Forget-me-Not

Chapter 4: The Storm After the Calm

The next day at school, everything felt heightened. Every step I took seemed to carry more weight, as if each glance had the power to shift something. Normally, I'd try to blend in, to just disappear into the crowd. But today... something inside me wanted to be seen—maybe even by someone in particular. As I walked into the classroom, I caught a glimpse of myself in the window. My chestnut hair was tied up in a loose bun, with a few intentional strands falling across my face, giving me that effortless, low-key look. The light blue dress I'd chosen subtly brought out the color of my eyes. I picked it so I'd look good, but not too good. I didn't want it to seem like I dressed up for Finn or anything. I just... wanted to be noticed without being obvious about it.

When Finn walked into class, I felt him before I saw him. It was weird, like the air around me got thicker, more charged. I turned my head in his direction. He was sitting a few rows away, leaning over his notes, his dark, messy hair falling over his forehead in that effortlessly cool way only he could pull off. He looked like he was trying to shut the world out, but somehow he still grabbed my attention. His gaze was distant, like he was lost in some deep thought. Was it longing? Or maybe something more complicated, like some hidden pain he was carrying.

Before the teacher even started, I could feel Finn's eyes on me. Our gazes locked for a split second, and something inside me shifted. There was something mysterious in his eyes, like he was holding onto a secret I was dying to uncover.

History class was just background noise to my thoughts. The usually captivating stories of the past faded into the distance as my mind wandered to thoughts of the future—one with Finn. Each chalk mark on the board seemed insignificant compared to the vivid images playing out in my mind. When the bell finally rang, it was like a jolt back to reality, and I rushed out of the room, heading straight for the library. I needed to escape, to hide from everything swirling inside my head.

After school, we met in the library, just like we'd planned. It was our quiet little sanctuary, a space cut off from the rest of the world, full of unspoken words. As I stepped in, the familiar smell of old books hit me, instantly calming my nerves. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting golden paths across the wooden floors. The soft rustle of pages and the faint tapping of keyboards filled the space, creating a peaceful melody that drowned out the chaos of the day.

Finn was already there, sitting at one of the large tables, surrounded by books and notes. When he saw me, a barely-there, almost shy smile tugged at his lips. That smile always made me feel like we were in our own little bubble, like nothing else mattered. It was more than just a smile—it was like a silent whisper, full of meanings words could never express.

"Hey, Emily," he greeted softly as I sat down across from him. His voice, low and smooth, had a way of calming me down, like nothing bad could happen when he was around.

"Hey, Finn," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. His presence always made me feel conflicted—light and carefree one moment, but uneasy the next, like I was standing on the edge of something unknown.

I tried focusing on our project, but his dark eyes, partially hidden under his hair, kept pulling me back. There was something in his gaze, like he wanted to say more but was holding back, like he was fighting his own thoughts.

"Emily... have you ever thought about what it would be like to turn back time?" Finn's voice was so quiet, almost like he was talking only to me, as if the question wasn't meant for anyone else to hear.

His question caught me off guard. Of course, I'd thought about the past—about moments I wished I could relive and others I'd rather forget. But it felt like Finn wasn't asking about the usual "what ifs." His expression was too intense, too focused.