God, he’s right!’

I pinch the bridge of my nose.

‘I don’t possess magical powers.’

‘No. You just came from the future in a time machine …’

‘That is not what I said!’ Why are they both being so annoying?

‘What’s it like in the future?’

asks Bec, trying not to smirk.

‘Have we made it to Mars yet?’

‘I’m not from the future,’ I say through gritted teeth.

‘And I’m not psychic either!’

‘Well, I’m glad we all agree on that,’ Chase says.

‘So if we’re finished with this nonsense …’

‘Wait …’

I look around the room for a way to prove it.

I think back to everything that happened yesterday.

Hawthorn cheating to win Capture the Flag.

Ethan’s nudes being leaked.

Chase being humiliated in front of the entire school.

‘That’s it!’ I exclaim.

‘I know how I can prove this! Your outfit for tonight. You’ve kept it secret, right?

Locked away? But I know what it is.

It’s your mum’s prom dress!’

Chase falls silent.

His eyes narrow. ‘How did you know that?’

‘You keep the key under your mattress. I’m telling you.

I know everything !’

‘So you looked then?’

‘What? No! You’re not listening –’

Chase shakes his head.

‘I can’t believe you, Zach.’

‘I didn’t look! You showed me yesterday.

Or today. Or however the hell this works.’

‘That seriously wasn’t cool, Zach,’ Chase snaps.

‘That outfit actually means something to me! Do you know how excited I’ve been to show you guys?’

‘I didn’t look!’ I repeat.

‘I’m telling you, it’s the time loop.’

But I can hear the ridiculousness of that as it comes out of my mouth.

The disappointed look on Chase’s face tells me everything I need to know.

They don’t believe me, and I can’t blame them.

I don’t know if I would believe me either.

It is totally batshit.

‘It’s your mum’s dress?’

Bec says, sounding confused.

‘Yeah,’ he says. ‘I repurposed it. I wanted it to be a surprise.’

‘It’s Hanfu, right?’

I say, trying to make amends.

‘I know it was always something you said you wanted to wear. You showed us right after you came out.’

‘Yeah,’ Chase says.

‘At least you paid attention to that part.’

I can tell that he softens a little at hearing this, but he’s still looking at me as if waiting for an apology.

But how can I apologize for something I didn’t do?

There has to be a way to get them to believe me.

I look around the room again, waiting for inspiration.

But it’s hopeless.

‘I’m sorry,’ I finally say dejectedly.

It feels weird to confess to something I didn’t do, but how else am I supposed to navigate this impossible situation?

‘I shouldn’t have peeked.’

‘It’s fine,’ he says with a shrug.

‘It’s done. No point being angry.’

‘Well,’ Bec says, ‘the cat may be out of the bag, but I still haven’t seen it.

I can’t wait to see you wearing it, Chase!

That’s gonna be the real moment.’

‘She’s right,’ I say.

‘It’s just a bit of fabric until you put it on.’

‘Well, maybe lower your expectations slightly ,’ he says.

‘It’s not that special.’

‘Think fast!’ Ethan yells, standing up from the table.

I’d forgotten this was going to happen.

I watch the rugby ball fly across the room in what feels like slow motion, once again landing in Owen’s food, spattering him with bolognese.

The Hawthorn crew burst into guffaws again, but, when I glance across, Kellen isn’t laughing like the rest of them.

I didn’t notice it yesterday, but he shuffles uncomfortably.

Maybe he feels partly responsible.

He catches me staring, and we both quickly look away.

‘I feel bad for Owen,’ Chase says.

‘You just know he’s gonna be the target later.’

I think back to last night’s prank, to Chase drenched in fake pig’s blood.

‘We should probably warn him,’ he continues.

It’s like watching a play after sitting through all the rehearsals.

‘I don’t wanna be the bearer of bad news or anything – nobody wants to hear that they’re a walking target – but …’

‘I heard they’re going to strip someone naked and throw them in the lake,’ Bec says, right on cue.

Someone in Hawthorn must have started that rumour as a red herring.

‘Wow, so imaginative,’ Chase chips in.

‘Nothing says last day of school like sexual assault! Must have taken them hours of brainstorming to come up with that one. At least they’ve moved on from the stupid pig’s blood thing they usually do.’

And that’s when everything suddenly clicks into place.

Maybe that’s why this is happening?

It all went so disastrously wrong yesterday.

Perhaps this is my opportunity to set things right.

Some greater power out there in the universe giving me a second chance?

‘About that …’ I say.

The two of them must pick up on the seriousness of my tone because they both turn towards me, concerned looks flashing across their faces.

‘I overheard Tiffany talking about the prank,’ I lie.

‘They’re sticking with the pig’s blood again this year.

And Owen isn’t the target, Chase.

It’s you.’

‘What?’ Bec says.

‘She wouldn’t.’

‘I assure you she would.’

Bec jumps up.

‘I’ll kill her!’ she growls through gritted teeth.

‘Wait,’ I say, not wanting things to escalate.

I see Kellen watching us suspiciously.

A few other people are looking in our direction too.

‘We’re better off with them thinking we’re none the wiser.’

I coax Bec into sitting back down.

‘I’m listening,’ she says.

I can tell it’s taking all her restraint not to go over there.

I point to the top of the grand staircase.

‘They’re planning on hiding a bucket up there.

Chase, they’re gonna try to lure you to the top of the stairs and then …’

‘So I just won’t take the bait,’ he says.

‘They can waste their whole prom night trying to get me up there. Meanwhile, I’ll be having fun.’

‘Exactly,’ I say.

‘So … you’re not upset?

That they want to humiliate you like that?’

‘Tiffany has been trying to humiliate me from day one,’ he says.

‘Being hated by her is the biggest compliment a person can get. If someone like her hates me, that means I must be doing something right.’

‘You’re right about that,’ Bec says.

‘Anyway,’ Chase continues, ‘enough about her . There’s something more pressing we’ve yet to discuss!’

He opens his phone to the results of the leaver’s poll, and, just like that, it’s as if he drops back into his original script.

‘Zach has a secret admirer!’

‘Oh my God, I saw!’ Bec says excitedly.

‘Who do you think it is, Zach?’

I think of the masked stranger from last night.