As the city's lights began to dim and the moon hung low in the night sky, I found myself perched on the edge of my cluttered apartment bed, lost in thought. My fingers traced the faint bumps on my forearm, the only reminder of an eventful day that seemed to blur the line between reality and fantasy.
"Just a spider bite," I muttered to myself, my voice tinged with incredulity. "That's all it was supposed to be."
But the last month had been anything but ordinary.
The day unfolded in its usual rhythm, with the chime of the alarm clock pulling Aiden from his slumber at precisely 6:31 AM. Blinking sleep from his eyes, he disentangled himself from the bedsheets and stumbled out of bed, his room a patchwork of shadows and scattered belongings. Clad in mismatched attire he found strewn across the floor, he yawned as he embarked on his morning routine.
The bathroom mirror reflected his drowsy gaze as he absently brushed his teeth and splashed water on his face.
As Aiden stood before the bathroom mirror, drowsiness still clinging to his features, he methodically brushed his teeth. The rhythmic swish of the toothbrush against his teeth echoed in the quiet room, a solitary soundtrack to the start of his day. His eyes, still half-lidded, met his reflection, hazel irises holding a hint of weariness.
He remembered him waking up in a new body after dying, though now he doesn't remember much of anything about his past life except a few spare comics and designs that stuck out to him as a kid. Though none of that matters now, he was now Aiden Mitchell a New Yorker in a world similar to his old one. Some brands were different but nothing he could notice was out of the ordinary. As it should be.
A yawn tugged at the corners of his mouth as he leaned over the sink, foam forming at the corners of his lips. He worked the toothbrush with a sense of practiced routine, the bristles moving in tandem with his half-awake thoughts. The mirror's misty surface cleared gradually as he rinsed his mouth, the cold water jolting him awake.
His wavy chestnut hair fell slightly disheveled over his forehead, as if mirroring the organized chaos of his room. As the drowsiness slowly receded, his hazel eyes gained a flicker of alertness.
As the minutes ticked away, the realization hit him that it was already 6:40 AM. Panic surged through his veins, propelling him to inhale his breakfast – a hasty affair consisting of leftovers his father had managed to leave before heading off to his dual full-time jobs.
His father, a steadfast pillar of support despite the void left by Aiden's mother's passing a decade ago, had raised him single-handedly. The early mornings, the back-to-back shifts, it was all a testament to the sacrifices made for their modest but stable life.
With an unceremonious scramble, Aiden shoved his feet into his sneakers and took the stairs two at a time, his backpack bouncing on his shoulders as he descended from their apartment. Time was of the essence, the school bus was scheduled to arrive at 6:50 AM, and he was determined not to miss it.
As he bolted out of his apartment door, he turned a corner and collided with Lila Brooks, his childhood friend. The sudden impact sent a jolt through both of them, and it was only a last-minute sidestep that prevented him from bowling her over entirely.
"Whoa, Aiden! Slow down there, Speed Racer!" Lila exclaimed, her voice a mix of surprise and amusement. She steadied herself, her books clutched tightly to her chest. "You're in a real hurry today, huh? I mean, I know you're not a morning person, but you almost turned me into a pancake back there. And I haven't even had breakfast yet!"
Amidst the fleeting chaos of their encounter, Lila's lighthearted teasing provided a momentary respite, a reminder of the bond they shared since childhood. As they exchanged grins, the school bus's approach became evident, the roaring engine a call to action that had Aiden once again picking up his pace.
With a shared chuckle and a hasty goodbye, Aiden and Lila parted ways, both now acutely aware of the ticking clock. As if propelled by an invisible force, they sprinted side by side towards the building's entrance, their footsteps echoing in the corridor. The heavy metal doors came into view, and they pushed their way through, emerging onto the sidewalk just as the school bus rumbled to a halt, its doors hissing open.
Ethan glanced at Lila, a grin tugging at his lips. "We made it, Lila! Just in the nick of time."
Lila's eyes danced with mirth, her expression a mixture of relief and exhilaration. "Not bad for a pair of non-morning people, huh?"
The two friends climbed aboard the bus, the vehicle quickly filling with the buzz of conversations and the shuffle of students settling into their seats. Aiden and Lila found a pair of adjacent seats near the front, slipping into them with a mixture of excitement and familiarity. As the bus pulled away from the curb, Aiden leaned back against the seat, feeling the thrum of the engine beneath him.
Lila, in the seat next to him, turned to him with a playful smile. "First day of Midtown High, Aiden. Ready for the adventure?"
Aiden's grin widened, and he nodded. "Definitely. New school, new opportunities."
As the cityscape rushed by outside the window, Aiden's thoughts were a whirlwind of anticipation and curiosity. The bustling corridors, the unknown faces, and the promise of a fresh start at Midtown High beckoned to him. With Lila by his side, he felt a surge of confidence – a belief that whatever challenges or adventures awaited them, they were ready to face them together.
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