GROUNDHOG DAY mixed with SIXTEEN CANDLES and a splash of DOCTOR WHO. A boy forever reincarnated as himself meets his soulmate for the 200th time, but can she solve the puzzle and break the curse to make herself his last?
*****
Martha Beckett's life...
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November 27, 1994
Martha set the microwave for three minutes and five seconds – the optimal time for popcorn. She wasn't sure if James liked butter or salt so she had pulled from her father's stock of plain. James had been in the western part of the state visiting family for Thanksgiving and was coming over to watch "Evil Dead 2" with her. He said he hadn't seen it, which to Martha, was a crime against cinematic taste.
They hadn't met outside of school since their football/sushi date/non-date. They had chemistry class each day, to which Martha clung, but because of the holiday, she had not seen him for an unbearable five full days.
He was on her mind whenever it wasn't immediately engaged. She had even caught herself daydreaming about her name if they were to ever get married. I'd probably have to keep mine or at the very least hyphen it so I wouldn't have to constantly explain, 'No, I'm not Martha Quinn the VJ.' It was a silly, juvenile thought, but instead of shaming herself for the optimism as was her habit, she allowed herself to indulge in the fantasy. She had given up on caution, reasonable expectations, and self-defeat. Plain and simple, she wanted to be James' girlfriend.
The microwave beeped and Martha opened its door. The doorbell rang and she left the popcorn.
She turned the deadbolt, pulled open the front door and there he was.
"Hey there," James said.
"No need to waste your time, good sir, for I have accepted the Lord as my savior. Though my neighbors are true heathens. I heard they even watch Murphy Brown."
"Just came from there... Exorcism went great. A little more vomit than I'd prefer, but otherwise fantastic."
She marveled at his quickness and motioned him inside. They walked to the kitchen. "I made some popcorn. Do you like anything on it?" She took the bag out of the microwave and poured it into an extra large bowl. "I wasn't sure so I made it plain, but I can add stuff if you want."
"Your call," James said.
She grabbed the salt from the back of the stove and shook it liberally over the bowl.
"But before we start the movie," he continued, "I have a confession."
"Okay." The statement caught her off guard. Like, 'I love you and want to live out the rest of my days with you' confession? Or 'Don't get any ideas, I could never be attracted to you because you're a troll' confession? Martha also acknowledged to herself that it might fall somewhere between these two extremes.
"I... have already seen 'Evil Dead 2.'" James said sheepishly.
