Temporal Misplacement

“Do we really have to do this right now? Just take the sandwich and go, we’ve already been here 20 minutes.” Sara shifted uncomfortably and looked at her friend. 

“Would you relax?” Jody gave her friend a side eye and turned back to the deli worker. “I asked for mayonnaise, can’t you just fix it?” She tapped on the bulky handheld device and swiped, causing the machine to make a “whooshing” sound. 

“Look lady, I already told you. We’re out of stock. I’m going to have to get the manager to send a request to our supplier that we had ordered extra mayonnaise, and only then can I go back and approve your request.”

Jody narrowed her eyes at him and strongly gestured towards the door marked “staff only.”

“Well go get him then. I can wait.” She leaned forward onto the counter. 

“He’s not in today, I’ll have to call.”

“Then call.” 

Sara threw her arms up and slapped them onto her thighs.

In another ten minutes the worker was able to get through on the phone, received the approval, and grabbed his own bulky handheld device and went through the same sequence Jody had done earlier. Unlike human approval the supplier had a corporate AI setup to automatically review and accept the request. The worker went back to Jody’s initial request and approved it. Instantly, Jody and Sara were both looking at a sandwich made with mayonnaise. 

“Thank you.” Jody said, drawing out her words. “Enjoy your extra mayo stock!” She jeered at him as they both left. 

He angrily flipped her off and aggressively tapped on the device. Jody scoffed and denied his request to instead have said, “Have a nice day!” 

Sara and Jody both got in the car and drove away. “I still don’t know why you had to use it for that.” Sara crossed her arms and looked out the window. 

“Whatever, that guy is a jerk anyways, and besides, Sara, just because you don’t use your Temporal Replacement Device doesn’t mean the rest of us have to suffer."

“I do use it, Jody, just for things like having done the dishes when I don’t feel like it, or making it to work on time when I’m running late. I just don’t like how it makes me feel sometimes."

“How it makes you feel? What like relieved? You just said how you use it to get out of chores.” She retorted.

“Except I don’t get out of those chores Jody. It’s like feeling tired and sore with a weird memory of something I don’t feel like I did.”

“Whatever, are you going to Joe’s party tonight? I heard Greg is going to be there.” 

“Shut up, he’s not into me anyways. He’d have asked me to prom instead of sending me a request that he had only after the fact.” Sara sounded disappointed.

“Sara! That’s because he regrets going with Stacy, and who wouldn’t. They’re not even together now. Just come, okay? Don’t make me feel awkward going by myself."

Sara smirked and turned back to Jody. “Fine, I'll go. But I’m not talking to Greg tonight.”

Jody smiled back at Sara and excitedly shook her arm. “Yay! Deal.”

---

“Greg! Come hang out with Sara. Joe and I are going to hit the hot tub.” Jody said, resisting Sara’s grasp and mouthing “Thank me later” as she left the living room with her arms around Joe. 

“Hi.” Sara sheepishly spoke to Greg. He looked down at her and smiled.

“Hi.” His voice was smooth and strong. “Would you like a drink?” 

“Oh, I think water would be fine. I’m not really feeling the party.” 

“That’s totally fine.” Said Greg, reaching down at the clip on his waist and grabbing the device that’s too big for pockets. He typed and swiped and then Sara grabbed hers, seeing a notification from Greg requesting that he had grabbed her water right before they began speaking. 

“Greg, thank you for this, really. You seem like a sweet guy, but wouldn’t you rather just go get me some water now?”

Greg was taken aback and ran his free hand through the gel interlaced with his thick combed back charcoal hair. “Why would I do that when literally you just have to tap yes.” He leaned forward towards her, but she took a half shuffle back. 

“That’s okay, Greg. I’ll just go get my own water.”

Greg sidestepped in front of her just enough to make her stop before bumping into him, that cunning smile from earlier shifted to one of slight embarrassment and maybe desperation. 

“Look Sara, about prom.”

“No, it’s fine Greg. I didn’t want to go anyways.”

“I had asked you.”

“Yes, I saw the displacement request and I gave you your answer.”

“No, I mean. I had asked you originally. Before Stacy. She was the temporal replacement. I was only trying to fix my mistake."

“You did what?” Sara stuck out her hand into Greg’s muscular chest and lightly pushed him to arms length. 

“I feel like I should remember that, but I don’t, you couldn’t have.”

“That’s because after Stacy accepted my request it changed your memory, Sara. I'm so sorry for making such a big mistake and I wish I could take it back and just set things the way they’re supposed to be."

“Why even do such a thing? Why go through the effort to tell me now?” Sara’s eyes widened as she could barely speak through her shortness of breath. 

“Because it didn’t go well, Sara. Our prom night was supposed to be spectacular together and…well something happened that I don’t really want to get into. I figured you and I could have a better chance at a relationship now, instead of whatever miserable reality I would be living in where I wasn’t able to get it right the first time."

“Greg, this is really freaking me out, okay? I… I have to go find Jody.” Sara pushed her way through the crowd, but quickly heard Greg calling her name over the sound of the music. He followed her outside, but didn’t chase her down the stairs from the deck to the lower level. At the hot tub Joe had his arm around Jody, and about 8 other people were all drinking and laughing together. 

“Jody, I need to go home. I don’t really want to be here anymore.” Sara folded her arms and shivered at the thought of what Greg said. 

“Saraaaa, I told you to loosen up. I know you like Greg, can’t you just…?” Jody slurred her words and slowly looked at Sara with droopy eyes, then moved her gaze above Sara to the deck where Greg was standing.

“Greg! Come join us. Sara was just looking for you.” She laughed and fell back into Joe’s arms. 

“Forget this, I know I say I’ll never use it for this kind of thing, but I’ve had enough.” Sara pulled out her device and put in a request to Jody for never agreeing to come to the party, but instead of a whoosh, it made a different sound. An error sound. 

She looked up at Greg in horror, then back down at the screen. The same screen flashing a warning to her. 

“This request results in your death, are you sure you’d like to proceed?” 

Greg smiled from above, only the wooden staircase separating them. He never took his eyes off Sara, just slowly tapped on his screen and swiped up to send the request. Sara expected to get a ping on hers, but it was Joe’s who’s dinged with a notification instead.

“Aw c'mon, Sara! You gotta quit doing this! I’m tired of all these overlapping memories of the last few hours. Alright Greg, let’s do it again.” He sounded annoyed when he clicked accept on his screen.

“Oh, hey Greg. I didn't see you come outside.” Sara said sheepishly and looked down at the red punch drink he extended. “I’m only drinking water tonight.”

“Not even one drink? I heard punch was your favorite.” He winked at her while wearing a cunning smile.

“I guess…just one won’t hurt, right?” Sara put the drink to her lips.

“Exactly, and hey listen. I see now how cheap it was for me to send you that request about prom, could we try and see how things go now? Instead of how they might’ve gone?”

Sara blushed and relaxed a bit into her posture. “I think I might like that idea.”