3TS: The Chances of Starting Again

A Second Chance

A second chance. It brings those forever lost in the darkness, to the light at the end of the tunnel. They just need to start walking, need to start working, for their second chance to finally spring out into happiness, joy, and love.

I crashed into something.

My whole body moved like a wave and-on instinct-my arms let go of all my books I was holding. Time slowed down. Papers slowly flew around me, until they fluttered to the ground and revealed what-who-I bumped into.

Trent. He was looking at me. With a confused look on his face, he stood there. In that moment, I couldn't move.

I wouldn't move.

Because...he saw me. For the first time in forever. I wanted this moment to last. That moment where he actually looked at me. That time where he realized I was a real person. Not just an unknown student in his Chemistry class. But a person. A person with a story. As a real person who just bumped into his life. Literally.

And then, time sped up again as I heard the loud steps of other students scuffling their shoes to get around us, a few coughs from sick teachers, and the distant ring of a student's new text message on their phone.

"Ugh. Sorry." I blurted out softly. And I started to sit up and started to gather some books.

"It's alright. Here, let me help you with your books." He squatted down picking up one of my textbooks. I looked up at him, seeing him glance at me and smile.

It reminded me of the first time I saw him look at me, in the first cycle.

His hand was outstretched, holding out my Chemistry book. A small polite smile. My heart fluttered like a butterfly's first flight into the sky. Reborn. And ready to take on a journey.

And now, he was doing the same thing. Handing me my Chemistry book. Just like he did back then.

Oh, Journal, I didn't want the moment to end. Not now. Not ever. But sometimes, time does that to you. It sneaks up on you like climate change. Gradually becoming real. And then, you never know that it's happening until it's crashing at you like a melted block of ice. A rush of cold water.

He cleared his throat, "Um, this book is yours, right?" He handed me the book with his right hand, because-of course-his other hand was in a cast.

"Uh, thanks." I smiled and then hurriedly looked away, helping him gather some of his papers. I felt my cheeks grow warm.

No way! Journal...I was feeling awkward! That feeling where you feel like there's an invisible wall between him and you and you feel like you guys can't reach a signal from each other. Can't talk to each other. Can't even look.

Yes, that feeling.

But I HAD to focus. I had to find a way to become his friend. That was the whole purpose of this intended "accident".

Come on, Krissa, think!

I squinted around at the textbooks and papers lying everywhere. Then, I saw it. A paper near my knee.

I picked it up and read it in my head:

Guitar lessons! For Inquiries, go to room 15...

And then information, information, information. All I needed to know was the heading.

"You play the guitar?" I asked politely.

He gathered up several papers under his arm, then smiled when he saw the paper in my hand. "Oh yeah, I do a little bit of it whenever I have the time." Then he went back to gathering up papers and stacking up my textbooks near me.