Forget-me-Not

Chapter 2: New Beginning

Seven Years Later

The first of September, and the sound of my alarm ripped through the silence of the morning, plunging me into chaos. Groggily, I flailed my arms, desperately trying to silence the buzzing device, until I finally managed to pull off my sleep mask. One glance at the clock confirmed my worst fear—I was late. No surprise there, but still, panic hit hard. I knocked my laptop off the bed, mentally scrambling to plan the rest of my day. First things first: my outfit. Of course, it was wrinkled. I had meant to iron it this morning. "Great," I thought, already feeling like this was going to be a disastrous first day of high school.

Looking into the mirror, I sighed. I looked like a total mess—hair all over the place and a face that screamed stress more than anything resembling readiness. I grabbed my makeup bag, quickly applied some mascara and lipstick, hoping to at least look somewhat put together. Mom, noticing my panic, swooped in and handled my outfit while I finished up. In no time, I was ready, but the overwhelming anxiety hit me like a wave. New school, new faces... even the presence of Alice, Jess, and Lily, my best friends, couldn't fully calm my nerves.

Dad, despite being late for work himself, agreed to drive me to school. He must've known how important this day was to me. When we pulled up to the building, it seemed massive, almost overwhelming. I froze for a second, feeling small and lost. Alice nudged me out of my daze, handing me a donut, the sugary scent of frosting filling the air.

"Here, this is for you," she said, extending a paper bag toward me. "Let me guess, you're late and didn't grab breakfast, right?"

"Uh..." I pretended to think, but then burst into laughter because we both knew it was true.

It was great to have someone who knew me so well. I smiled at Alice gratefully and took the donut.

"Ready?" I asked, trying to hide the butterflies swirling in my stomach. "You don't look nervous at all, and I feel like my stomach is doing backflips."

Alice grinned at me. "Oh, I'm nervous, but you know what? We should be more excited than scared. We've got this! All four of us together, and there's a whole world of high school experiences ahead of us."

She grabbed my hand and started pulling me toward the main entrance. Her optimism was contagious, but I still couldn't shake off the jitters. Then, suddenly, I stopped in my tracks. Across the courtyard, I noticed a guy with messy, dark brown hair. He instantly caught my eye, making me forget about the world around me for a moment. His laid-back style, a loose white shirt paired with black jeans, gave him a carefree vibe. I silently prayed he'd be in my class. I was so focused on him that I didn't even notice Jess and Lily walking up to us.

"Emily! Emily! Helloooo?" They waved their hands in front of my face.

I snapped out of it, cheeks slightly flushed. "Sorry, I spaced out... But honestly, I'm just so glad we're all starting this together."

Jess, always the confident one, nodded eagerly. "Yeah, it's awesome that we decided not to split up for high school."

But before I could respond, I caught the guy from earlier looking directly at me. Our eyes locked, and for a second, it felt like the world slowed down. There was something about the way he looked at me, those deep, dark eyes pulling me in, making me want to know more about him. Then, a tall blond guy in a blue shirt came up to him, breaking the moment. It was strange—like we were in our own little bubble, just for a split second.

The bell snapped me back to reality.

We entered the school, and my heart was pounding. The hallways were massive, full of students chatting and laughing, as if this was just another ordinary day. The pastel-colored walls softened the intimidating vibe of the place, but I still felt lost. Lockers lined up in endless rows, bulletin boards crowded with flyers, the echo of footsteps bouncing off the floor—it all made the newness and uncertainty feel so real. Alice, Jess, and Lily stayed close to me, and their presence was comforting. Alice, our eternal ray of sunshine, rocked her favorite pink jacket and jeans, her blonde hair neatly tied in a ponytail. Jess, always bold, stood out in a black leather jacket and tall boots that screamed confidence. And Lily, soft and sweet, wore a flowing white dress that perfectly captured her gentle spirit.