"One day spent with someone you love can change everything."

― Mitch Albom

   My mother wasn't convinced that I was sick. She continued to tell me, "Isaac, c'mon. You're a big boy. You can still go to school despite a cold. Besides, I want you to have a pancake. They turned out good this morning!" She smiled brightly, and then kissed me on the cheek.

   But I was still persistent. "Mom, my cold will only get worse. Besides, don't you remember in third grade when you thought my symptoms were simply a cold, but it ended up being H1N1?"

   She closed her mouth and sighed. "Fine, you win. But you're going to school tomorrow."

   Ha, like that's gonna ever happen, I thought.

   After she pressed her hand to my forehead, saying she felt a slight fever, she walked out of the room, talking about how she'd have to tell Todd to walk home, or something like that.

   I went back to sleep.

   Once I woke up it was somewhere around 10:00 am.

   I started thinking a bit, while getting ready for a day away from school. Grabbing my sweat pants off my dresser, I thought of ways I could get Zoey out of class, or perhaps stop by her house in the evening. Yet, that would be too stalker-like. Besides, I could possibly get arrested for taking her out of school, even when I was supposedly sick.

   After brushing my teeth, I walked downstairs and had myself a chocolate protein shake. I needed to start eating healthily and more fit again; just because I was in a time loop, and the day kept repeating itself, and some events appeared the same. My figure wouldn't be--if I kept skipping practice and eating things that weren't normally part of my appropriate diet for football.

   Throwing away the protein shake bottle, my phone started to sound from my left pants' pocket.

   "Yeah, mom?" I rolled my eyes once I heard her voice over the line. I didn't want her ruining my plans for today. Especially if she was calling right now to say she was swinging over to check on me, when only I had was a slight fever (maybe not even that).

   "Isaac are you okay?" She asked earnestly. "I mean, I don't want you passing out in the bathroom or anything."

   I attempted a fake sneeze. "Yeah, um. I'm still in bed. I took a Benedryl awhile ago." I then acted like I was blowing my nose, using my sweat shirt sleeve. "I'm drowsy, so I'll be out in a minute."

   "Okay, Isaac. If you feel like you're getting worse please call me. Grandma says hi."

   "Tell her I said hi too. And tell her I'm praying she gets better."

   "Okay, will do Isaac. Oh, and Isaac?"

   "Yeah?"

   "Your uncle, you know my brother, the one that lives in Andersville? Uncle Les. He's going to pick up Todd, so no need to worry about that, 'kay?"

   Uncle Les? Seriously? I hadn't seen Mom's brother in what seemed like forever. Despite the fact that he lived thirty minutes away from us, he and Mom weren't exactly close.

   "Yeah, that--I faked a sneeze again--sounds great. Thanks."

:: :: ::

   I stopped at school sometime during lunch. I know, I know. How dumb was I to come back to school when I was at first trying to avoid it?

   But this time, I surely did hope to go unnoticed.

   Instead of my usual wardrobe, I wore something that made me look like I was part of the Matrix in some strange way; I wore a black sweat shirt, but I had a black hoody over it, and I switched out my sweat pants for some black jeans that I forgot I had, and I was wearing some black skater shoes.

   But maybe I was like Neo in the Matrix. I was trying to break the time loop, and he was trying to free humans from the Matrix. Was this time loop like the Matrix, or was Zoey the humans that Neo was trying to free from the matrix, yet instead it's from committing suicide?

   There should be a reason for why she needs, and wants to live. There just had to be.

   When I saw Zoey walking to her car, I honked the horn. She didn't react at first, she had on the same miserable face expression that she always wore on her face.

   I honked again.

   She looked up from unlocking her car door, and made eye contact with me. I motioned for her to come over. I didn't think she knew who I was based on the fact that I was wearing a look that was totally different from my usual attire--and, oh yeah, I was supposed to be at home, sick in bed.

   She was a little timid at first to walk over to my car, but eventually she quickened her steps.

   "Are you Isaac?" She said in a whisper and with a raised eyebrow. "If so, aren't you supposed to be at home, or something?"

    I felt my face get warm, especially when feeling her quizzical stare.

   Had I thought this through enough?

   "Uhm, you see. I don't exactly like school." At that moment, I realized that what I was saying wasn't exactly a lie.

   It was the truth.

   Yeah, there was football, and I had Justice and Peyton, and my teammates, but the time loop had made me realize some things.

   If it wasn't who I was, it was who I was wasting my time with.

   She smiled, and shook her head. "Wow, I wouldn't have ever expected to hear such thing from you."

   "Well, I guess you were wrong thinking that." I shrugged, and gave her a smirk. "Is that all right?"

