Oops, I did it again

Chapter Three: Rewind, Rinse, Regret

Jamie didn't sleep well that night. Her mind buzzed with scenarios for how she could use this new power to win over Alex. When she finally drifted off, her alarm was already blinking on the other side of morning.

By the time lunch came, Jamie was jittery with excitement. She spotted Alex sitting at one of the outdoor tables, alone for once, and took it as a sign.

This is it, she thought, I just have to be cool this time.

After several attempts, each more cringeworthy than the last, Jamie sat down with Alex and gave up on trying to make it perfect. To her surprise, a natural conversation unfolded.

For the first time all day, Jamie wasn't stressing about every word or second-guessing every expression. She just... talked. She told Alex about her nightmare of a calculus class, and he laughed, confessing he'd nearly failed a math test last week because he'd accidentally studied the wrong chapter.

"Wait, seriously?" Jamie asked, grinning. "So you just showed up, ready to crush a test on something else entirely?"

Alex rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks turning a faint shade of pink. "Yep. Didn't even realize it until halfway through the test. Pretty sure my teacher was giving me the why-are-you-here look the entire time."

Jamie laughed, feeling a warmth settle in her chest that had nothing to do with the sun. This was the Alex she'd always been drawn to: the easygoing guy who didn't take himself too seriously. She glanced at him, half expecting him to catch her staring, but he was focused on drawing little shapes in the dirt with the toe of his shoe.

"So..." she started, taking a deep breath. "Are you going to the dance next month?"

Alex raised an eyebrow, giving her a playful smirk. "Are you asking?"

Jamie felt her face heat up. "Oh! No, I mean, yes—I mean, hypothetically? You know, as, like, a general question." She was stumbling again, and this time there was no rewind button to save her.

Alex chuckled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Relax, I'm just messing with you. I don't know if I'm going. Honestly, it's not really my thing."

"Same," Jamie blurted, relieved she'd somehow avoided total humiliation. "It's just a big deal for a lot of people, I guess."

"True." Alex leaned back, looking thoughtful. "But I dunno, sometimes I think it'd be fun to go just for the drama, you know? Everyone always gets all worked up about who's going with who. It's like a bad reality TV show that you can't stop watching."

Jamie grinned. "Exactly. There's probably enough gossip in this school to fill an entire season."

They both laughed, the easy sound filling the empty space between them, and Jamie felt something shift—a new kind of comfort settling into place. She was talking to Alex, really talking, and not a single rewind had been needed.

When they'd finally run out of things to say, Jamie reluctantly stood up, saying she should probably get back to her friends before they sent a search party. But Alex didn't let her go without one last comment.

"By the way," he said, grinning at her as he gathered his things, "if you ever need help with, like, hypothetical dance dates or bad math study habits... I might be able to help."

Jamie's face turned beet red, but she managed a shy smile. "Good to know. I'll keep that in mind."

As Jamie walked back to the cafeteria, her heart was still racing. She had no idea what Alex's offer had meant—if it was just friendly teasing or something more. But she couldn't deny the flicker of hope that rose up with every step.

When she reached Riley, who was sitting at their usual table, Jamie tried to keep her cool, but Riley noticed the wide grin on her face immediately.

"Oh, someone's looking chipper!" Riley said, raising an eyebrow. "Did the infamous Alex Martin finally talk to you?"

Jamie shrugged, attempting nonchalance, but her cheeks gave her away. "We just... talked. About the dance, mostly."

Riley's eyes lit up. "Ooooh, the dance. And did he, by any chance, ask you?"

Jamie rolled her eyes, swatting Riley's arm. "No, it wasn't like that. We were just talking. Hypothetically."

"Uh-huh, sure." Riley smirked, leaning in closer. "Listen, girl, if there's one thing I know, it's that guys don't just drop hints like that unless they're interested."

Jamie tried to brush off the comment, but Riley's words lingered, sending a new wave of excitement through her. Maybe Riley was right. Maybe she hadn't imagined the spark in Alex's eyes when he'd teased her about the dance.

"Fine," Jamie muttered, still trying to hide her smile. "Maybe he did flirt a little. Hypothetically."

Riley laughed, shaking her head. "Atta girl. Now, how are you planning to follow up on that?"

Jamie froze. "Follow up?"

"Yeah, follow up. Like, you know, maybe ask him out? See if he wants to actually go to the dance?"

Jamie gulped, feeling her heart start to race again. "I don't know... maybe? I mean, what if I mess it up? What if I say the wrong thing?"

Riley rolled her eyes. "Well, that's what practice is for, right?"

Jamie's mind flashed back to her little "practice sessions" with the rewind button. Sure, she'd tried out different versions of the conversation, but asking Alex to the dance was something entirely new. Something real.

"Yeah... practice," she mumbled, her mind whirling with possibilities.

Riley tilted her head, studying her. "Why do I feel like you're hiding something?"

Jamie forced a casual laugh. "Me? Hiding something? Please. I'm an open book."

"Right," Riley said, clearly not convinced. "But just remember, Jamie... you don't get a do-over when it comes to real life."

Jamie smiled, but inside she felt a flicker of doubt. Riley didn't know about the rewind power, and Jamie was still grappling with it herself. But Riley was right about one thing: some things—like feelings, like relationships—were better left messy and real.

As the bell rang, Jamie gathered her things, casting one last look in Alex's direction. Maybe, just maybe, she'd be brave enough to follow up on his hint.

But then again, she thought, smirking to herself, it's nice to have a rewind button, just in case.