Young Writers Society

They released me after that.

That was it? I asked myself as I walked across the weed-infested parking lot.

Of course, it was a lot they asked for. Hide Hung Zhu’s identity with my own at jeopardy?

“Hello, Time Turner,” Nicholas said upon me entering my supercar. “Where will we be going today?”

“CHIT campus.”

“Would you repeat that request for me?”

“C-H-I-T campus!” I said, enunciating every syllable.

“Would you repeat that request for me?”

“No, just...disable!”

Silence followed. I took a deep breath and backed out of the parking space. I then drove the entire way back to my dorm in utter silence.

When I got there, I crashed on my bed, hoping to just sleep the rest of the night. However, I felt a sense of urgency, a kind of nagging feeling that told me I should be doing something right now. I looked at my watch: 6:42 pm.

“My evening shift!” I exclaimed, sitting upright in my bed.

I considered calling in sick, then decided that I needed the pay. I threw on my uniform in time for Taylor to come walking in after her class.

“Hey, Sarah,” she said. “Aren’t you supposed to be at your evening shift?”

“Yeah,” I replied quickly, searching the pantry for a light dinner to take with me.

“What happened?” she asked, curious.

"I...I was playing tennis at the community center and lost track of time."

"That explains the smell," she muttered.

I grabbed my backpack from my bed and went to the door.

"See you later, Taylor!" I said quickly before shutting it behind me.

I drove my Civic to Estrella Roja Mexican Cuisine, the entire time crossing my fingers hoping I wouldn't get fired.

"Looks like tonight's packed," I said to myself as I struggled to find a parking spot. Eventually I settled with parking in the grocery store lot next to the restaurant, and I hustled inside. I weaved my way through the kitchen, avoiding the busy workers darting between the stations. When I made it to the lobby, I took my place beside Rick and acted as if I had been there the whole time.

"You know you're going to be in trouble, right?" he asked calmly, giving an older woman a waiting disc.

"A little bit," I replied.

We didn't say much after that. We spent a little while organizing reservations, handing out menus, and guiding people to tables. In my mind, this was going to be a good shift.

However, I was wrong; my evening quickly turned sour when a younger couple strided through the doors.

"Good evening!" Rick said automatically. "Do you have a reservation?"

"No," the husband replied. "How long will it be?"

Rick checked the computer. "Thirty minutes, no more."

The husband and wife looked at each other, then the wife looked up. "We can wait that long."

"Okay, just sit over in the waiting area and come back up when this buzzer rings," I said, handing them a disc. They took it and sat down on one of the empty benches lining the edge of the lobby.

"So how about that encounter with the new villain?" the husband immediately said to the woman beside him. "Red Warrior?"

The woman shrugged her shoulders. "Eh, the usual. Time Turner refusing to defend us, you know?"

I bit my lip and took a deep breath to keep myself from protesting.

"Man, I can't believe she was such a pushover!" another older guy said from across the lobby. "I could shove her over and she wouldn't respond!"

The people in the lobby burst out laughing. Even Rick let out a chuckle. I stayed silent, trying not to give myself away.

"What about when she insisted her dad didn't steal the watch?" a woman said, cradling her infant child. "She probably doesn't know what she's talking about!"

"She's just arrogant like that," the man next to her responded flatly. "It's just the typical."

My chest tightened, and tears threatened to spill from my eyes, but I desperately tried to cover it up with a fake smile when Rick stole a glance at me. He gave me an odd look, but turned his attention back to the conversation.

"How much longer will this last, you know, Time Turner refusing to fight?" a man asked.

"Well, however long it is, she better shape up," another man replied. "If she keeps this up, I'll personally shove her off the role. I'd personally do a way better job than her, and I don't even have powers!"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"At first, I kind of felt bad for her," a younger woman said. "But now I'm convinced she's just lazy."

"Yeah, probably waiting for other heroes to come and do the dirty work for her."

"Typical Time Turner, I suppose."

At this point I could no longer stand hearing all these insults. I quietly excused myself and left the lobby. I forced myself to keep a leisurely pace when walking through the kitchen.

“Sarah…?” I heard Finn say.

I tried not to acknowledge him, instead bolting across the restaurant’s parking lot and into the next one once I was outside, not stopping until I was in my car, the ignition started.

When I was sure I was safe, I put my head on the steering wheel, allowing myself to let out what was bottled up inside me and let out the tears that were choked back.

Why do they bully me like this? What am I doing wrong?

Why was I stationed here?

Why, why, why?

-----

I hadn’t noticed how much time had passed until I wiped my face for the last time and saw my watch, which read 9:08 pm. Despite feeling completely drained, I attempted to drive back to the dorms. It took a while longer than usual, but I eventually made it without crashing.

The most difficult part was going from my car to my dorm room. I used any and every surface I could for support. I dragged myself along the walls, trying to ignore the confused expressions from fellow students. I pulled myself into the elevator, the only thing keeping me awake on the ride up being the nausea that usually formed when I took it. When the doors opened, I nearly collapsed onto the carpet. I willed myself to keep going, keeping my eyes on door 282B.

“Hey, Sarah,” Taylor said upon me entering, keeping her focus on the television. “Long shift?”

“Yeah,” I said immediately. I trudged to my bed and collapsed on it. “And an even longer day.”

“I can imagine. How's that essay coming along?"

I took a second to figure out what she meant by that. When I did, my blood ran cold.

"The essay!" I gasped in realization, sitting upright on my bed. "It was due this morning! Oh, what will the professor say? Maybe my grade won't suffer too much!"

"Sarah, it's the semester final! Of course your grade will suffer!"

"No, no, no!" I buried my face in my hands in frustration. Taylor looked at me sympathetically.

"Ouch. Maybe if you work on it tonight, she'll give you half credit." Taylor's comment sounded more like a question. I sighed.

"Maybe," I said. "I better get working on it, then."

Taylor nodded worriedly and turned her attention back to her laptop. I pulled up mine and took a deep breath. As long as this day was, it was going to be an even longer night.