Replay Today

Chapter One - The worst day

My name is Ben and I’m your average 15 year old high school boy, just trying to make it through my teenage years like everyone else. I’m writing this diary because this extraordinary thing happened to me and it boggles my mind just thinking about it. Plus, I don’t want to forget any of the things that have happened. The last few days have really been crazy.

Have you ever wondered, what you would do if you could turn back time? I don’t mean turning back time as in getting into a time machine and travelling back in time. I mean like when you had a really bad day and you lie in bed and wonder what it would be like to live that day again and change it, based on your memory of what had happened?

Well a few days ago I had a day just like that. I’ve titled it 'the worst day of my life.’ It was one of those days where if you could repeat it, it couldn’t possibly come out worse.

The day started as all bad days start - with me waking up late.

I was lying in bed that morning thinking to myself how nice it was that my alarm had not gone off yet and that I could still sleep in some more. But something had felt off, and mustering some energy I reached for my phone on the bedside table to see exactly how much time I had left.

7:45am.

I nearly jumped out of my skin. 7:45!

I frantically jumped out of bed and looked around my room for my clothes. Normally I would have a shower in the morning but there was no time for that today. I grabbed a shirt and pants, quickly threw them on and then rushed down the stairs.

“Ben, did you sleep in? It’s almost 8 o’clock!”

My mum greeted me with concern from the kitchen as I rushed past her and went for my bag.

“My alarm didn’t go off.” I muttered in annoyance as I checked everything was in my bag and then rushed for the door.

“Wait, aren’t you going to have breakfast?”

“No time.” I replied, putting my shoes on.

“Wait, take a banana.”

Mum came over and handed me a banana and like that I was out the door, rushing down the hill toward the bus stop.

In the end I made it to school on time, but I was disheveled and stressed and there was a groan of hunger coming from my stomach.

“Forgot to have breakfast?” My friend Matt said, coming up beside me as we headed toward the classroom.

Matt’s another average high schooler. Nothing special, really.

“The stupid alarm on my phone didn’t go off.” I grumbled, taking it out and looking at it for the tenth time this morning.

It clearly said there that there was an alarm set for 7am every weekday. So why?

“Is your alarm volume on?” Matt asked casually.

“F--” I cursed as I checked it and noticed that the volume was set to zero. “Who did this?”

“It’s your phone.” he shrugged.

Waking up late was only the start of my problems that day. The next thing to go wrong was in Math class, first period.

“Okay everybody, like I said last week, we will be having a quiz on what we have been learning over the past five weeks. I hope you have all studied for this. The quiz will be twenty questions. After answering all the questions you will swap papers with the person next to you to mark.”

Math quiz! Why did my mind feel blank all of a sudden? Had I not studied for this at all yesterday?

My memory of the previous day seemed murky for some reason, like when you try to remember the details of a day from last week. You have a general idea of what happened but can’t remember any of the specifics.