Charlotte: Her Twisted Fate

First Meeting

Chapter 2

First Meeting

Charlotte Pov

His eyes narrowed. A chill ran through me. He looked at me like I was testing him, like I was a puzzle he wanted to solve. I hesitated. My instincts screamed to turn back.

But before I could move, his hand shot out. Strong. Steady. He grabbed mine. My heart leapt, skipping several beats.

“You can stay,” he said. Then he started walking toward the building he had come from.

I smiled to myself, secretly relieved. Damian may look scary, untouchable even, but there was kindness in him, buried under all that coldness. Most people didn’t see it.

“Wait… what’s today?” I asked, trying to understand what was happening. My mind spun with questions: Was this a second chance? Was I reborn? Or was it just a dream I couldn’t wake from?

He pulled out his phone, glanced at the screen. “June 20th,” he said, then kept walking until he entered the building and the door shut behind him.

June 20th. My head spun. I whispered to myself, “So… I went back in time?” My heart thumped in my chest. The thought of knowing what had happened before… it both terrified me and made me feel alive.

I looked at the door he had disappeared behind.

Last time, all I could do was mutter a quiet “thank you.” That was it.

This time… I wasn’t going to be silent.

This time… I was going to chase him.

I took a deep breath, squaring my shoulders. I wasn’t going to let history repeat itself. I was going to make a difference this time.

And somehow, I knew… Damian was a part of that

difference.

Flashback:

I was fifteen when I began my freshman year at Aldridge Academy—late.

That was the first impression I made: late to school, late to class, late to everything that seemed to matter. I hurried through the crowded hallways, my books clutched tightly to my chest, my head slightly lowered as I tried to blend in.

Students brushed past me in a rush, their laughter and conversations overlapping into noise that made me feel even more out of place. I didn’t belong here. Not yet. Maybe not ever. I just needed to get to class without drawing attention to myself.

But fate had other plans. I collided into someone, hard. The impact sent my books flying in every direction, and before I could steady myself, I lost my balance and fell to the floor. A few students turned to look, and my cheeks burned instantly.

Great.

First day, and I was already embarrassing myself. I pushed myself up slightly, rubbing my elbow, and lifted my head—and then I saw him.

For a second, everything else faded. The noise, the movement, the embarrassment—all of it disappeared.

He was breathtaking, that was the only word my mind could come up with. His blond hair fell slightly over his forehead, neat but not too perfect, like he didn’t even try but still looked better than everyone else. His icy blue eyes were sharp, almost intimidating, yet there was something calm in them too. He looked down at me, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice low and steady. He stretched his hand toward me, a simple gesture that made my chest tighten in a way I couldn’t explain.

“Yes,” I said quickly, though my voice came out softer than I intended.

I hesitated before placing my hand in his. The moment our skin touched, something shifted inside me. His hand was warm, strong, gentle. He pulled me up effortlessly, and my heart began to race in a way that felt completely unfamiliar. I shouldn’t be reacting like this—it was just a hand, just a stranger—but still, my eyes lingered on him longer than they should have. His gaze was intense, like he could see right through me.

And then—his lips. Oh God. Why was I noticing his lips? They were perfect, soft-looking, slightly curved, the kind that made you wonder what they would feel like. No. I shook my head slightly, snapping myself out of it. What was wrong with me?

“Here,” he said, bending down to pick up one of my books. He handed me my math textbook, his fingers brushing lightly against mine again, and just like that, my heart skipped. That was when I noticed her—standing right behind him. Sophie. Her expression was anything but pleasant. Her face twisted slightly, her eyes narrowing as they landed on me.