Three years had passed, and Dalton had mostly moved on.
Middle school, the people he used to know—those memories were distant. He hadn't thought about Vanessa much since then, if at all. She had just been another face in the crowd, someone he noticed once and then forgot as high school took over. Other things became more important.
Dalton had grown taller, now standing at 5'10", and his wiry frame hadn't filled out much despite working out. His brown hair was longer, often falling into his hazel eyes, but he still kept his head down, just like before.
His red hoodie was packed away, replaced by a grey knitted shirt with a small blue bird stitched on the right pec and a blue-lined hood. The change of clothes reflected how he was trying to be different, but a lot of the old Dalton still lingered.
High school had given him a few new experiences.
Dalton had tried to fit in with sports teams—first basketball, then running. Basketball didn't work out, but running became part of his routine. It helped clear his head. It was an escape, something he could count on when everything else felt too loud.
Then there was Vanessa, a brief part of his freshman year. They had bonded over books and art, spending a few weeks talking after school. She was different from the others, and Dalton liked that. But, like everything else, it didn't last. They drifted apart quietly, and he moved on.
Now, in his sophomore year, he had settled into his place in high school.
He wasn't part of any crowds, but he had learned how to blend in. He did well enough in his classes, and he knew how to keep his head down. But one class was different: Earth/Space Science.
***
The first day of Earth/Space Science arrived quickly.
Dalton walked into the classroom early, wearing his grey knitted shirt. The room was bigger than he expected, with desks arranged neatly, and he found a seat toward the middle of the room, hoping to stay out of sight but not be completely invisible.
At the front of the room stood Mr. Tamm, a skinny man with long, wavy hair that he sometimes tied into a ponytail. He wore thin-framed rectangular glasses, and his smile was genuine, friendly. He had an energy that Dalton immediately respected. Mr. Tamm was the type of teacher who clearly cared about what he taught, and he had a way of making even the dullest subjects seem interesting.
Dalton admired that.
Mr. Tamm wasn't strict, but he had a way of keeping the class engaged. His voice was always calm, and he never got frustrated, even when the students weren't paying attention. Most of them didn't care, but Dalton did. He liked that Mr. Tamm always gave his best effort, no matter how the class responded.
As the bell rang and the students filed in, Dalton's attention drifted.
And then he saw her.
Vanessa.
It had been years since Dalton had last seen her, and in truth, he had almost forgotten she existed. But there she was, her straight brown hair just as he remembered, her pale skin glowing under the fluorescent lights. She had the same quiet presence, though something about her seemed more confident. She walked in and sat near the back, and it hit Dalton harder than he expected.
Something stirred inside him, something he thought he had long since buried.
His heart skipped, and he quickly looked away, pretending to be interested in his notebook. But the memory of her from middle school came rushing back. She was different now, but still... her.
He stole another glance. She was taking notes, but every few moments, her hand would drift to the edge of the paper, sketching little drawings in the margins. She was still drawing, still lost in her own world. That memory of her sketching in middle school seemed so distant, but seeing her now brought it all back, sharper than before.
Does she remember me?
Dalton scoffed at the thought. No way. He had barely talked to anyone in middle school, let alone her. There was no reason she would remember him now. It was just coincidence, nothing more.
Mr. Tamm's excited voice broke his thoughts.
"Alright, class, welcome to Earth/Space Science! I'm Mr. Tamm, and I'll be your guide through the mysteries of our planet and beyond."
Dalton smiled faintly as Mr. Tamm launched into his usual friendly, enthusiastic introduction. He was genuinely excited about what he taught, and that made the class more bearable than most.
***
Weeks passed, and Dalton settled into a routine.
He did well in class, pushing himself to stay on top of things. Mr. Tamm's enthusiasm made it easier to care, and Dalton found himself making more of an effort than usual. But there was always a distraction—Vanessa. She was always there, sitting quietly at the back, sketching in her notebook between taking notes during Mr. Tamm's lectures.
Dalton stole glances at her, unsure of what he was feeling. She didn't seem to notice him, and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. He told himself he didn't care, but the truth was, he found himself wanting just one chance to talk to her.
But life got in the way.
Things at home were a mess again. His parents' arguments had gotten worse, and his mom had started blaming him for everything. It was hard to focus on school when everything else was falling apart. He missed a full week of class, too worn down by the chaos at home to even think about school.
When he finally returned, it was almost like starting over.
He showed up early, hoping to catch up on the assignments he had missed. Mr. Tamm greeted him with his usual bright smile.
"Dalton! Glad to have you back!" Mr. Tamm said, handing over a stack of missed work. "You've missed a lot, but don't worry, I've kept everything for you."
Dalton nodded, thankful for Mr. Tamm's patience. But as he glanced around the room, he noticed something unsettling—his old seat had been taken.
His heart sank for a moment. There were plenty of open seats, but something drew his eyes toward the back, where Vanessa sat. The seat beside her was empty.
This was his chance.
With a deep breath, Dalton walked past the other available seats, his legs feeling heavier with each step. When he reached her desk, he stopped, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Hey..." he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "Is this seat... taken?"