Yesterday Never Ended: The Nostalgic Season

Chapter One: Rain Like Tears

I stare at the cover of a book titled 'A Dream of Tomorrow'. My mind reels with shock and confusion as I keep my eyes focused on the book in her hands. Autumn currently sits, obscuring her face from as if to make herself invisible to the world. It's a peculiarity to face this side of her after all this time. Maybe I was right when I believed that I'd been forgotten. With how Autumn shells up as I look towards her, it seems that our relationship has reset itself back to square one.

When I'd first met her in the freshman year, Autumn was a reserved and shy person. A shrinking violet to such an amazing degree that a simple glance in her general direction could result in the loss of her composure. Upon recollection, I can say that she had befriended few besides myself. It was a rarity to ever see her communicating with another student as a friend or acquaintance, though. Perhaps her solitude continues to today? It wouldn't be a stretch to imagine her reservedness is true to this day as many things about her seem relatively unchanged.

Judging by the book she holds in front of her like a shield; she's every bit a bibliophile as she was years ago. Nearly every day you'd see her wandering the halls or in the middle of class she'd have a book in her arms. Possibly even several at that. She was never restrictive of her tastes in literature and would even carry books so large that they would look comical in comparison to her small and slender frame. I chuckle to myself.

"Maybe some things don't change?"

I nearly give my attention back to the rambling teacher scribbling on the chalkboard but my eyes yet again catch another interesting sight.

Directly seated in front of Autumn is a girl wearing a pure white cardigan and a cerulean sundress. Her hair is a long, straight, dark blue that borders on jet black and she looks to me with eyes as clear blue as water in the tropics. On her gentle face is a welcoming and kindly smile that only grows brighter as I look to her. She waves to me and mouths a 'hi'.

Greeting me is an unmistakable person. I'd shared many classes with her throughout the years and she'd always been a very striking individual. The beauty of Halyn High who could befriend anyone with a hello and win anyone's heart with a single smile; Dawn Amane.

For our entire academic lives, the two of us were often in the same classes and for a time I was one of the many who'd become a clumsy mute in front of her. As I entered the eighth grade, the two of us began to come closer and within time, we'd become friends. Although I'd still harbored feelings for her, our friendship was always first and foremost to me. Still, it'd be dishonest to say that I wasn't the slightest bit taken by her as I saw her smile again for the first time in years.

As it's an inopportune time for us to communicate, Dawn raises a single finger as a way to say, 'Well, continue this later' and faces the front of the class once more. Uninterested in the pseudo-lesson, I take to staring out the window. The clear blue skies of the morning now contain drifting gray clouds hither and thither. I'm no weatherman but it looks like there may be some showers in the later day.

Minutes pass as I observe the creeping clouds, and a thought occurs to me. The chair behind me had on it a coat. But whose coat could it be? Most of the desks of the room were taken by students, save for three, including the one behind me. It takes a few moments for me to connect the dots and my gut sinks as I deduce the owner of the coat. Turning my head to the sound of the door opening, I see a black haired and handsome boy stride into the classroom. With an irritating smile on his face, he makes a bee-line for the chair directly behind me and seats himself.

"Why, hello there, Mr. Deutelas." He offers me a wave of the hand.

"Fate is a tricky mistress, isn't she?" I grimace internally as he talks.