Telling The Sun Goodnight

As I stepped foot on that dirty old bus I noticed something. Something different. Something totally unusual. But no one else seemed to care.

“You’re not listening to me!” I said angrily into the phone.

“What is there to listen to? The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, you’re going crazy.”

“No, I’m not! Look out your window, please for me Keeks.”

“I am looking out my window, the sun is rising- in the east!” She says sighing.

“No, it’s not!”

“Look I got to go, we’ll talk when you get to school.”

“Okay.” I sigh. I was very concerned. Kiki was the second person I called, after my mom and neither of them said there was a problem with the sky today. Except there clearly was, the sun was rising in the west, not the east.

When I get to school Kiki’s waiting outside for me, looking at something on her phone.

“Why are you wearing the same thing as yesterday?”

“What do you mean?” She looks down at her outfit. “I wore a sweatshirt and jeans yesterday; I’m clearly not wearing that today.”

No, she wore that two days ago, not yesterday. “Is everyone like secretly messing with me? Is someone going to pop out of those bushes and say April Fools?”

“It’s- It’s not April, Ky.”

“I know that, but seriously can you not see the sun rising in the west.”

“Look, Kylie I seriously have no clue what you’re talking about, I promise.” Kiki doesn’t lie, and that’s a fact.

“I believe you. Then why can I see the sun rising in the west, not the east?”

“I’m not sure.” She looks down at her phone. “C’mon, let’s go inside the bell’s going to ring soon.” She grabs my hand and pulls me inside.

“Hey girls.” Rayne says looking up at us as we sit down in the commons.

“Why are you wearing the same outfit too?” I look around. “So is Ella, and Mina, and Paige- wait what is going on?”

“Kylie what are you talking about?”

I rub my eyes and look Ray in the eyes. “Did the sun rise in the west today?”

“No, it never rises in the west. Are you okay?”

“Look, you have to believe me. The sun rose in the west today, and everyone is wearing the same clothes as yesterday.”

“I believe you, always, but none of this makes sense.”

“I know, I know.” I run my hands through my hair. “Wait, what day is it?”

“February 12.” Kiki replies.

“No, it’s the 13^th.” I say. “Yesterday was the 12^th.” I bang my head against the table and sigh.

“Hey, it’s okay we’ll figure this out.” Kiki says. I look up and see Rayne nodding.

When the bell rings for second period, I grab Kiki and pull her out of our first period science class.

“What’s up?” She says. “Is this about, you-know-what?” I nod.

“We learned the exact same thing we learned as yesterday. Something’s not right, it’s like this is a big giant do-over of yesterday- or today I guess.”

“But why only you? I don’t remember already doing today.” I shrug.

“Can you tell Rayne in theatre?” She smiles and nods. We say goodbye and I head off to my second period, where the exact same thing is written on the board as yesterday.

“Hey Kylie, come look at this.” Paige waves me over as I enter the class.

“You said that exact thing to me yesterday!” I sigh and rest my head on her shoulder.

“Huh?”

“Look, it’s today already happened- for me at least, and now I guess I’m doing today again. The weirdest thing is,” I pause and lift my head up. “The sun, well, it rose in the west, not the east.”

“That’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever heard you say.” She pauses. “This is all real.”

“Yes, please believe me.”

“What does Mr. Pagan say when he walks in the room today?”

“Greetings young learners, take a seat and get out your textbook.” That’s when the bell rings.

“Greetings young learners, take a seat and get out your textbook.” Mr. Pagan says closing the door. Paige gives me a very concerned look as we sit down in our seats.

“I told you- something strange is happening.”

“It’ll be okay. You’ll be okay. Just do what you did before.” I nod.

The day passes slowly, slower than before. And it’s the worst day ever. It’s long and annoying because I’ve already heard all this. At least today in theatre, we get to go outside for “observations”. I just need some fresh air.

When we get outside I sit on one of the benches and watch the sky, especially the sun. Paige sits down next to me.

“What do you think it means?” I say, not taking my eyes off the sun.

“What do I think what means?”

“What do you think all this means, like the sun, and the day and everything.”

“Maybe, the sun’s rewinding or something, just like this day for you. Maybe, you and the sun need a do over day.”

“Everyone needs them sometimes. Did something happen yesterday? Maybe something including the sun?”

I sigh. “I think I asked someone why the sun can’t rise in the west. I guess he wanted to prove me wrong or something.”

“Then why are you redoing this day?” She looks over at me, then back up at the sun.

“Maybe because the sun wanted to show me what it can do, and that things get messed up if the it rises in the west.”

“Like you are repeating a day.”

“Exactly.” I say.

“You think that’s what happened?”

“I don’t know.” I sigh. “But we’ll never know so the best we can do is imagine.”

“’The best we can do is imagine.’ You sure that’s the best we can do?”

“Probably not.”

As I pull up the covers to surround me with warmth I quietly tell the sun, “Good night. Thank you for letting me experience what you can do.” I don’t know if this was my imagination or not, but I hear a quiet “Anytime.” and that makes me smile.