14.- The Reunion

Since Annah's burial until now 18 years have already passed many things happened in that time I finished school and graduated as a teacher in my head I kept repeating to myself that if Annah couldn't make it I would do it in her place, Enzo married Opal as did Elian with Briana and I froze on the saddest day of my life. I did because when I returned home Alice and Beck were there waiting for me saying that "he" had given them another mission to freeze my time so that my face and age would stay the same as the age I chose, that was part of the mission because the other part was up to me. My time would continue again when I stopped whoever had done that to Annah and her reincarnation and my life would continue next to the person who was right for me. So I decided to freeze my time when I graduated so at 36 I still look like 22 years old.

The memory of my brother's wedding to Opal was one of the most vivid memories I had because it was the first event I attended after Annah's "event" and by this time it had been more than 10 years that I had been locked up even though it was a happy day for my brother I didn't want to be there the truth is that I didn't want to see anything that had to do with couples, but I had no choice Gina dragged me to the wedding with Elian's help I got dressed and sat in the front row next to my mother watching my brother nervous and anxious at the altar waiting for Opal and so the event began Opal walked in, they said their vows, exchanged rings and gave each other their vows, I felt happy for my brother who was now dancing his first song with his now wife and with that event I started to open up more because only 5 months later Elian got engaged to Briana and a year and a half later he married her and I was the godfather in that wedding.

And as promised Alice and Beck didn't stay away because we regularly saw each other and talked about anything that came to our minds making me gradually overcome that event and in one of the many conversations we had Beck convinced me to look for a job in a university because for years I avoided doing it for that one teaching in a primary school which I hated. After all, they usually just screamed and cried and didn't pay attention to the classes in short I hated teaching there but it was like a promise to the air that I made with Annah giving the best of me to make those kids grow up to be good people and I hope I did it but at that time I also believed that Beck was right I had to continue and not get stuck there and I accepted. That same day I called the school that had already tried to recruit me saying that I accepted to work there that same day they accepted me and asked me to report to the university the next day.

The university where I was going to work was called Cartlon, it was somewhat prestigious because people even traveled from other countries just to attend there, although the money was also a ticket to that school, how I got my name there I had no idea, but I would not waste such an opportunity.

The next day I showed up and at the entrance of the school I stood still, I had been trying to escape from places like that for many years and at last, I would face it so I went in.

The interview took about 2 hours and in the end, luckily I was told that in a week I would start working and it has been 6 years since then.

Since the pay was good I moved to an exclusive building downtown, bought a car and my classes became very popular at the university and I also began to think that I wish I had been like that when I was a student. But there was nothing I could do about it.

And today was another one of those days when new students came in. To my history class on the first day of every school year, the students from the older grades came just to observe my class even though they had heard it before it somehow made me happy, but before the school day formally started there was a meeting to give us a lecture on what should be accomplished in the whole year, etc.

-Well, teachers, I wish you luck in achieving these goals- said the director of the university -You may leave now- he said so that we all started to leave Sebastian who was a math teacher and one of the friends I made.

-Very good teacher, surely this year you will also achieve it- he said in a mocking tone because if since I entered at the end of the year I always achieved the goals set by the director, the grades and attendance of students, etc., it was something strange or at least I saw it that way.

-Haha funny, I don't know, it's a bit of a pain to deal with more students than there are on the list-

-Well this time I'm going to take my class so get ready- he said to run away from me before I hit him for giving me more work, I gave a long sigh and then walked to my classroom. If I had to describe Sebastian it would be as a tall guy, though not so tall with black hair that as some of my students called him had an Undercut or something like that, he always wore casual clothes even when he had to wear a suit and despite the subject he taught he was quite popular or at least his students pretended to listen to him he was quite cheerful and he was only a couple of years younger than me. He was a good friend.

Although now that I think about it since I decided to stop aging I tried to modernize myself and apparently I had succeeded I had let my hair grow and now I held it in a small ponytail that did not catch all the hair so I had a couple of loose strands inside my depression of years ago I started to stop worrying about me and decided to get a tattoo. So my appearance changed a lot in so many years.

I was passing through the corridors, I was greeting some students I recognized and they were greeting me back, I continued on my way without noticing where I was going until I bumped into someone, I held her because she was about to fall and I asked

-Are you all right? -

-Yes, I'm sorry, I'm just clumsy- he said picking up his backpack without looking at me- I'm a little lost, could you help me please? –

-Yes, of course, tell me with whom you are going to have class? -

-I'm going to have History with the teacher..." he said taking out a paper "Julen Sallow" he said raising his face I couldn't believe it my hands started to shake I just didn't understand what was going on. It was Annah.

-The class you are going to have is with...me- I said still in shock -It's at the end of the hallway go ahead and I'll be there in a minute- I said pointing to the classroom and she saw where I pointed she smiled and thanked me and started walking there.

As I ran to a bathroom, my hands still shaking, the bell rang, signaling that classes had started because there should not be any students, I went into a cubicle, closed the door, took out my phone, and dialed the only person who knew everything. Gina.

-Hey brother, how are you...- I didn't let her finish and I said to her

-I saw Annah...

-Wait, what? That's not possible-

-It is. She's one of my first-year students, Annah, she's identical to her, even her voice is the same as hers, but... But how? - I said almost in despair, I was panicking, it wasn't possible that anything was happening, although at this point I shouldn't be surprised.

-Wait, I will dial Alice, go to your classes and on your break go to your office and I will dial you ok? - During this time my sister and Alice eventually met again and eventually became friends - You have to relax there must be some explanation - she was right she couldn't act like that she had to work - Brother are you calmer now? –

-Yes, then I'll call you in a little while, ok? -

-Yes, I'll wait for you-

-Sorry for scaring you-

-No problem, I'm glad you told me. Now go teach your class, teacher-

-Yes bye- I said hanging up my phone and then putting it away and leaving the bathroom Gina was right I have to concentrate on my work first and then understand what was going on. When I entered my classroom it was crowded and as Sebastian promised there he was with his class and in the front row was her.

-Sorry for the delay, welcome to the new students, I will be your history teacher, my name is Julen Sallow.