Aria was getting ready for school because she and her best friend, Ava, were going to meet at Ava's house to go to school together. Aria said goodbye to her Aunt Vivian. "Ma'am Vivian, I'm going to school now," she said as she quickly left the house. "That rude kid, I haven't even finished speaking and she's already running away," Vivian said, sounding irritated even though it was just morning.
Aria met Ava at their music club. Ava was the school's drummer, and Aria was the lead guitarist of the school band. They had been friends since they were young because of their love and passion for music. It was undeniable that they were good at what they did because they had participated in various battle of the bands and always won.
They became best friends when an unforgettable incident happened to Ava during the 4th Jam Fest: Battle of the Bands when they were in 7th grade. While they were performing, the audience suddenly panicked because someone had a heart attack in the middle of the crowd. The one who had a heart attack was none other than Ava's mother.
During those times, Aria never left Ava's side because she knew how painful it was to grow up without parents. Ava's father had also left her and went with another woman, so only her grandmother was left with her. From going to the hospital to attending Ava's mother's funeral, Aria was with her.
She knew the hardships her friend had gone through at a young age. In the days that followed, Aria became Ava's constant companion, a beacon of strength and empathy in the darkness of her grief. Through the late-night conversations and shared tears, they discovered a bond forged in the crucible of loss, a bond that transcended mere friendship. Aria and Ava were inseparable since then.
Aria arrived at her friend's house and hurriedly knocked on the door. "Ava, I'm here, hurry up! We'll be late! You know I don't like being late," she said while knocking on the door.
Ava's grandmother opened the door. "Aria, it's you. Come in. Have you eaten?" she said.
"Oh, I'm full, thank you, Grammy." Grammy was what Ava called her grandmother, and because Aria felt like a granddaughter to her too, she told her to call her Grammy as well, which Aria was happy about because she never experienced the love of a grandmother.
"She's almost done, she's just fixing her things!" Ava shouted from the room upstairs. Ava hurriedly went downstairs and greeted her friend.
"Let's go. We're leaving, Grammy. Love you, bye!" Ava said to her Grammy while fixing her hair and rushing towards Aria at the door.
With their backpacks slung over their shoulders and butterflies fluttering in their stomachs, Ava and Aria made their way out the front door. "I can't believe it, it feels like we were just juniors, and now we're seniors," Ava said with a smile. "I wonder what will happen this year?" she added. They saw their classmates from before, but there were some they didn't recognize. Maybe they were the transferees. The school still looked the same as they remembered it. Beige walls. They thought their perspective would change when they became seniors. But it was only their age that had changed, not their surroundings.
"Hopefully, this year will be peaceful. I need to study hard so I can help grammy and live a more comfortable life. I hope this year passes quickly and maybe, we don't realize that we're going to college," Ava told her while holding her bag and walking quickly. Aria didn't say anything because she knew her aunt had made her life difficult again last night. She just joined Aria in walking then looked at the sky, hoping that this day will be much better than last night.
As Aria hurried through the crowded hallway, her mind raced with numerous thoughts. Like how she will deal with her aunt later, how this day will go or things like "can't wait for this day to be over".
Lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice the person rushing towards her until it was too late. With a sudden collision, they collided, books and papers flying in all directions. As she looked up, she met a pair of piercing brown eyes, and a strange sensation washed over her. A feeling of déjà vu, as if she had seen those eyes before, in a forgotten dream.
"I'm so sorry!" Aria exclaimed, holding her forehead that bumped into the person she collided with, while reaching out to help gather the scattered belongings.
"It's alright," came the response. Aria looked up and as their eyes met, time seemed to stand still for a moment. It was like he's looking right into her soul like he knew her.
"I think I've seen him before. His face is so familiar but I can't remember where. But I feel something strange, as if we have a connection that I don't understand." she said to herself while fixing her hair and gathering her things while Ava was struck by how handsome the man she collided with was.
The stranger had kind brown eyes, and a warm smile that instantly put Aria at ease. As they knelt side by side, picking up the mess of papers, Aria couldn't help but feel a sense of serendipity in the air and a sense of safety even though it's the first time she saw this man.
After gathering her things, the man walked away while stealing glances to look at Aria for a few times.
"Hey, Ava. Stop looking at him, mind you that you have a boyfriend," Aria jokingly said to Ava while she was looking at the guy walking in the hallway. It is obvious that the guy was truly attractive since all the girls in the hallway were seemingly turning their heads when he passed the hallway.
"I was just looking because he looked at you like he knew you, you know?" Ava said with a puzzled face. Aria just brushed it away and continued walking.
Little did she know, that chance collision would be the beginning of something, one that would change the course of her life in ways she could never have imagined.