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

What does this girl think of herself!? Is she even from the future!? No, she is definitely from the future, but why! Why is she trying to make the same mistake!? Did she not care about her friends anymore!? My mind was ready to explode, anger taking over my entire body. I was beyond pissed. Never had I been this mad before. I ran, my eyes darker than the depths of hell, my heart racing at the speed of a bullet train. Furious and outraged, I reached the house, still unsure whether it belonged to Amaya or Seth.

*Ding-dong*

I rang the bell and waited for someone to open. The day after tomorrow is when our final exam starts. I thought everything would be okay now. It's okay if I can't be with her, I'll learn to live alone as long as she lives happily with her friends. She is from the future too, she knows what'll happen, where it'll happen, how it'll happen, she knows everything… is what I kept on thinking these few weeks. But no, she is actually trying to repeat the same mistake that made our lives miserable. Why!?

*Ding-dong*

*Ding-dong*

I anxiously rang the bell, my knuckles turning white from the force of my grip. My face was contorted in a mask of anger and frustration, my eyebrows furrowed and my lips pressed into a thin line. Since she knows it all happened at Aqua City, at L.R University, then why the heck did she decide to study at the same university again!? Is she out of her freaking mind!?

*Ding-dong*

*Clank–*

"Seth–" My voice trailed off seeing Amaya in her white shirt, her eyes looking like she just woke up from her evening nap. I clenched my fist, anger rising up like a tidal wave, threatening to consume me. I pushed her inside and slammed the door behind me, the force of my anger reverberating through the room like a thunderclap.

"What the-!? Zeya?" She blinked her eyes, confused and speechless seeing me here. Glaring at her, my pupils dilated like those of a predator, my voice as cold as ice, I grabbed her collar, my hands trembling with barely contained rage. "How could you think of making the same mistake again, Amaya?!?!?" I screamed, my voice laced with venom. She wrinkled her eyebrows, the corner of her lips slightly upwards in confusion, as if she couldn't understand the depth of my anger. "What?"

My whole body trembled seeing her act all clueless. I gritted my teeth, my gaze blazing with fire, tightening the grip of her collar with all the strength I could muster, and threw her to the ground. She landed with a thud, her eyes widening in shock, her lips slightly parted, her eyes blinking rapidly. "Have you gone mad–"

"Are you trying to commit a suicidal pact with your friends?!?!?!" I screamed, cutting her off in mid-sentence. My breathing was ragged, my hands and shoulders trembling, tears streaming down my cheeks. This is why I hated it. Every single time I tried to act tough, my eyes betrayed me. She sat on the ground, staring at me as if I had finally lost my mind.

Few days ago

"Man, it felt like it was just yesterday that Sofy and Elli used to cry with snots when their mom left them at school."

*Cough– cough–*

Sophia and Elli coughed and spluttered, their juice spraying out of their mouths like a pair of malfunctioning water pistols. They stared at Amaya, their faces a mixture of shock and embarrassment. Seth, Fred, Somiya, and Demi erupted into laughter, their voices echoing through the library while I sat between Seth and Demi, staring at a book in front of me.

"What did you say!?" Sophia gritted her teeth, her nostrils flaring like an angry dragon.

"C'mon, Ama, they didn't snots that much—as much as they pissed in their pants!" Fred wrapped his arm around Amaya's shoulders, both of them laughing so hard that they were practically wheezing. "Remember that time when Elli wet herself on the playground because she was too scared to ask the teacher to go to the bathroom? Oh man, that was priceless!"

Elli's smirk widened as she delivered her playful jab, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "I remember someone crying over a girl when they weren't even ten years old. Must have been a true love, huh, Fred?"

Fred's face turned a deep shade of crimson, and he clenched his jaw so tightly that his teeth creaked. He could hear Seth's laughter echoing through the library, a sound that especially made his blood boil.

"I remember someone proposing to our junior high school English teacher too in fourth grade," Fred revealed. "I guess you had a thing for older women even back then, huh, Seth?"

Everyone's gazes turned towards Seth, whose face flushed a deep crimson. Sophia's voice dripped with mock sympathy as she exclaimed, "Oh, the audacity of him! To propose to kindergarten ma'am immediately after getting rejected by an English teacher."

The group's laughter roared through the library, shaking its foundations. Seth's gaze softened as he looked at Sophia, his eyes mesmerizing.

"Sofy," he said, his voice soft and sincere. He took Sophia's hand and continued, "I know I've been joking around a lot, but you know even when girls accepted me, I never stayed in a serious relationship."

A hush fell over the group as everyone turned to look at Seth and Sophia. "And that's because..." Seth paused, his eyes locking with Sophia's. "I love you." Sophia's laughter faded, replaced by a look of surprise and uncertainty after Seth's confession.

"You're kidding, right?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. She gulped, her throat dry as sandpaper.

