INTERWOVEN PATHS

The next morning, I woke up to the gentle rays of the sunlight filtering through my curtains. I laid in bed for a moment gathering the strength to get ready for the day.

I eventually got up and started getting ready for my first day back at school, but my thoughts drifted back to the previous day. Luca had occupied my mind more than I cared to admit. There was something about him, that drew me in, even though I barely knew who he was besides being a friend of my friends, he intrigued me in a way that was both exciting and unsettling.

"Sofia! Breakfast is ready!" My mother called out, snapping me back into reality.

"Coming!" I called back, grabbing my backpack and headed down to the kitchen.

Ella and Max, my younger siblings, were already sitting down for breakfast, they were too busy arguing about a cartoon show they watched before to even notice me. Ella with her wild imagination, was spinning an elaborate tale, while Max, was trying to snap her back into reality. They both looked up as I started walking around the dining room, their faces lighting up with genuine excitement.

"Sofia!" Ella exclaimed, jumping up to give me a warm hug. "You're back!"

"Yeah," Max added with a shy smile on his face. "We missed you."

"I missed you guys too," I replied, messing with Max's hair and hugging Ella tightly.

That feeling was quite contagious, filling me with a sense of belonging I hadn't realized I'd missed so much.

Mom had set out a plate full of my favorite blueberry pancakes. As we ate, Ella and Max kept asking me questions about my stay with Aunt Lara and the city life.

After breakfast, Dad drove us to school. Riverwood High loomed ahead, just as I remembered it—A stately building with red covered brick walls, tall windows, and a huge old tree that stood in the main entrance. A wave of anxiety struck me. Would things really be the same as before? Or too much changed during my time away?

"Sofia!" A soft voice broke through my thoughts, It was Emily and Jasmine signaling me their way. Seeing them made me feel a lot better, so I hurried over to join them.

"Hey!" I greeted them with a smile.

"Ready for your first day back?" Jasmin asked, looping her arm through mine as we walked inside.

"As ready as I'll ever be," I replied with a nervous laugh, with butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

"Don't worry, we've got you covered," Emily said reassuringly. "The guys are excited to hang out after school. We're planning to pass by the arcade."

"The arcade?" I repeat, Nostalgia running through me. It had been a while since I went to the arcade, but now, the memories of countless afternoons spent there flooded my mind. It was our favorite hang spot, and the idea of going back had my heart doing backflips.

As we walked to our lockers, I couldn't help notice how everything seemed both familiar but different. The school hallway was lined with the same posters and flyers, the same groups of students sitting together, yet there was just an unfamiliar energy in the air. But maybe it was myme stand my paranoid self, trying to adjust after so long.

"Hey, Luca!" Jasmine called out as we approached our lockers.

I turned around to see him leaning against the lockers, watching the crowd with a calm, detached expression. When he saw us, his us flickered with recognition, and he pushed off the lockers to join us.

"Morning," he said in that low, quiet voice that seemed to carry so much weight.

"Morinin," I replied, trying to keep my voice casual even though my heart was racing. I felt both excited and nervous at once.

"Luca, this is Sofia's first day back." Emily said, nudging me playfully. "So be nice, okay?"

He raised an eyebrow, with a smirk on his face. "I'm always mice."

"Yeah, right," Jasmine said teasingly, but there was affection in her voice. It was cleat that they were all close, so I felt a bit of jealousy, wondering if I would reach that level of friendship with them all again.

We walked to homeroom together, the conversation flowing naturally as we talked about our schedules amd teachers. I had most of my classes with Emily so I was relieved, and even a few with Luca. The more time I spent with him the more curious I became. There was a quiet intensity about him, and I wanted to know more it.

Homeroom passed by very quickly, and before I knew it, we were headed to our first class of the day: English. I had spotted a few familiar faces and some new ones. The teacher Mrs. Thompson, greeted me warmly, welcoming me back to the school.

Luca sat next to me in class, his presence both comforting and distracting. During the lesson, I kept sneaking glances at him, wondering what he was thinking. Each time our eyes met, I would quickly look away, my cheeks heating up with embarrassment.

After a few lessons, we had a short break, the whole group—Emily, Jasmine, Luca, and the rest—gathered by the lockers I was introduced to the rest of the crew: Ava, a bubbly redhead with a contagious laugh, and two guys, Ryan and Chad, who were always joking around.

"So Sofia," Ryan said, slinging an arm around my shoulders. " Are you ready for the most boring math class of your life?"

"Ugh, I totally forgot about it," I groaned, making everyone laugh.

"Don't worry, we'll survive together," Ava said with a wink. " And then after we'll go off to the Arcade!"

I felt Luca's presence next to me as we were walking to math class". So, do you like math?" he asked, his tone indicating an actual conversation.

I shrugged, a bit embarrassed, " I mean, not really. But I mean, I'm okay at it, but it's not my favorite."

"Yeah I get that," he said nodding. "It's just one of those things you have to get through, right?"

"Right!" I replied, feeling a bit more at ease. " But I guess it's not that bad if you've got friends to suffer through it with".

He chuckled, a warm sound that made me smile. "That's true, we'll survive together".