Something strange on Thursday

Bloody nose again? This is the third one in the last week. I guess the air just gets drier here in Cherry Hill than it does back home.

You'd think by now, I'd have tissues in my bag in case this happened during class. Olivia, on the other hand, came prepared and hands you a tissue.

"Thanks," you mutter lowly to her as you try to stay focused on Mrs. Caldwell and her lecture.

"Another nose bleed, Alex? Have you been to the infirmary about these?"

"Uh, yes ma'am. Nothing to worry about." At least that's what they'd say if I wasted their time with a few bloody noses. Greenford Academy required a physical before I enrolled here and I was given a clean bill of health. If there's anything seriously wrong with me, some school nurse isn't going to be able to find out what it is.

"Well, now that I've got your attention, what did you think of Willy's actions at the end of the play?" Mrs. Caldwell always knew when people didn't do their assigned reading. No wonder she's an English teacher here.

"He, uhh, they were surprising to say the least. He just, I think, finally found peace just before the end." Sheesh, that's the best I could bullshit. Maybe it's the blood that leaked from my nose.

"I disagree with your evaluation of him finding peace. Happiness, perhaps, but I think peace is something that Willy Loman will never find. Was he troubled to find his own happiness, his own peace? And was that dependent on his family and his late late brother? Well, I hope your papers shed some insight into some of those burning questions. I've only gotten thesis emails from a few of you so far and given how your Hemingway papers went, I was expecting a little more... Proactiveness. Also, we're starting Gatsby this week, so don't forget to grab your copies on the way out. Anyways, have a fun weekend you guys. See you back here on Tuesday."

That could have gone better. Eh. I let out a big sigh and look up to see Olivia shifting her weight between her feet by the door. "Think fast, Alex," Olivia shouts as a copy of The Great Gatsby comes flying towards the empty void I had occupied three steps ago.

Ugh, why does she do these things to me? I take a few step towards the book and reach my hand out to try and save Gatsby from a tragic fall until I watch it fly back along its path to Olivia's hand. I pull my hand back in confusion and watch the book launch from her hand and fly straight towards me. I cup my hands in front of my stomach, saving my the embarrassment of missing the book as I did before, but did I just reverse time? Just with a wave of my hand? I must be dreaming. That book totally wasn't even close to my reach before. What's going on?