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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May 27, 1995
"She seemed quite intelligent herself. It was a very nice speech," Martha's father said as they walked down the residential street. "But finishing as the salutatorian is a... considerable accomplishment. He should be proud."
"I'm sure he is," Martha said. They'd just attended James' graduation ceremony and were now making their way to his house for a party to celebrate. As far as she was concerned, his academic achievements were about as meaningful as a preschool graduation – the boy with umpteen doctorate degrees learned his colors, yay!! But she followed James' lead. This was important to other people and he and Martha should respect that.
"I wonder how it happened," Steven said.
"How what happened?"
"What kept him from finishing as valedictorian? Which subject tripped him up?"
"Dad."
"...or maybe it was a spiteful teacher who gave him a bad grade because they were threatened by his intellect."
"What is the obsession?"
"I'm not obsessed. It's simply that he's the smartest, most knowledgeable young person I've ever met." He turned to Martha and smiled. "Aside from my daughter, of course."
"Of course." Martha knew the answer, in fact. James had taken a B in US History his sophomore year and another this past fall in Calculus – late in the game for dramatic effect. Theresa Ballard would hold the honor because she deserved it. She'd earned the grades 'without the answer key,' as he put it.
Martha felt a sting in the corner of her eye and wiped the sweat from her brow. The day was hot, but she didn't mind it. The humidity, however, was a phenomenon to which she had yet to acclimate.
They came to a gray ranch style house and didn't need to check the address. Cars were parked three deep in the driveway. Students and graduates mingled on the lawn and trickled in and out of the front door.
As Martha and Steven approached the house, a boy standing with a group on the driveway saw them and said, "Yo, it's Mad Martha. Whattup, Mad Martha?"
The other boys echoed the first and greeted Martha with her new moniker.
"Hey guys," she replied.
"Mad... what was that?" Steven asked.
"Long story," she said. "It's nothing."
"It doesn't sound like nothing."
"It's friendly. I promise. Like, uh... the local tribe has accepted me and given me a name."
Steven was predictably satisfied with her anthropological take and they continued to the door. In truth, calling the nickname 'friendly' was an understatement. Her demolition of Steph Jenkins at prom had become legend by the following Monday. A witness or not and no matter the grade, it seemed like every student in the school had heard the tale. Key to the frenzy was Steph's notoriety – Martha wasn't the only girl or boy she had intimidated. Now, when Martha walked down the school hallway with James, he was the afterthought.
