Paths That Collide

The chill of autumn had settled over Maple High, carrying with it a quiet unease that mirrored Aria’s own thoughts. The usual hum of student chatter felt muted, weighed down by the lingering echoes of the gala. Yet Aria found herself unable to focus on the mundane rhythms of the school day.

Samuel's cryptic warning and the tension between him and Liam had lodged themselves firmly in her mind. Each piece of the puzzle felt just out of reach, tantalizingly close but shrouded in shadows.

As she sat in her first-period class, her pen tapping absently against her notebook, her eyes drifted to the seat three rows behind her. Samuel. His expression was as inscrutable as ever, his focus seemingly unbroken as he jotted down notes. There was an aura about him—a mixture of calm confidence and something darker, something guarded.