   She blushed and nodded her head. "Yeah, it's cool. But um...why did you want to talk to me?"

   I gave her a sheepish look. "Uh, do you want to come with me?"

   She was hesitant in response, and looked rather surprised if you asked me. Zoey seemed uncertain too. After about a minute of thinking about it, she came back to my car and nodded. "Sure, I'd like to go with you." She mumbled to herself (I could still hear her), "It's not like anyone would notice I'm gone."

   "Hop in."

:: :: ::

   The first place we went to was a place that sold old vinyl records and CDs. She didn't ask for me to take her to that place, that was my decision.

   During the ride Zoey hadn't talked much. She just stared out the window.

   Once we stopped in front of Vintage Things (the name of the store that sold vintage music and more), her face lit up and she turned her head to look at me. "You go here normally?"

   Nope, I'd never actually walked into Vintage Things. I've shopped near Vintage Things (there was a sports clothing brand store next to it), but I'd never walked inside the store to see what things might interest me.

   "Um, nah. But I just felt like it today," I answered lamely. "Do you come here a lot?"

   Zoey shrugged. "Uh, yeah. Sometimes. I used to come here a lot in middle school."

   Once we were inside the store, I was greeted with a song by the Beach Boys coming from the speakers, and a whole set up of Star Wars merchandise. This place obviously wasn't my usual hang out spot, but I'd manage.

   Not really knowing my way around the place, I followed Zoey who at the moment seemed to be in her own world. When we got to the CDs and records section she started to get really enthusiastic.

   "They finally have that one CD by Santigold," she mused to herself. "No more searching, yay."

   She picked up the CD case by whoever she mentioned, and continued to flip through more CDs.

   While Zoey was occupying herself with 'CD hunting' (she called it), I decided to walk through the place. I'd never been here, and I wanted to see what else things this place had.

   When I was in the book section, trying to see if they had the first book to this one book series I read in elementary school, Zoey came to me with a CD case in her hand.

   She was blushing and at first didn't want to make eye contact with me. "Eh, I want to give you this."

   I took the CD as I looked at her. Glancing at the title and artist, I then said, "Who're the Pixies?"

   She put some loose strands of hair behind her ear, and chuckled nervously. "Oh, they're a punk band I like to listen to. You know that one song Where is My Mind?"

   I shook my head. "No, um, I don't think so."

   She then began to sing some lines to the song, and it indeed did sound familiar. I think Peyton's dad was a fan of this one movie that the song played in. It starred Jared Leto and Edward Norton. "Oh, yeah! I've heard it in a movie...."

   "Fight Club?"

   "Yeah, I think so," I said sheepishly, running my fingers through my hair. "Is the song on this CD?"

   "No," she said disappointingly. "They didn't have Surfer Rosa, But I'd say this CD is just as good."

   "I'll take your word for it," I said giving her a grin. "But if it ends up being shit, then you need to pay me back."

   She gave a look of confusion. "What are you saying? I'm paying for the CDs--"

   "Nah," I took the CD case she was holding. "Let me. Besides, I think it's cute how excited you got when you found that one CD you'd been looking for?"

   "Oh," she murmured. Her face turned red. "Um, yeah. Sorry about that. I just like collecting CDs you know, and..."

   Unsuccessful in explaining herself, she trailed off. I rolled my eyes and grabbed her arm lightly. "Yeah, whatever you say Zoey. No need to apologize."

:: :: ::

   Listening to music in the car with Zoey was a nice experience.

   There was no communication between us; that was all right because this particular moment wasn't bad, and I felt at peace with myself no matter how weird, or poetic, or monk-ish that may have sounded.

   Zoey looked out the window like she always did, tapping her foot lightly. At times she would look at me and smile like we shared an inside joke, even though that wasn't that case. And I would smile back genuinely. She was really pretty when she smiled, and the sad thing was, she didn't smile often. I'd never really known who Zoey Graves was until a while ago. Before we officially met, I was always hanging out with my friends and girl friend.

   Was it a waste hanging out with them? Was I better off with Zoey?

   I felt a wave of frustration come over me just then, why in the hell was this so difficult for me? Why had I been questioning myself because it was becoming exhausting.

   I wish Lawrie Odin was here right now to give me another hint. What was Zoey's trigger? What could make her life so much better to the point where she wouldn't consider suicide, ever?

   At that moment, Zoey got a text from Lawson.

:: :: ::

   When I came home, more discouraged and disillusioned, I found that Todd and Uncle Les had beaten me there. They were both getting out the car, when I had pulled into the drive way. It was sometime around 5:30 or 6.

