INTERTWINED FATES: THE RED STRING

CHAPTER 6

The anticipation for the upcoming competition had everyone on edge. The girls, led by Nabi, were practising harder than ever, incorporating last-minute changes to the choreography and perfecting their moves. Balancing their personal lives with the intensity of their practice sessions was no easy task. Isa was talking to Zade about Nabi, , Tiana and Thyme were growing closer by the day, their bond strengthening with each passing hour. And then there was Helena, who remained a mystery, always with her headphones on, lost in her world of music.

 One particularly early morning, Kyzer, Nabi's mischievous younger brother, decided to play a prank. He barged into Nabi's room at seven o'clock, yelling at the top of his lungs for her to get downstairs. The school didn't start until nine-thirty, but Kyzer had to practice for his football match that weekend and wanted to get a head start. He lied, telling Nabi it was already eight, which sent her into a frenzy. 

 In a panic, Nabi threw on her uniform and raced downstairs, frantically asking Mrs. Kim to pack her breakfast. She sprinted out of the house, convinced she was late, without realizing that it was still an hour and a half before school started. As she ran towards the practice room, she wondered why the school grounds were so empty. "Where is everyone?" she thought. "They must've all come early today. Lucky me, being the last one as usual," she muttered under her breath.

 But when she arrived at the practice room, she was met with an eerie silence. Expecting to be teased by her friends for being late as always, she instead found the room empty. That's when she glanced at her watch and groaned. It was only 8 o'clock. "I'm going to kill Kyzer," she mumbled, cursing her brother's name.

 Before she could start the music and vent her frustration through dance, she heard a voice behind her. 

 "Good morning, senior," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. It was Zade, a senior and one of the school's football stars. He was there early, waiting for his teammates to arrive for practice. He had spotted Kyzer earlier and figured Nabi wouldn't be far behind. Curious, he had wandered over to the practice room and found her alone.

 "Morning," Zade hummed in response, a small smile tugging at his lips. "You're here early," he observed. 

 "Well, aren't you?" she shot back, trying to hide her embarrassment. 

 Zade chuckled softly, appreciating her quick wit. The two fell into a comfortable silence, the kind that only comes when two people are at ease in each other's presence. After a moment, Zade spoke up again. 

 "Can I get your DM?" he asked casually.Nabi froze. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her heart raced as she fumbled for a response.

 "Sure," she finally said, her voice trembling slightly. In her nervousness, she accidentally gave him Ariana's DM instead of her own.

 They exchanged goodbyes, and Zade left to join his team on the football field. Nabi stood there, replaying the conversation in her mind. Did that just happen? She could hardly believe it.

 Later, Isa and Helena arrived at the practice room, finding Nabi still in a daze. When they asked what was up, Nabi confessed that she had just spoken with Zade. Her friends were thrilled for her until she revealed the slip-up. 

"I gave him Ariana's DM by mistake," Nabi admitted, her face turning crimson.Isa and Helena burst into laughter. 

"You're hopeless!" Isa teased, but Isa and Helena could see the excitement in her eyes. They all knew what this meant Zade. 

 The rest of the day passed in a blur. The girls practised their routines, but Nabi's mind was elsewhere, replaying her conversation with Zade over and over. When the day finally ended, they all said their goodbyes and headed home. 

 Nabi practically flew up the stairs to her room, eager to tell Ariana and Penelope what had happened. It had been a month since they last spoke, with both girls having moved to a new town due to their parents' jobs. She couldn't wait to catch up and share her news.

 She quickly dialled Ariana's number. After a few rings, Ariana picked up, her voice bright and cheerful. 

 "Hey, Nabi! How are you?" she greeted, clearly happy to hear from her. 

 "I'm good!" Nabi replied, her excitement bubbling over. Before she could continue, Penelope's voice cut in. 

 "What about me? You didn't ask how I'm doing!" she teased.Nabi laughed. 

"Hi to you too, Penelope," she said. They all chatted for a while, catching up on life in their new town and how things had been going back home. Nabi shared stories about school, the competition, and the usual drama, but she kept one thing to herself—Zade. 

 Finally, unable to hold it in any longer, Nabi took a deep breath and said, "So... I have something to tell you guys."Penelope and Ariana immediately sensed something was up. 

"What is it?" Penelope asked eagerly. 

 "It's about my crush," Nabi whispered, her voice barely audible. 

 "I can't hear you," Ariana said, leaning closer to the phone.Nabi cleared her throat and tried again. 

"It's about my crush."The line went silent for a moment before the girls erupted in excited squeals. 

"Who is it?" they demanded in unison.

 "It's Zade from 11th grade," Nabi admitted, her voice shaking with nerves. 

 Ariana and Penelope were both shocked and thrilled. They had known about Nabi's crush for a while, but this was the first time she had ever admitted it out loud. 

After a moment, Ariana asked, "Wait, is this the same Zade from 10th and now who is in 11th grade?" 

 Nabi nodded, even though they couldn't see her. 

"Yeah, that's him," she said softly.Ariana couldn't help but laugh. 

"And? What happened?"She told them about the fight between Thyme and Zade. She punched Zade infirmary and the morning incident 

 "Well... when he asked for my DM, I was so nervous that I gave him yours instead," Nabi confessed, wincing at the memory.There was a pause on the other end of the line, and then both Ariana and Penelope burst into laughter. 

"You did what?!" they exclaimed. 

 "Yeah, I know. I'm so stupid," Nabi groaned.Ariana, still laughing, said, 

"Alright, here's my DM ID and password. Log in and tell him the truth before he figures it out himself.

"Nabi smiled, grateful for her friend's support. 

"Thanks, Ariana," she said. 

 "Anytime," Ariana replied, still chuckling.As they hung up, Nabi felt a mix of emotions—embarrassment, excitement, and a little bit of fear. But one thing was clear: things were about to get a lot more interesting.