"Alright, if you're really Chad, prove it. Tell me something only he would know."
He wracked his brain, trying to think of something specific enough to convince her. Finally, he typed:
"Remember that time in grad school when we got locked out of our apartment building and had to scale the fire escape in our pajamas? And how Mrs. Grunwald from 3B threatened to call the cops because she thought we were burglars?"
There was a long pause before her reply came through:
"Holy shit. Itisyou.”
He stared at the screen, his heart pounding. She believed him. This was actually happening.
"Okay, Mad-hatterson, you've got my attention," Brianna's message continued. "But I still don't understand how this is possible. Are you sure you're not having some kind of mental breakdown?"
Chad chuckled nervously. "Trust me, I've considered that possibility. But this feels too real. Tell me something about the future, Bri. Anything."
There was a long pause before her reply came through:
"I don't know if I should. What if I tell you something and it changes everything? Haven't you seen Back to the Future?"
He rolled his eyes. "Come on, Bri. Just one little thing. It doesn't have to be earth-shattering."
Another pause, then: "Fine. But don't blame me if the space-time continuum unravels. In 2029, they finally perfected birth control. It's 100% effective and doesn’t require surgery or abstinence. Happy now?"
He sat back, digesting this information. It wasn't exactly world-changing, but it was something that would solve a lot of problems. "Thanks, Bri. That's pretty cool—especially for guyslike me who do want sex, but don’t want kids. Any other technological breakthroughs I should know about?"
"I'm not your personal crystal ball. Besides, don't you have papers to grade or something?"
He glanced guiltily at the stack of essays on his desk. "How did you know?"
"Because you told me about your hangover after getting some shocking news three years ago. Some things never change, even in the future."
He laughed, feeling a strange mix of comfort and unease at her words. "So, about that funeral..."
"Nope. Not going there. You'll find out when you're supposed to. Now, I really do have to go. Planning a funeral is time-consuming, even in 2029. Take care, Chad. And maybe ease up on the late nights and whiskey, huh?"
He stared at the screen, a lump forming in his throat. How did she know about last night? Before he could respond, another message popped up:
"Oh, and Chad? When the time comes, don't forget to say yes. Trust me on this one."
With that cryptic message, the connection seemed to break. He furiously typed replies, but they all bounced back. Whatever window had opened between their times had closed.
He leaned back in his chair, his mind reeling.What did she mean by 'say yes'? Yes, to what?
A knock at his office door jolted him back to the present. "Come in," he called, quickly minimizing his email window.
The door creaked open, and in walked Dr. Eliza Thornton, head of the English department. Her silver hair was pulled back in its usual severe bun, and her piercing blue eyes fixed on him with an intensity that always made him feel like an unprepared undergrad.
"Chad," she said, her voice clipped. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything important."
He glanced at his computer screen, now showing a half-filled-out spreadsheet of essay grades. "No, not at all. What can I do for you, Dr. Thornton?"
She stepped further into his office, her eyes scanning the cluttered space. "I have a proposition for you. One that could significantly impact your career."
His heart rate picked up. Was this what Brianna had been referring to? The thing he was supposed to say 'yes' to?
"I'm listening," he said, trying to keep his voice steady.
Dr. Thornton cleared her throat. "As you know, Professor Emerson is retiring at the end of this semester. We've been searching for someone to take over his advanced creative writing seminar."
