Time's Cruel Twist: A Second Chance Amidst the Ruins

Staying up late at night, it tore me up but still I remembered everything that happened in my previous life. Given a chance to right the wrong from heaven above, I would use it as a healing dew for our life. This time, to heal us, for a better future for our life, we shall never cross a path, Amaya.

"Zeya! Aren't you late!?" My mom's voice echoed from downstairs. My mom, my friends, my freedom, my happiness—I had left everything behind for you, but in the end, I had found no happiness except in my own misery. Wearing my high school dress, I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. I remembered all too well the day our paths had first crossed.

"Mom, I'm leaving! I'll be back after school!" Today, I would sever all the connections that had brought us together. Amaya, my love for you remains unyielding, but staying apart will be the best for both of us.

"Boom!"

"AHH!" I jumped, startled. I had been so lost in thought that I hadn't noticed my friend Demi standing behind me. After a hysterical laugh, she hugged me while I rolled my eyes. "What were you thinking so deeply about?" she asked, her voice a mixture of laughter and tears.

"Nothing." I had lost her in my previous life, too. She had tried to warn me, and had begged me not to move away with Amaya. But I had refused to listen, and in the end, we had fought and I had cut her out of my life. I had cut off everyone who had dared to speak ill of Amaya. Now, looking back, I realised what a foolish girl I had been.

"Hey, did you hear? Our high school won the dance competition and basketball competition too!" Demi jumped in front of me excitedly.

"I know." I said nonchalantly. Suddenly, tears welled up in my eyes. Amaya's words echoed in my mind.

If only I hadn't met you that day…

She had regretted every second of her life since meeting me. Basketball player Elli, one of her closest friends, would end up losing one of her hands during the second year of university in a basketball tournament, leading her to never play basketball again. Her friend, Sophia, who had won the dance competition yesterday, would die in the future too. During the third year of university, in a national dance competition, Sophia will die in an earthquake. It was one of the main reasons that had affected Amaya and my relationship so deeply.

I quickly wiped away my tears before Demi could notice. I couldn't let her see me like this.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I lied, my voice trembling slightly. "Just some dust went into my eyes."

Demi's smile faded as she reached out to touch my face. "Really? Let me see."

I shook my head, my heart pounding in my chest. "It got out." But I couldn't shake the feeling of dread that gnawed at my soul. I had seen what the future held, and it terrified me. I had seen the demise of Amaya and my relationship, burning out slowly like a candle in the wind.

*Ting*

The school bell rang, its shrill tone echoing through the halls. It was assembly time. I took a deep breath to calm my racing heart. She'll be there.

I had never noticed her until we bumped into each other, but it didn't mean she had never been near me. We had always been walking together, but our paths had never crossed until I collided with Sophia. Now, to avoid crossing paths with her, I would have to avoid Sophia at all costs.

"Zeya!!" This was the second time I had been startled today. "Demi!!" Somiya screamed, kicking her in the butt and sending her crashing to the ground. As I dodged her kick, I landed a solid punch in her back, knocking her over and onto Demi, who promptly strangled her neck with her leg for the kick. Last time, I had fallen so hard I was afraid I had broken my tailbone. This time, I was fully prepared!

"Sorry! Sorry, sorry! I give up!" Somiya tried to free herself from Demi's iron grip. "Sorry my ass! I'm going to kill you today!" As they got busy with their fight, I bowed to our class teacher and made my way outside, leaving them alone to face detention.

"Sofy and Seth will be late for assembly."

*Badum*

It's her. It's her voice. "Ama..ya.." It's definitely Amaya. My heart thumping against my ribs, eyes dilated, hands trembling, I gulped when I saw her, a young Amaya standing in front of my eyes, in front of the next class's door. Her eyes, as clear as a mountain stream, were fixed upon her friend, Fred. Her roseate lips, like delicate petals, moved from time to time as she spoke. Her raven hair cascaded down her shoulders like a silken waterfall, shimmering with an otherworldly lustre. Dressed in an oversized red t-shirt and loose-fitting trousers, I could not help but wonder if she had inadvertently mistaken today's date as Tuesday or Friday.

A pang of jealousy flooded over me when I saw her eyes light up talking with her friends. Always so distant and cold, how I wished for those eyes to shine once for me too. I felt warm tears roll down my cheeks as my lips trembled on the sight of her. An urge to hug her, touch her build up on my heart.. Still I turned around when Fred looked at me. I felt my heart being ripped apart by someone, making it hard to breathe like a fish out of water, gasping for air in a world I was never meant to be in. The pain is unbearable, suffocating me. I can't... I can't handle this heartache. I can't breathe…

"Ama, do you know that girl?" Fred asked, spotting a girl running away after staring at Amaya with tears streaming down her face. Amaya wrinkled her forehead in confusion as she glanced in the direction Fred was looking. "Unfortunately, I don't have the ability to see ghosts like you do." Amaya shrugged off.

Amaya couldn't help but smile seeing Fred's dead eyes. "Well, that looks bad," she said, turning and running as fast as she could. "I'll kill you today and talk to your ghost instead!" Fred shouted from the top of his lungs, chasing after Amaya who ran away while laughing hysterically.

Demi and Somiya, stood on her class line and waited for Zeya to come. "Where did she go?" Demi asked, her voice impatient. "She never missed assembly." Somiya whispered, looking at her watch.