Maybe This Time

Chapter Two — The Beginning of Another Year

Outside, the morning air was cool.

The front garden had been carefully maintained, just like everything else around their house.

Her mother loved flowers.

There were rows of them near the walkway.

Tessa stopped for a moment.

She looked back at the house.

The windows reflected the morning sunlight.

For a moment, she could see her mother standing behind one of them.

She waved.

Tessa waved back.

Then she walked toward the waiting car.

The drive to North Haven Academy took around thirty minutes.

Tessa sat by the window.

The city slowly changed as they drove.

Residential streets became busier.

Small stores appeared between larger buildings.

Students in uniforms filled the sidewalks.

Cars lined the streets.

Eventually, the familiar buildings of North Haven came into view.

North Haven Academy was one of the most prestigious private schools in San Aurelio. It was also the only high school with a sister university, North Haven University, located just one block away from the Academy.

The academic buildings were mostly built from pale stone and dark brick, with tall windows and covered walkways connecting some of the older structures.

The main gate had the Academy's crest mounted above it.

Beyond it stood the administration building.

Farther inside were the academic buildings, library, student center, gymnasium, sports field, and the large courtyard where students usually gathered between classes.

There was also a garden behind the academic building.

That was where Tessa and her friends had claimed their favorite place.

The Quiet Corner.

It was hidden enough that most students didn't bother going there.

Which was exactly why they liked it.

The car slowed near the entrance.

The driver looked at Tessa through the mirror.

“Should I pick you up after school?”

Tessa shook her head.

“No. Zi will take me home.”

The driver nodded.

“Alright.”

Tessa opened the door.

“Thank you.”

She stepped outside.

The moment her shoes touched the pavement, she could feel the difference.

The campus was alive.

Students were everywhere.

Some were hugging friends.

Some were shouting across the courtyard.

Others were staring at their schedules.

Teachers stood near the entrance, welcoming students.

The sound of laughter mixed with the announcements coming from the speakers.

Someone ran past her.

“I'm going to be late!”

“It's the first day!” someone shouted after him.

“I KNOW!”

Tessa laughed.

She adjusted her bag.

Then she walked through the gate.

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She was halfway through the academic building when someone suddenly sneaked up behind her.

“Tessa!”

A body collided with her back, nearly making her lose her balance. She quickly planted her feet firmly on the ground, managing to steady herself before the two of them could tumble over.

“Katie!” Tessa exclaimed, turning around with a mixture of surprise and annoyance.

Katie only laughed at her reaction. She wrapped her arms around Tessa's shoulders.

“I missed you!”

“We just saw each other last week.”

“That was seven days. Still a long time.”

Tessa rolled her eyes but smiled at her friend's attitude.

“You didn't answer my messages.”

“I did.”

“Eventually.”

“You sent me twelve.”

“Fourteen.”

“That doesn't make it better.”

Katie grinned.

She looked exactly like she always did.

Energetic.

Bright.

Impossible to ignore.

Invading personal space.

She immediately hooked her arm around Tessa's.

“Come on.”

“Where?”

“Our classroom.”

“You don't know where it is?”

“I know the building.”

“That isn't the same thing.”

“It'll be fine.”

Tessa laughed.

“You said that last year.”

“And we survived.”

“Barely.”

Katie looked around the courtyard.

“I missed this place.”

“You complained about it all year.”

“I can complain about something and miss it.”

Tessa smiled.

“That sounds like you.”

“Exactly.”

They walked toward the academic building.

Katie continued talking.

She talked about her summer.

Her new art supplies.

Her cousin.

A movie she hated.

A teacher she hoped wouldn't teach them again.

Tessa listened.

She didn't need to say much.

That was how their friendship worked.

Katie filled the space.

Tessa made sure she never had to fill it alone.

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“Katie! Tessa!”

A familiar voice called from behind them.

They stopped in their tracks and turned toward the voice.

It was Ethan, in his school uniform with a basketball tucked beneath his arm. Beside him was Zion, who was also in his school uniform. Both looked messy, with their ties crooked and their hair looking as though they had just woken up. Their blazers were draped on their shoulders, while the long white sleeves were folded up to their elbows.

