Teal Lockers and Water Shoes in the Hallway

Teal Lockers and Water Shoes in the Hallway

I was standing in the hallway of my old high school, but the lockers were all the wrong colors—bright teal instead of the usual gray. A bell rang, and I realized I was late for my chemistry class. I ran, but my shoes felt like I was wading through water, so I barely made it to the door. Inside, the classroom was a mix of my current office cubicle and the lab benches, and the professor was my former roommate, Alex, who was also the barista at the coffee shop downstairs. He handed me a test paper that was actually a grocery list for milk, eggs, and a birthday card for my sister. I tried to hand it back, but the paper turned into a set of keys that I couldn't find a lock for. I woke up just as the bell rang again, heart pounding, and realized I was still in my pajamas, late for my real morning meeting.