Liam stood outside the classroom, taking a deep breath before entering. He had already lived this moment a little over 8 times, but today, with his newfound powers, it felt different. He was no longer just a passive observer. Today, he could do whatever he wanted, alter the course of events, and, most importantly, understand how everything worked together in this intricate web of time.
The bell rang, signaling the start of the day. Liam stepped inside, and the familiar faces turned to greet him, some with half-hearted nods, others completely oblivious to his presence. He slid into his seat by the window, surveying the classroom. Everything was exactly the same as before—
The teacher, Mrs. Thompson, had just handed out a worksheet. "We're going to start with some review exercises, class," she said, voice heavy with the kind of tired authority that only high school teachers seemed to master. "Nothing too complicated—just to get the gears turning."
Liam sat back in his chair, letting his gaze drift over the room. The usual suspects were already scribbling answers like their lives depended on it. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself. This is too easy, he thought. I bet I could turn this into something interesting.
He glanced over at Jessica, sitting a few rows ahead. She was already scribbling answers, her brow furrowed in concentration. She wasn't part of the crowd that usually took the spotlight, but Liam knew there was more to her than the quiet, reserved persona she put on. Today, he decided, he was going to bring her out of her shell—whether she realized it or not.
As Mrs. Thompson turned her back to the class, writing something on the board, Liam leaned forward, tapping his pen against the desk in an exaggerated, rhythmic pattern. The soft tap tap tap echoed through the otherwise quiet room. Jessica glanced up, her eyes meeting his for a brief moment.
Liam raised his eyebrows in an exaggerated manner and gave her a subtle, playful nod. Jessica blinked at him, her expression confused, but there was a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. He'd gotten her attention. Now it was time to turn things up a notch.
He tapped his pen against the desk again, louder this time, and this time, he let out a deliberately loud sigh. He wasn't the kind of guy who typically drew attention to himself in class, but today he was breaking that habit. His eyes slid over to the popular kids, who were now glancing over in mild curiosity. Liam took a deep breath, then made an exaggerated display of wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Man, this is the hardest worksheet I've ever seen," he said loudly enough for the surrounding students to hear. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm totally lost here."
A few heads turned, and Liam could see a couple of the overachievers give him a puzzled look. But that was just the beginning. Jessica was watching him now, eyebrows raised. He could see the amusement flicker across her face, though she was still trying to stay focused on her work.
Liam leaned back in his chair, stretching dramatically. "I mean, seriously," he continued, "how is anyone supposed to understand this? I've read the same question three times, and I still have no idea what's going on. You guys are geniuses for figuring it out so quickly. Teach me your ways."
Jessica was trying not to laugh now. Liam could see her shoulders shaking slightly as she fought to keep it together. The other students, unsure of whether to join in or not, were starting to loosen up too. A few chuckled nervously, unsure if Liam was joking or if he had truly lost his mind.
Feeling the energy shift in the room, Liam took it further. "You know what? Forget it. I'm just gonna make up my own answers and see what happens." He pulled out his phone and pretended to look something up, tapping at the screen with exaggerated focus. The overachievers were looking at him now, their eyes narrowed in confusion, while the popular kids were starting to snicker under their breath.
Mrs. Thompson turned back to the class, spotting the distraction immediately. "Liam, is there something you'd like to share with the class?" she asked, her voice stern but laced with a hint of curiosity.
Liam grinned and raised his hand dramatically. "Yes, Mrs. Thompson, I just wanted to point out that the question on number three—completely nonsensical. I mean, who wrote this? It's like they wanted to make us question our very existence." He glanced around the room, letting the tension build, then added with a grin, "I'm just kidding. I'm sure it's perfectly clear if you have the patience of a saint and the focus of a monk."
Jessica snorted, the sound escaping before she could stop it. The laughter in the room grew, and even Mrs. Thompson cracked a smile despite herself. The classroom had come alive with an unexpected energy, and for a brief moment, the usual dread of first period evaporated into something more playful.
Liam leaned back in his chair, looking satisfied as the room slowly returned to its usual rhythm, but with a bit more lightness. Jessica shot him a look of genuine amusement. "You're ridiculous," she whispered, shaking her head.
Liam just shrugged. "Hey, life's too short to take seriously. Gotta mix things up every now and then."
And with that, the rest of the class seemed to relax a little, the tension lifting as they returned to their worksheets. Liam had done what he set out to do—not just break the monotony, but give everyone in that room a moment to laugh. Even Mrs. Thompson seemed a bit more at ease, as if the brief chaos had shaken off some of the weight she carried into the classroom every day.
