3TS: The Chances of Starting Again

A New Chapter

That moment in time when you feel that things are starting to turn for the better. A new chapter.

My eyes were on the ground as I walked up the school path. The sun was bright in the early morning sunlight. But my mind was drifted to other things this morning.

I had to find a way to meet with him. Maybe there was chance that he didn't know I was the one to blame. Maybe there was a chance.

I had to find my chance. That spot of light in the darkness.

Suddenly, I jerked and almost fell on my face if it were not for Ria who caught me by the shoulders.

Ria laughed, "Watch where you're going, girl. Or you might end up a victim of Juan's bullying again in this cycle because of all your clumsiness."

I just looked up at her. Staring hard into her sunglasses until I could make out her eyes. What could I do? I had to meet him somehow. I came to this cycle to become friends with him. Not start over. Maybe Ria...

Ria raised her eyebrows and propped me up near her tricy. "What's wrong? Didn't get enough sleep last night?"

Well, she was actually right, but there was something else on my mind right now.I looked down at the ground, feeling determined. "I need to find a way to meet up with Trent. I didn't waste one cycle just to get here with nothing." I gazed up at her. She must have had a lot of experience with time cycles. Maybe she had the answer. "How could I do that?" I asked.

Ria gazed at me for a minute, and then sighed. "I can't help you." She turned away, but I stepped in front of her.

"No, you stopped and looked at me. I can tell...from your eyes. There is a way."

Shaking her head, she busied herself at her control panel above her tricycle's handles, turning knobs, and checking gauges.

I blinked but was unfazed. "Do you know a way? Or a plan? If you do," I touched her shoulder for her to slowly look at me. "will you please tell me? I know you know things in all the experiences you've seen and encountered-"

"No...no, no!" She shook her head again. "It's dangerous. If I do this-"

I raised my eyebrows, and folded my arms. "Helping me is dangerous?"

She looked back up at me as she climbed into her tricycle. 

She smiled, then laughed. "I've gotten away with it before. Bending the rules is kind of my forte in the time-traveling services." She ignited the engine, "And helping you isn't too dangerous. It's just like I'm your seatmate in your class. And you want to cheat." A sly smile formed on her face. And I wondered what secret could be hiding behind that smile. 

She pressed a camoflauged button that was at the edge of the headlight of the tricycle.

In a flash, she drove down the road and disappeared in a sun ray glittering off her silver-tinted tricycle. I watched after her until I only heard the roar of her engine, wondering what in the world she was doing to help me. How could time-traveling help me?

In my horrible past experiences, time-traveling was like this black mud spot that wouldn't ever come off my leg. Messy. Ugly. And bad to my health. 

So I wasn't feeling too good about "help" and "time-travelling" pushed together. It was like sticking a cheat sheet with stinky socks. They create bad grades and bad ego.

"3:16 pm. In eleven seconds."

I whipped around and froze. There Ria was again, leaning against her tricy as if she hadn't ever driven off.

"How did you-"

She wiped her forehead, jumping back into her tricy and popping a piece of gum into her mouth. "I'm not saying it again. 3:16 pm. In eleven seconds, he's going to be passing the second floor's second hall, heading to your Chemistry class. You should thank me, I'm pushing another memory for you two to be together again, through Chemistry." She kicked the gear and drove away.

Just like that. She was gone again.

I raised my eyebrows, then shook my head and laughed a little. 

"Chemistry." 

**

So, Journal, what do you think I did?

Well, yes. I had to head to school. I want to graduate.

The school hours dragged on for what seemed like days. My eyes kept on looking back at the clock. Why did time have to slow down at the worst time possible? It's annoying sometimes, Journal. It's like you want this certain time to come, but time does the opposite to you. Makes you feel like you're waiting for a much longer time than just a few hours.

So...FINALLY...the time came.

3:14 pm. I was standing right next to my Chemistry class, breathless. Honestly, Journal, I had run all the way here because...I didn't want to be late. I didn't want to miss my chance.

I eyed my watch. At the exact moment, the minute hand moved.

3:15 pm.

I nervously rubbed my hands together before getting out several textbooks from my bag. I clutched them tightly as I waited at the corner of the second hall.

Hope this works. Hope I don't bump into the wrong guy. But what if I do? What if it becomes worse? What if Juan happens to pass by?

I gulped.

Oh, please don't happen. Let this be just that moment where I see Trent. Let my plan just work this time.

Glancing at my watch, the seconds ticked down until 3:16 pm.

Okay, I can do this.

Mixed feelings-of hope that this could work, hopelessness that this couldn't, yearning for Trent to be my friend, and remorse that this might all go to waste-washed through me as my eyes glued to my watch as the seconds thin hand counted down.

My mind ticked with the seconds, exploding with thoughts.

10.

I had to make this perfect.

9.

I had to step out into the hall at the eleventh second.

8.

7.

6.

If I bumped into him, what would I have to do next?

5.

Oh no, I hadn't really thought of the plan thoroughly. What would I do after I bumped into him?

4.

Maybe this wasn't a good idea. My heart was pounding.

3.

It might just be a trick that Ria's playing on me.

2.

Too late to turn back now.

1...

And then, I stepped out into the hall.