Page 25 of A Thousand Second Chances

She nods, still seeming wary, and edges around me, scurrying off like I might suddenly attack her or something. I shake my head again as I head into the cafe. Maybe I’m more tired than I thought.

At least there’s no sign of Chris this morning. I’m not sure I can handle interacting with him right now, even from afar. Certainly not until I get some caffeine and calories into me.

I wait my turn in the small line at the cafe until I reach the glass counter at the front. Owen’s working there again. Same outfit, too, if I’m not mistaken. Just like Susie.Weird. His, at least, makes sense if it’s some sort of mandated work uniform his mom forces him to wear when dealing with customers.

I’m not surprised when Owen’s as cold as yesterday, giving me the silent treatment and acting like we’ve never met. I don’t bother trying to make small talk, keeping my eyes down while I mutter my order. Apparently, ignoring him is the wrong move as well because, by the time he stalks over with my drink order and muffin, he looks ready to tear me limb from limb.

He thrusts my order at me. “Here you go,sir,” he grits out. “Hope you have apleasantday.”

I sigh and reluctantly jerk my eyes up to his furious ones. “What do you want from me, Owen? I tried to talk to you yesterday, and you made it clear I shouldn’t bother. Now you’re acting like me ignoring you is pissing you off even more. So, which is it?”

For a moment, surprise flickers across his face. Then, his expression hardens. “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. The last time we spoke, you told me how much you were looking forward to visiting for the summer. Guess that was a lie, though, huh?”

The last time we spoke?

I’m still trying to process what he means when he shakes his head. “Forget it.” Before I can respond, he’s retreated to the back corner, as far away from me as he can get without fleeing the room.

Feeling slightly dazed, I grab my latte and muffin and settle in at the same table along the wall I used yesterday. First Susie andnow Owen—do I really leave so little of an impression on people that they can forget entire conversations we’ve had?

If it were anyone else, I might suspect it was part of an elaborate practical joke. But I can’t see this new, angsty Owen going along with that. Besides, who here would single me out for a prank—Chris? Yeah, right.

Maybe I’m overthinking this. I mean, maybe Susie had a lot on her mind yesterday and simply forget a random one-minute conversation she had with a stranger. And Owen—well, he’s been acting odd from the beginning. It’s not like his blow-up today is much different from how he treated me yesterday.

Besides, what does it matter? I’ll probably never run into Susie again after this trip, and who knows when I’ll see Owen again. It’s not like I have any intention of returning to Mackinac Island any time soon. Not after all the painful memories yesterday dredged up.

I’m finishing off my muffin when my phone buzzes. I pull it out to see I’ve got a text from my dad. Guilt flashes through me for not messaging him more last night like I’d planned. After my argument with Chris at dinner, I’d lacked the mental fortitude to deal with more painful memories. Honestly, I’m not sure I’m much better off now, but I don’t want him to think I’m purposefully ignoring him.

I check my dad’s message and stare.What the fuck?A familiar list fills my screen, along with an equally familiar message.

Dad: These were some of your mom’s favorites. Thought you might want to make a point to visit them today.

It’s the same. The exact same as the message he sent me yesterday before the bike ride. Did my phone glitch and reload old texts?

I quickly scroll through the message thread, my unease deepening. All the texts we exchanged yesterday are gone as if they never existed. There’s just the message he sent me before the trip letting me know he was outside to pick me up, and then this one. The time on his message registers as only a couple minutes old, too, rather than a day ago. Is something wrong with my phone, or perhaps the entire network?

My heartbeat comes too fast, my breath hitching as my mind races. I try to tamp down on the wild trajectory of my thoughts but can’t quite manage it, the facts collating to form a disturbing picture.

My alarm, still set for 8:00 AM.

That weird run-in with Susie.

Owen, insisting we hadn’t spoken in years.

And now, this text message copied straight out of the past.

The past…

My fingers tremble as I close my messaging app and pull up my phone’s main menu, my gaze fixed on the display at the top with the time and date. My breath catches as time seems to slow.

The display reads Saturday, October 14th, 8:42 AM.

Yesterday’s date.

No, no, no.This isn’t happening. It’s not possible.

My aluminum chair shrieks against the tiled floor as I scoot it back, leaping to my feet. People are staring at me, and Owen scowls in my direction, but I don’t care. This is too much—all too much.

Perhaps I wasn’t so off base with the idea of a practical joke after all. That’s what this is, right? Someone must’ve changed the date on my phone, making it appear a day behind. It can’tbethathard to do. They’d just have to get to it…in my locked room…with me sleeping next to it…