A pure, bright smile appeared on Seth's face, his eyes earnestly looking at Sophia, making her heart race like a drumbeat in her chest. He revealed, "Sofy, I'd rather die single... than make you my girlfriend."

Sophia was frozen on the spot, her eyes slowly turning darker than the devil's heart, a storm brewing behind them. She whispered, "Ohh..." We all gulped when she twisted Seth's hand, his cries of pain echoing through the room.

"But it was nice when we were kids. I really don't want to leave the school now that graduation day is drawing closer." Demi whispered, her voice soft as a summer breeze. She played with her pen, its smooth surface providing a small comfort in her anxious hands.

Everyone sighed, the sound filling the room like a gentle breeze. They leaned back in their chairs, their bodies heavy with the weight of impending change. All eyes turned towards the ceiling, except for Amaya's. Her gaze drifted towards me, then out the window, where a group of students laughed and chatted, their voices carried on the warm spring air.

"Right," Somiya agreed, a wistful smile playing on her lips. "Though I hated coming to school when I was younger, now that I think about the time we've spent together, I really don't want it to end."

I glanced at Amaya. She licked her lips and bit down on them, her eyes welling up with tears. She was trying so hard to hold back her emotions, but her lips trembled and her hands shook. Her gaze was wistful, filled with a longing for the past and a fear of the future.

"But when I think about the future, I can't help but feel a thrill of excitement coursing through my veins," Sophia shivered with excitement, her eyes sparkled, and her smile illuminated her face. "We'll be university students soon, chasing our dreams while earning money ourselves! I'll throw a party with my first salary, and we'll dance all night long!" Her lips stretched into a wide smile, and her cheeks dimpled, a soft laugh escaped from her mouth. "Then I'll be traveling the world, my dance moves captivating audiences in every corner of the globe. I'll win every competition, and be the world's greatest dancer ever! My friends will always be there, in the VVIP seat especially reserved just for them, their cheers echoing through the venue, their faces radiant with pride. And my family will be watching me on TV, their hearts filled with joy and love. Isn't it much more thrilling when you think of dominating the world with your dreams!?"

Amaya's eyes welled up with tears, and they streamed down her face. Her hands flew to her mouth, and she pressed her lips together tightly to stifle her sobs. She quickly brushed away her tears with her fingertips, and then she tossed her hair over her face, hiding her expression. She turned her head towards the window, and her eyes stared blankly at the passing scenery. Her expression was carefully constructed to give the impression that she was lost in thought, but her trembling hands and the slight quiver breathing betrayed her true emotions.

"Yeah! And I'll be winning all the basketball tournaments! From the local rec league to the national championship, and then the Olympics! I'll be the best player in the world, leading my team to victory after victory. When I hold that Olympic gold medal in my hands, you all will be there, cheering louder than anyone! My mom and dad will be beaming with pride, their eyes filled with tears of joy." Elli's eyes sparkled with determination, and her voice was filled with passion and unwavering belief. It ached my heart to see her so full of hope and dreams.

The warm and cozy atmosphere created by Sophia and Elli was shattered like a delicate glass vase by the sudden intrusion of Fred and Seth's evil laughter. Their voices cut through the air like a knife, sending shivers down the spines of ours.

"We'll create a YouTube channel dedicated to these two, Elli and Sofy most cringe-worthy moments!" Fred exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with the brilliance of a mischievous plan. "We'll call it 'The Hall of Shame: Celebrity Edition'!"

Seth's laughter erupted, a high-pitched cackle that could have shattered glass. "We'll be swimming in cash in no time!" he declared, his voice dripping with the confidence of a devil.

"We'll have millions of subscribers!" Fred boasted. "These two will be begging us to take down the videos, but we'll even hold them hostage for even more money!" They grinned, drooling like a money hungry beast. "We'll be a billionaire!"

Amaya stood up abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor with a screech that echoed through the library. "Daniel Sir called me," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath.

Her words hung in the air like a thunderclap, silencing the bickering voices of her friends. Everyone stared at her back as she walked away, her footsteps echoing through the empty space. We saw her walking towards the reception. Was she really called or was it a lie to hide her emotions from her friends?

"Here, fill up the form. I need it by tomorrow." Daniel Sir said, handing a form to Amaya. Her hands trembled slightly as she took it. "Thank you..." Amaya whispered with a heavy sigh.

"Are you sure?" Daniel Sir asked, his voice laced with uncertainty.

Amaya chuckled, her eyes lowered a little. "More than ever..."

Amaya nodded her head and walked outside of the reception, her gaze still on the form in her hand.

The paper was crisp and white, the ink still wet from the printer. Amaya could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she read the words on the page.

L.R University; Recommendation Letter

Amaya's fingers traced the words, her mind racing.

"Amaya?"

Hearing her name, she looked up from the paper and saw Zeya's mom standing in front of her. Her eyes warmed at her sight, a radiant smile on her face. "Aunty!" She called cheerfully.