A Day Unlike Yesterday

Chapter One - Probable

"WOAH!"

I flinch backwards before his lips can get any closer to touching me and screech like a madwoman.

"WHAT the HELL are you doing?!"

He stares at me like I've grown another head or suddenly revealed I have vampire fangs.

"What's wrong?" He asks, completely startled and confused.

Well, there is no way he is more confused than I am. I consider the implications of blurting out how I don't know who he is despite the fact that he seems to know me. Probably not the best idea. He'd probably think I'm crazy. I'd think I'm crazy. Gorgeous eyes did say semester exams are coming up which meant it can't be the beginning of the semester. Does that mean?

"Oh God." I moan. "Oh no."

Please no. Please tell me it's not what I'm thinking it is. But everything makes more sense if that's what it is.

He looks at me quizzically. "Presley, what is it?"

I stare up at him, trying to breathe normally. "What's the date?"

When he just stares blankly at me, I snap, "The date! Today's date, what is it?!"

"Uh, the twenty-seventh of November, I think. Why--"

"And the year?" I demand.

It takes him a moment to answer, but then he replies slowly, "Twenty-fifteen."

He watches me carefully.

Oh, no. I am going to throw up--No I am feeling dizzy--I am going to pass out? Maybe. My knees feel like warm butter, waiting to slide from beneath me at the flick of a butter knife. This can't be happening. This cannot be happening. Take a deep breath and act cool.

I give him a weak smile and choke out as normally as possible. "I'm going to go to work now."

"Are you sure you're alright? Are you having some sort of panic attack?"

"Oh, no, no. I'm perfectly fine." I lie and turn so he can't see the shock freezing my face. "I'll see you later." I call halfheartedly.

It is fucking twenty-fifteen. Twenty-fifteen! Last time I checked a newspaper or signed a date on my homework, it was twenty-thirteen. I pinch my arm a few times and squeeze my eyes shut. This has to be some sort of nightmare, right? I slap my face a couple times, but still nothing.

When I reach the entrance to the store, I yank a penny-saver paper from the rack and check the date. I have to be sure with my own eyes.

27 November 2015

In the movies, this is the part where the character's inner monologue screams and curses and keeps blabbering about how this isn't--can't be real. In real life....it's pretty much the same idea. Bold, black lettering somehow makes it more finite, more real. Someone up there must really hate me.

I drop the paper back on the stack and cross my arms over my chest to hide the shaking that has begun in my hands. Be logical. Think logically about this. What do I do? I obviously can't change the fact that I ended up in the future. Shelve that issue right now. I need to focus on something, something normal and everyday.

I glance up at the groups of people entering and exiting COSTCO. Work. I can do work. At least figuring out how to do my job will be much easier than dwelling on this date discrepancy issue. I force myself to take a step towards the doors. Once inside the building, I struggle finding out where I need to go. I finally make it to the employee area.