Melody of a Second Chance

Chapter One - Only Time Will Tell

Third Person Pov:
    At the blink of an eye, senior year was over. The long-anticipated break had finally arrived, but Hailey Austin had mixed emotions. While she was excited to spend the summer with her friends and boyfriend Jake Sterling, she also dreaded what the future had in store once college began.

Jake was set to attend Notre Dame, while Hailey had gotten her acceptance letter to Julliard. Both of them were happy for each other, but also a bit disappointed at the distance that separated their schools. However, they were committed to making it work despite the miles between them.

The music club, too, was facing new challenges with the absence of Sean's presence. Plus, Zander and Luke would both be attending Dartmouth College, which would cause even more detachment for the club.

With the start of fall slowly approaching, everything would be different for the music club. Especially for Milly, who would be a senior and have to face her final year without the familiar faces of her friends who have all moved on, but luckily she'd still have Elliot.

It was time for the music club, followed by Daisy, to pick up Sean at the airport. They were all eager to have their summer officially start. They haven't seen Sean in person since the spring, but it still felt like ages since they'd last hung out.

Everyone missed being around Sean, who had effortlessly kept everything afloat. Despite constant FaceTimes and texting, there was something unique about Sean that made things feel more vibrant. The group was relieved to finally be together, even if it wouldn't last forever.

But it wasn't just the club who missed Sean, Daisy also awaited her boyfriend's arrival alongside the club. The two have been dating for over a year, and they've successfully managed to make their long-distance relationship work with the support of their friends and family.

Milly waited excitedly in the airport alongside everyone else, holding a large sign that read "Sean Everett" in messy, all-caps letters. After what felt like an eternity, Sean emerged from the arrival gate, and his eyes lit up when he saw his friends and girlfriend waiting patiently for him.

Daisy rushed up to Sean and hugged him tightly, letting out a squeal of joy as she did. The rest of the gang followed her lead and soon everyone was crowded around Sean, laughing and relishing the moment. It didn't matter that they had just spent the last few months apart, being together again was all that mattered in that moment.

After the long reunion, the group headed straight to Stacy's Mamamia Pizza, the one that wasn't located in the mall, to enjoy their first night of summer together. They ate pizza and chatted all night, reminiscing about the days they had spent together at school.

The group laughed and cried, enjoying their time and reminding each other of all the good moments they had experienced together. Everyone was feeling a bit anxious about a new chapter beginning, but knew that they would be able to stay in touch even though they're going to be far away from each other.

The group finished their pizza and walked home together under the summer sky. It was still light outside despite it almost being 9 p.m. They all felt carefree and excited for the summer ahead, apart from Hailey, who was admittedly anxious about what the future held.

Jake was aware of her apprehensive expression and split up from the rest of their friends to ask, "Are you alright?"

Hailey shook off her fears and put on a smile as she replied, "Yeah, I'm just thinking about what's going to happen next year. It's a lot to take in."

Jake wrapped his arm gracefully around her to try and comfort her. "I know it's a big change for everyone," he said, "but I'll be here for you no matter what, and so will the club. Nothing's going to change between us, I promise."

Hailey was moved by his kindness and felt reassured by his support. Finally, she allowed herself to have a bit of fun for once. The group continued chatting and laughing as they walked back to Hailey and Zander's house, which was now their designated hangout spot.

Everyone got into their respective rooms and made themselves as comfortable as possible. Jake and Hailey shared a room, Daisy and Sean shared one as well, as did Luke and Zander. Milly got her own room, but she FaceTimed Elliot, who was already spending summer vacation with his family in Boston.

Nobody's parents typically would've allowed their children to stay up so late, much less let the couples sleep in the same room. But Sean's return and the fact that the group had just graduated high school seemed to have softened their stance somewhat. The parents were more lenient in allowing the teens to stay out later since they felt their kids were responsible and they simply wanted to celebrate with their friends.

The night was leisurely and calm, with everyone enjoying themselves to the fullest. As the hours passed by, everyone slowly became aware of the time. As they realized it was already getting late, and with a bit of reluctance, they decided to conclude their festivities and call it a night.