The library was quiet enough that Alex could hear her own heartbeat. Her book lay open, untouched, while her gaze drifted toward nothing in particular. Thinking, drifting, slipping backward in time.
How did life even flip like that…?
She exhaled softly, the memory tugging at her like a light thread. Everything began on a day when her world still ran on grayscale.
------------
Whitebridge City had welcomed her with its bright skyline and fast-moving crowds, but all of it felt muted to her—like someone had turned down the saturation on life. Even after she met Rose and Natalie, even after teachers praised her discipline, even after everyone insisted she was talented, smart, reliable… none of it cracked her dull routine.
Every day was the same:
Study until her eyes burned.
Train until her muscles trembled.
Smile because she'd promised someone, long ago, that she wouldn't fall apart.
Wait—always wait—for her father's approval, the single recognition she never got.
She kept going because stopping wasn't an option.
But colors? Colors never came.
That changed on a random Tuesday afternoon, in the most ridiculous way possible.
Alex had gone out to buy groceries. A boring, uneventful errand. She was halfway across the street when she noticed him: a tall young man walking toward her, long black hair tied back loosely, steps lazy but elegant. He had that kind of face that made instinct betray reason—sharp jaw, dark eyes, expression unreadable.
And Alex, bless her heart, had always been weak to attractive faces.
Finally, she thought. Someone taller than me.
She stared a little too long.
Then tripped on absolutely nothing, and face-planted right in front of him.
Her apples rolled one way. Her dignity rolled the other.
"Smooth, Alex…" she muttered into the pavement.
She pushed herself up, fully expecting him to kneel, maybe offer a hand, maybe at least pretend to care. She didn't want attention, but she was used to a certain… politeness from the men around her.
But this man—
This walking sculpture—
Looked down at her with the most insufferable mix of amusement and disbelief.
He wasn't even pretending to hide it.
A snort escaped him. Like she had provided him with free entertainment.
Her brain short-circuited.
Her heart simmered with pathetic, boiling humiliation.
And the man?
He just said, "You should watch your step," as if he wasn't fighting the urge to burst out laughing.
Alex's soul left her body.
She gathered her groceries with stiff, robotic movements and marched home in a storm cloud of disbelief and fury.
The moment she reached her home, she slapped open her laptop and called the group chat.
Rose answered first. Nat joined two seconds later.
"Alex? Something happened?" Rose asked.
"No!" she snapped. "You will not believe what just happened! I met the rudest human alive!"
Her friends exchanged a look—this was new. Alex was usually calm, polite, unshakably composed. Mature to a fault.
Nat blinked. "Hold on—you thought someone was rude?"
"Yes!" Alex paced in furious circles. "He was this tall—like, actually tall! Long black hair, sharp jawline, blue eyes like sapphire... Anyway! He just stood there laughing at me!"
Rose gasped. "Blue eyes? Wait—Alex. Alex. Was he gorgeous?"
"That's not the point!"
Nat smirked. "It absolutely is. You fell for a handsome guy."
"I fell on the ground!"
Rose clasped her hands. "It's love at first sight."
"It's rage, Rose!" Alex shot back. "Pure, burning rage. I despise people like him. That attitude—ugh! I hope he— I hope he steps on a lego!"
Her friends howled with laughter.
Alex fumed harder.
The next morning, she arrived early to class, still grumbling about that anonymous menace. While waiting for the teacher, she glanced out the window—and froze.
Down in the courtyard, a group of boys had cornered Rose and Nat.
Nat was yelling back, all fire and attitude, but one of the boys shoved her aside and grabbed Rose's wrist.
Alex saw red.
Before anyone could stop her, she climbed onto the windowsill and jumped from the first floor.
The boys jolted as she landed with a thud.
She rolled her shoulders, cracked her knuckles, and gave them a smile sharp enough to cut stone.
"Let go of them," she said. "Or I'll make you regret waking up today."
They scoffed.
Bad choice.
One boy lunged.
She sidestepped.
Gave him a clean shoulder throw.
Then flicked his forehead.
Hard.
He yelped like he'd been stabbed with pride.
She repeated the forehead flick of doom on the others, one by one—a humiliation ritual that would haunt them for weeks.
More students gathered, and the boys scattered like roaches.
Rose and Nat rushed to her, hugging her tight.
"Are you hurt?" Rose asked, voice shaking.
"I'm fine," Alex said, brushing dirt off her sleeves. "You know I train every morning. A jump won't kill me."
Rose nodded… then stiffened. Her eyes drifted past Alex.
"Um… Alex?"
"Hm?"
"What did the guy from yesterday look like again?"
Alex narrowed her eyes. "Why are we talking about him now?"
"Just… turn around. Slowly. Toward the tree."
Alex turned.
And there he was.
Tall.
Black hair.
Blue eyes.
School uniform.
Watching her with the same annoyingly amused expression as yesterday.
Alex's soul died a second time.
She bolted.
Ran all the way to her classroom.
Sat down.
Prayed fervently to every deity in existence that he had forgotten her entire face.
Then she saw it.
An empty seat beside her.
"No way," she whispered.
The teacher walked in.
"Class, we have two new transfer students."
Alex's stomach dropped.
The handsome menace stepped forward first.
"My name is Daman."
His friend followed with a bright smile.
"And I'm Daniel."
Alex wanted to yeet herself out the nearest window.
______________________________
Back in the library, Alex pressed a hand to her forehead and groaned quietly at the memory.
That ridiculous, humiliating, chaotic beginning.
Her phone buzzed.
She glanced at the screen.
"Meet me by Silverwood Lake in 10 minutes. We have something to show you."
Daman.
Of course.
She closed the book she hadn't read at all, warmth curling through her chest as she got up.
She'd come a long way from grocery-store humiliation.
And somehow… that disaster had led her to him.