As the sun began to set, casting a warm golden light across the academy grounds, Sara paced back and forth in the courtyard. She had asked Sam to meet her here, and now that the moment was approaching, she found herself more nervous than she expected.
She wasn't entirely sure why she felt this way. Maybe it was the uncertainty of their conversation, or perhaps it was the nagging worry that things might change between them. But she knew she had to talk to him—she needed answers.
Sam arrived a few minutes later, his usual calm demeanor in place. He offered Sara a small smile as he approached, but there was a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "You wanted to talk?"
Sara nodded, trying to steady her nerves. "Yeah… I just wanted to clear the air about something."
Sam leaned against the nearby tree, crossing his arms as he gave her his full attention. "What's on your mind?"
She took a deep breath, then decided to just come out with it. "It's about Raven. I… I noticed you two seem close, and I guess I just wanted to know what's going on between you two."
Sam raised an eyebrow, surprised by the directness of the question. He hadn't expected Sara to bring this up, especially now. "Raven and I… we have a history. We met a few years ago, and I helped her out of a tough situation. Since then, we've kept in touch, but nothing more than that."
Sara studied his face, searching for any sign of something deeper, but she found only honesty in his eyes. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to it. "So, you're just friends?"
Sam nodded, his expression sincere. "That's right. Raven's important to me, but not in the way you might think."
Sara felt a wave of relief wash over her, though she wasn't sure why she had been so worried in the first place. "I'm glad to hear that. I just… I didn't want anything to come between our team, especially not now."
Sam smiled, understanding her concerns. "Nothing's going to come between us, Sara. We're a team, and I'm not going to let anything get in the way of that."
There was a brief silence between them, a comfortable pause that allowed Sara to collect her thoughts. But then, she decided to ask something that had been lingering in the back of her mind for a while. "Sam, have you ever felt like… like you've lived a different life before this one?"
Sam's expression didn't change, but inside, his mind was racing. Sara's words struck a chord with him—something he hadn't expected. He had his own secrets, but now it seemed like Sara might have hers too.
"What do you mean?" Sam asked, keeping his voice neutral.
Sara hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "I just… sometimes I feel like I remember things that haven't happened in this life. Like memories from another time, another place. It's hard to explain."
Sam listened intently, piecing together what she was saying. He realized that she might be hinting at her own reincarnation, just as he had experienced. But he knew better than to reveal his own knowledge just yet. There was too much at stake, and he didn't want to risk upsetting the delicate balance of their team before the tournament.
"That sounds… intense," Sam said, keeping his tone gentle. "But maybe those memories are just part of who you are now, helping you become the person you're meant to be."
Sara looked at him, a mix of gratitude and curiosity in her eyes. "You think so?"
"I do," Sam replied, smiling. "And whatever those memories are, they don't change who you are now. You're still Sara, and you're still one of the strongest people I know."
Sara felt a warmth spread through her chest at his words. She had been nervous about sharing even a hint of her past life, but Sam's response reassured her that she wasn't alone in her experiences, even if he didn't fully understand.
"Thanks, Sam," Sara said, her voice soft. "That means a lot."
The tension she had been holding onto suddenly faded, and before she could think twice, she stepped forward and hugged Sam tightly.
Sam was surprised at first, his body stiffening at the unexpected embrace. But then he relaxed, gently hugging her back. The gesture was simple but meaningful, conveying relief and a deeper connection that neither of them could easily define.
When they pulled back, Sara's cheeks were slightly flushed. She looked up at Sam with a playful smile. "You know, I'm allowed to do this too. You hugged Raven, so why can't I?"
Sam blinked, taken aback, but then he chuckled. "You're right. I guess I can't argue with that."
As they shared a light moment, something in the distance caught Sam's eye.
As Sam and Sara shared a quiet laugh, they didn't notice that Masha and Alan were watching from a distance, having stumbled upon the scene by chance. Masha's eyes widened in surprise, a teasing grin quickly spreading across her face.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" Masha whispered to Alan, nudging him with her elbow.
Alan, who was usually calm and collected, raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. Instead, he watched the two with a thoughtful expression, noting the ease and comfort between them.
"They seem close," he finally said, his tone neutral.
Masha nodded, her grin still in place. "Looks like someone is getting jealous, though," she added, her eyes flicking back to Sara, who was now standing a little too close to Sam.
Back in the courtyard, Sara was feeling much better after her conversation with Sam. The uncertainty she had been carrying about Raven was now gone, and she felt more at ease around him.
She took a deep breath, deciding to let her guard down a little more. "You know, Sam, it's nice to have someone to talk to about all this. I've… been carrying a lot more than you might think."
Sam looked at her, curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?"
Sara hesitated, the words on the tip of her tongue. But she caught herself, remembering the tournament and everything at stake. Revealing too much now could complicate things. Instead, she simply smiled, a bit forced this time.
"Just… a lot of things. But I'm glad we talked," she said, not wanting to burden him with her past just yet.
Sam, sensing that there was more she wasn't saying, decided not to press further. He simply nodded, offering her a reassuring smile. "I'm glad too, Sara."
As they turned to head back, they were oblivious to the two pairs of eyes still watching them from a distance. Masha, unable to contain her amusement, stifled a giggle.
"This is going to get interesting," she said, a mischievous glint in her eye.
Alan, ever the observant one, simply shrugged. "Let's see how it plays out."
With that, they turned away, leaving Sam and Sara to their own thoughts as they made their way back to the academy, unaware of the small ripple their interaction had just caused.