   "Hey, Isaac," Les greeted enthusiastically. "I thought you were sick?"

   Todd then commented, "I'm telling Mom."

   I shot back, "You wouldn't, or I'd tell Mom about you sneaking out last month. Where'd you go to anyway?"

   "It's none of your business," he said with an edge to his voice. Conversation closed.

   He then went inside the house.

   Les laughed nervously. "Well, me and your Mom used to be like that with each other. You know there was this one time--and it was when your mom was your age, and she asked me to help her dye her hair red for this one boy she wanted to go out with. And well, I begrudgingly did so, cuz your grandma, boy did she hate when I'd treat your mother mean. She threatened to take away my car. So, your mom's hair ended up being some sort of purple or fuscia color. Oh, she was so mad!" He started to laugh again.

   I didn't say anything. I was too angry at the thought of how close I was to actually befriending Zoey Graves, and it gets ruined when her ass-hole of a boyfriend has to send her a text, that probably said something along the lines of wanting her to come over his place, or questioning her whereabouts.

   I didn't exactly know.

   I wished I knew where she lived.

   When I heard another sound coming from my phone, I could only guess it was another text from Justice, Peyton, or another one of my teammates. They'd been sending me texts since this morning, and I'd ignored all of them, not giving a rat's ass about any of them at the moment.

   Justice sent me another text. I think she just broke up with me. Deleting the text message, I went to the kitchen and fixed me a ham sandwich.

   "Isaac, is something the matter?" Uncle Les walked into the kitchen and asked that. "Are you having girl problems, kiddo?"

   I stopped spreading the mayo on the two slices of bread before me, and looked up at my uncle. He was seriously trying to be a father figure right now? I hadn't seen this dude in forever, and he was trying to act like he was one of my closest relatives. Fuck that.

   "I'm fine," I said coldly. Putting two slices of American Cheese on the bread along with two slices of ham, I then heated up my sandwich in the microwave.

   "Well, uh, sorry," He said in his own awkward way. "You know, I'm a counselor and when I sense someone's feeling down, I would think that person would like to talk it out."

       After Uncle Les said that, I started contemplating on whether or not I should tell him about Zoey Graves. Not about the time loop. But about the depressed Zoey Graves.

   Uncle Les and I ended up in the living room, eating sandwiches and talking about the meanings of life. Is this something I'd normally do? I don't know. But this was for Zoey's sake, I guess.

   "I think you should try being her friend," was the first thing Uncle Les told me after I told him about a girl, who seemed depressed and suicidal. I told him I noticed her all the time, and she always looked miserable.

   "I've tried," I told him impatiently. "And she looks at me like I'm an effing Alien, or something. She isn't interested."

   He laughed and he put on the same face expression Mom did when she started to reminisce. "You know, I wasn't very very popular..." He began.

   My immediate thoughts were, oh, isn't that a shocker.

   "...Your mother was the popular one, regardless of the fact that I was two years older than her. How do you think it feels to be a lanky, and gawky eleventh grader with braces, and your sister is the spunky ninth grader hangin' with the cool seniors and juniors. And your so-called friends, or the people you just sit with at lunch to not appear lonely, tell you 'Les, your sister's hot. I guess you didn't get any of the good genes',

   'Dude, can you get your sister to have Kary Bauer invite us to that house party that everyone's going to this weekend?'

   'Les, yeah, um, is it okay if I ask your sister out? Golly, she might not even know I exist. Could you give her this letter?'

   "It was the eighties. Only Anthony Michael Hall and Robert Carradine made being a nerd look cool. Hehe, anyway, Isaac, Zoey might feel a little awkward and inferior around you, so just try to act welcoming. Ask her how her day is, but not in a disingenuous way. Or perhaps, try to talk to her about your frustrations and she might be able to relate. Or just tell her that you need a good person to be your friend right now, and maybe she'd take up that offer. But please, genuineness is the way to go. Especially when that person may be an outcast. Just try to be open and earnest.

   "I don't mean to make you seem at fault here Isaac, but I knew guys like you in high school. They made people like me and Zoey seem inferior. Just be yourself, and earnest. Make her feel like they great person she actually is.

   "Start off with, 'Hi, I'm Isaac. And I've been scared to talk to you because I'm not exactly sure how to go with this. Anyway, I've noticed you, and I was wondering if you, Zoey, would like to hang out with me."

:: :: ::

   After I'd blacked out around 8 or so, I had a dream of Lawrie Odin, holding a clock that ticked quickly. He was saying to me, "Time's running out. You don't have much time. Eventually the numbers run out!"

   I woke up to the smell of my mother's pancakes, and this time I puked.

....

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