As the bell rang and students began to pack up, Liam couldn't help but feel a little proud. He hadn't just passed through the first period—he'd made it something memorable. He grabbed his stuff and walked out of the classroom, he noticed Jessica's smile was a little wider than usual.
As the bell rang, Liam stood outside the classroom, taking a deep breath. His mind replayed the morning's events—how he'd sparked laughter, shifted the mood, and made that dull first period bearable for everyone, including himself. But as he lingered in the hallway, a thought hit him. What if there was an even better way to shake things up today? What if he could make Jessica laugh before class even started?
Liam walked to the bathroom, thankfully, no one was around and he focused on the moments before the first period. Instantly, Liam was back in the hallway and walked into the room, his usual cool demeanor in place. He didn't just slide into his seat like usual. Instead, he stopped for a moment, glancing around as if something had caught his attention.
Mrs. Thompson was already at her desk, flipping through papers. The usual suspects were in their seats, and the classroom hummed with the quiet buzz of students scrambling to get ready.
Liam stood tall, scanning the room with exaggerated focus, then made a dramatic show of tapping his pencil on the desk in an absurd rhythm. It was a little quieter than usual, and the soft tap tap tap reverberated around the room. His eyes flicked to Jessica, who was scribbling on her paper, and he saw her glance up, eyebrow raised.
Perfect.
This time, instead of the usual antics, Liam decided to go with something a little different. He cleared his throat loudly. "Excuse me," he called out, raising his hand like a student ready to make an announcement. "I just want to know if anyone else feels like we're in an episode of a school drama series right now."
The room froze for a moment, students looking up, a mix of confusion and curiosity in their eyes.
Liam continued, his voice now full of exaggerated concern. "I mean, look at us. We're all just waiting for the first bell to ring, like background characters in an intro scene. Is this real life? Are we in a simulation?" He glanced around at his classmates, pointing at a few of them with a wink. "You, Jessica, you've got the perfect 'serious student' vibe going. You're practically the lead in this show."
Jessica blinked at him, her brow furrowed for a moment before it cleared, and she broke into a smile. The class seemed to shift, their tension easing, some students chuckling softly at Liam's playful commentary.
He could feel the momentum building now, and this time, he didn't want to just make them laugh; he wanted to create a moment that would stand out, something better than yesterday's spontaneous humor.
He paused dramatically, then added with a grin, "And then, of course, there's Mrs. Thompson—our lovely teacher who's been cast as the wise, all-knowing mentor. Come on, you know the type—the one who gives us the 'life lessons' disguised as math problems. Who needs Netflix when we've got this class?"
Jessica's giggle was soft but genuine, and it quickly spread to a few others, including some of the more studious overachievers who couldn't help but chuckle at Liam's theatrics. The mood in the room shifted further, becoming lighter. Even Mrs. Thompson, who was standing at the front, trying not to smile, clearly struggled to keep her composure.
Liam leaned back in his chair, feeling the familiar surge of satisfaction. "Honestly," he said, looking around the room, "I'm just here for the popcorn. I want to know if this episode will end with an intense math quiz or if we get a twist ending with no homework."
Jessica was laughing now, and her eyes caught his in that brief, electric moment of connection. She shook her head, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "You're ridiculous," she said, her tone filled with amusement.
Liam shrugged nonchalantly, leaning in slightly. "Hey, life's too short to be boring. Besides, who else is going to entertain us on a Tuesday morning?"
And just like that, the class was no longer a dull, sleepy start to the day. The energy was different now—lighter, more engaged. Mrs. Thompson let out a reluctant laugh, shaking her head. "Alright, alright, Liam, enough with the dramatic monologues. Let's get back to it."
The class settled in, but there was a subtle shift in the atmosphere. Even the overachievers seemed less tense, their papers no longer scribbled in frantic haste. Jessica, too, seemed more relaxed, her smile lingering a little longer than usual.
As the bell rang to end the period, Liam packed up his things, feeling a quiet sense of accomplishment. He hadn't just survived the first period; he had redefined it. As he walked out the door, he noticed Jessica glancing at him again, her smile a little wider than it had been before.
"See you around," she said, her voice warm with the kind of genuine amusement that had been missing earlier in the week.
Liam grinned, giving her a nod. "You got it." And as he left the room, he couldn't help but feel like he'd cracked something—a way to turn even the dullest parts of the day into something memorable.