“You two look like a mess this early in the morning,” Katie said, sounding a little disgusted.

“Still looks good, though,” Ethan said, grinning.

Katie let out an exasperated groan. Tessa shook her head and looked at Zion.

“Fix that.” Tessa pointed at his tie.

He looked down.

“Oh.”

He didn’t move. Tessa sighed and moved closer to him.

“Give me that.” She reached for his tie and fixed it for him.

Zion stood still.

Ethan and Katie exchanged a glance before turning their attention to them. A small teasing smile formed on their lips as they watched these two fools who looked like an old married couple.

“There.”

“Thanks.”

“How about me?” Ethan pointed at his crooked tie.

Tessa frowned. “Fix it yourself.”

“Ouch! You only care about Zion,” Ethan said, pretending to be hurt.

“You have a sister.” Tessa pointed at Katie, who shook her head.

“No.”

Zion laughed at them.

“Let me carry that.” Zion took Tessa’s backpack, making Katie smile.

Tessa noticed her reaction.

“Don’t start.”

“What? I’m not doing anything!”

“Just don’t, chatterbox.” Tessa continued walking. Katie opened her mouth, then closed it again.

Ethan and Zion laughed.

They continued walking toward the academic building.

The four of them had known each other since the beginning of high school.

Tessa and Katie’s friendship began when they were in their first year of high school. What started as a simple conversation between seatmates slowly turned into shared lunches, inside jokes, and non-stop bantering with each other.

Ethan and Zion met through basketball. They started as teammates, then became friends, and eventually found themselves spending more time together outside the court. Through them, their paths eventually crossed with Tessa and Katie.

Years passed, and the four of them formed their own little group.

They weren't always together, and they certainly didn't always agree. They teased each other, argued over the smallest things, stole food from one another, and occasionally got on each other's nerves. But somehow, they always ended up together again.

By the time they reached Grade 10, their friendship had become so natural that none of them remembered when it had stopped being just friendship and started feeling like home.

They were already at the entrance of Academic Building B when a group of boys called out to Zion.

“Hey, Zion!”

Zion turned.

One of them grinned when he saw Tessa standing beside him.

“So that’s why you suddenly left the court.”

The other boys looked at Tessa and smiled teasingly.

“The lovebirds are back.”

Tessa groaned while Zion only laughed.

“Never gets old.”

“When will you two make it official, huh?” The other guy draped his elbow over Tessa’s shoulder, which was immediately removed by Zion. The two exchanged a fleeting glance, but it was over in an instant—unnoticed by everyone around them.

“It’s not funny anymore,” Tessa said, not noticing what just happened.

“It is to us.” All of them, including Katie and Ethan, said it together.

“Just… just go to your own classroom. It’s the first day of the school year and you’re all making my head hurt.” Tessa waved them off with a dismissive flick of her hand.

The boys laughed.

“See you at lunch,” Ethan said, throwing an arm around Zion's shoulder.

“Same spot,” Katie reminded them.

Zion nodded. “We'll be there.”

“Don't be late,” Tessa added.

Zion raised an eyebrow. “You're telling me that?”

“Yes.”

He chuckled and shook his head.

“Come on,” Ethan said, pulling him along. “We're already wasting time.”

The two boys walked away with the rest of their friends, heading toward the staircase that led to the Senior High classrooms on the second and third floors.

Katie watched them for a moment before turning to Tessa.

“Come on. We're going to be late too.”

Tessa adjusted the strap of her bag and followed her toward the Grade 10 classrooms on the first floor.

The hallway was already beginning to fill with students. Voices echoed through the corridors, classroom doors opened and closed, and teachers called for students to settle down.

It was the beginning of another school year.

Another year of classes.

Another year of lunch at the Quiet Corner.

Another year with the same people beside her.

At least, that's what Tessa thought.

She had no idea that the year ahead would slowly change everything she thought she knew about her future—and about the people she had always considered a permanent part of her life.

For now, though, she simply followed Katie down the familiar hallway, unaware that this would be the last time everything felt quite this simple.