Chapter 3: What Happened?
1128 Words
I woke up to the soft hum of my phone vibrating against the wooden nightstand. With half-lidded eyes, I reached for it, the bright screen making me squint.
Diana: "Jade! I miss our bonding time! Let’s hang out after class today, okay? Don’t even try to say no—I’ve already decided. 😌"
A small smile formed on my lips. Diana always had a way of making plans for us without asking first. But honestly, I didn’t mind. It had been a while since we last hung out, and I missed her too.
Jade: "Fine, fine. After class it is. But you owe me a drink."
Her reply came instantly.
Diana: "Deal. See you later, Jadie! ❤️"
I sighed, stretching my arms before sitting up in bed. The day had barely started, but at least I had something to look forward to later.
After shaking off the morning grogginess, I went through my usual routine—taking a shower, putting on my uniform, and pulling my hair into a loose ponytail. As I reached for my bag, my eyes landed on my guitar case resting against the wall. I debated whether to bring it, but considering my broken strings, there was no point. Grabbing my things, I stepped outside, letting the morning sun hit my skin. Another day, another routine—except today, something felt slightly different. The school was buzzing with students. Some huddled in groups, chattering about random things, while others rushed to their classes. As I entered the room, Catherine wasted no time pulling me aside.
"Jade! Did you see River’s IG story?" she whispered, her eyes shining with excitement.
I blinked. "He actually posted?"
River wasn’t the type to share much about his life. How did I know? Because of Diana. His social media was practically a ghost town—no posts, a private account, and the rarest i********: updates that disappeared before most people even noticed. Catherine nodded eagerly. "Yeah! He posted a picture of his guitar and just captioned it ‘Morning practice.’ That’s it. But still! You know how rare that is?"
I rolled my eyes. "So rare it’s basically a once-in-a-blue-moon event?"
"Exactly!" she laughed.
Before I could respond, our teacher walked in, clapping his hands to get our attention.
"Alright, class, listen up!" he announced. "Starting tomorrow, we will be implementing a permanent seat plan for the first semester. It will be on a first-come, first-serve basis, so be early if you want to sit where you want." A wave of murmurs rippled through the room—some students groaned in disappointment, while others immediately started planning their spots.
Catherine turned to me, her grip on my arm tightening. "We have to sit together!"
I chuckled. "We’ll see. You know how crazy it gets when everyone rushes in."
Class went by as usual, and before I knew it, the final bell rang.
As I stepped out of the room, I spotted Diana standing in the hallway, waving at me. But she wasn’t alone. A few steps away from her stood River. He wasn’t paying attention to us, his focus entirely on his phone as he leaned against the wall. It wasn’t surprising to see him alone—he wasn’t the type to be surrounded by a group of friends. Still, the sight of him and Diana in the same space caught me off guard.
I walked over to Diana, nudging her. "You didn’t have to wait for me here, you know."
She grinned. "Of course, I did! We have a lot to catch up on."
I glanced at River briefly before leading Diana away. I could feel her curiosity bubbling, but she didn’t say anything—yet.
Not until we were at the coffee shop.
With a cup of iced coffee in her hands, Diana finally spoke. "So... you didn’t tell me you were classmates with River."
I took a sip of my drink, acting nonchalant. "It didn’t seem important."
She gave me a pointed look. "Jade."
I sighed, setting my cup down. "We’re just classmates, Diana. Nothing more."
She tilted her head. "Really? Because Catherine seems to think you two look good together."
I groaned, almost choking on my coffee. "Not you too."
Diana laughed. "I’m just saying! But fine, I’ll drop it. For now."
We spent the next few minutes catching up—talking about elementary school memories, campus gossip, my music journey—anything and everything. Then I checked the time. "Anyway, I need to drop by the music store after this. My guitar strings broke, and I need a new set."
"Alright, I’ll let you go, but you better not ditch me next time," she teased.
I smirked. "Wouldn’t dream of it."
After finishing our drinks, we said our goodbyes, and I made my way to the music store. The scent of wood and metal filled the air as I stepped into the shop. The walls were lined with guitars, amplifiers, and accessories. It was quiet, aside from the occasional strumming of someone testing an instrument. I walked over to the strings section, scanning the options. I already knew what I needed—Elixir 9 Gauge strings. They lasted longer and had a smooth feel, perfect for my playing style.
Just as I reached for a pack—
A familiar hand grabbed the same set at the exact moment.
I turned my head.
River.
Of all people.
He raised a brow at me. "Elixir, huh?"
He’s here? Was he the one testing the guitars earlier?
I blinked, surprised he even spoke first. "Yeah, just like you said."
He hummed, glancing at the pack in his hand. "Good girl." A smirk played on his lips.
For a moment, we just stood there. The silence stretched between us, but his words echoed in my head.
Good girl? What the heck was that supposed to mean?
Then, before I could say anything else—
"You should probably get a backup set," he told me. Then, without warning, he turned toward the counter. "Hey!" he called out to the guy at the register. "I’ll pay for this via e-bank later." And just like that, he walked off. Casually. As if nothing happened.
WHAT JUST HAPPENED?
I stared at his retreating figure, clutching the pack of strings against my chest, completely thrown off.
What was that?
I shook my head, pushing down whatever weird feeling was forming inside me. I glanced at the cashier, who just shrugged as if saying, "Yeah, that’s already paid!." I took a deep breath, finally stepping out of that store.
This was nothing. Just a random coincidence.
But somehow, as I stood there, gripping the guitar strings, I had a strange feeling—
That this wouldn’t be the last time I’d run into him.
- Writer
