FIVE YEARS BETWEEN US

CHAPTER - 03

The Earliest Evan Had Ever Woken Up

Luna knew something was wrong at exactly six-thirty in the morning.

Not because she heard a scream.

Not because someone had broken something.

And definitely not because the house was on fire.

Something far more concerning had happened.

Evan was awake.

Luna stood at the bottom of the stairs, staring at her younger brother as he walked past her for the fourth time.

Upstairs.

Downstairs.

Upstairs.

Downstairs.

She slowly looked at the clock.

6:32 A.M.

Then she looked back at Evan.

He was fully dressed.

Hair fixed.

Bag packed.

Shoes on.

Luna narrowed her eyes.

"Evan."

He stopped.

"What?"

"What are you doing?"

He looked down at himself.

"Walking."

"I can see that."

"Then why did you ask?"

"Because you've walked up and down these stairs four times."

He looked offended.

"Maybe I enjoy stairs."

Luna stared at him.

"You?"

"Yes."

"The same Evan who considers waking up before nine a personal attack?"

He looked away.

"I've changed."

Luna slowly smiled.

"Oh."

Evan immediately pointed at her.

"Don't."

"Celestia."

"I'm going to university."

"Celestia."

"I have classes."

"Celestia."

"Why are you repeating her name?"

Luna folded her arms.

"Why are you dressed like you're going to receive an award?"

Evan looked down at his shirt.

It was a normal shirt.

A perfectly normal black shirt.

He had only changed it three times.

That wasn't important.

"It's university."

"Exactly."

"What does that mean?"

"You usually go wearing whatever shirt survives your bedroom floor."

"That's not true."

"Evan, last week you wore your shirt inside out."

He looked genuinely offended.

"That happened once."

"Twice."

He grabbed his bag.

"I'm leaving."

Luna stepped in front of him.

"Wait."

"What now?"

"You're going early."

"So?"

"You've never gone early."

"I have."

"When?"

"Last—"

He stopped.

Luna waited.

He had absolutely no answer.

Her smile grew wider.

"You think Celestia is going to university."

His eyes widened.

"I don't think that."

"She goes to your university."

"I know."

"And you think you'll see her."

"I might see her."

"Ah."

He immediately regretted speaking.

Luna gasped.

"Oh my God."

"Don't start."

"YOU WANT TO SEE HER!"

"I see people at university every day!"

"But not with that face."

"What face?"

"The face you have right now."

Evan quickly touched his face.

"My face is normal."

Luna burst out laughing.

"You're hopeless."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He walked toward the front door.

Luna followed.

"Evan!"

"What?"

"She's already gone."

He froze.

Slowly, very slowly, he turned around.

"What?"

"Celestia."

His face became blank.

"She left early this morning."

"Why?"

Luna blinked.

"Why do you care?"

"I don't."

"You just asked why."

"Because—"

He stopped.

Luna waited.

"Because she's new to the city."

Luna smiled.

"She went somewhere with Dad. She had some university paperwork to finish."

Evan stood there silently.

Then looked at the clock.

Then at the front door.

Then back at Luna.

"So I woke up early for nothing."

Luna patted his shoulder.

"Not nothing."

He looked hopeful.

She smiled sweetly.

"Character development."

Evan stared at her.

"I hate you."

"I love you too."

---

The university security guard had known Evan for almost two years.

He knew Evan's bike.

He knew Evan's laugh.

He knew that Evan almost never arrived before the first bell.

So when a familiar motorcycle entered the university gates at seven-fifteen in the morning—

The security guard stared.

Evan stopped his bike.

The security guard looked at him.

Evan looked at the security guard.

Neither spoke.

Finally, the guard leaned closer.

"Everything okay?"

Evan removed his helmet.

"Yes?"

"You're early."

"I know."

"Are you sick?"

Evan frowned.

"Why does everyone think I'm sick?"

The security guard looked at the empty campus.

Then at Evan.

"Because you are here."

Evan sighed.

"Have a nice day."

"You too, Mr. Early Bird."

Evan shook his head and drove away.

Unfortunately, the universe still hated him.

Because Celestia was nowhere to be seen.

---

By eight o'clock, Evan's three best friends had arrived.

They were impossible to miss.

Not because they were loud.

Actually

They were loud.

Very loud.

But mostly because together, they looked like the kind of group that made people turn their heads when they walked past.

There was Ryan the calm one.

At least, he pretended to be.

Daniel the dramatic one.

Everything in Daniel's life was apparently a tragedy.

And Noah the quietest of the four.

Which wasn't saying much.

Evan had known them since his first year.

Together, they were known by almost everyone at university.

The football team.

The four boys who were always getting into trouble.

The group responsible for at least fifty percent of the noise on campus.

"Evan!"

Daniel stared at him.

Evan looked up.

"What?"

Daniel looked at his watch.

Then at Evan.

Then back at his watch.

"Who are you?"

Evan frowned.

"Very funny."

"No. Seriously. Evan doesn't arrive before me."

Ryan appeared beside them with coffee.

"Maybe he finally discovered responsibility."

Noah looked Evan up and down.

"Or love."

Evan nearly choked.

"What?"

The three of them exchanged looks.

Daniel slowly smiled.

"Oh."

"Don't."

"Someone likes someone."

"I don't like anyone."

Ryan took a sip of his coffee.

"Your ears are red."

"They're not."

Noah nodded.

"They are."

Evan grabbed his bag.

"I'm going to class."

Daniel gasped dramatically.

"He's going to class too?"

"Should we call his mother?" Ryan asked.

"Maybe the university should give him an award," Noah added.

Evan walked away.

Behind him, their laughter followed.

---

The professor stopped writing halfway through his sentence.

Evan entered the classroom.

The entire room went silent.

The professor turned slowly.

Then looked at the clock.

Then back at Evan.

"Evan?"

Evan smiled.

"Good morning, sir."

The professor stared.

"What happened?"

Evan blinked.

"Nothing?"

"You are early."

Evan sighed.

"Everyone knows."

"Mr. Williams, you have arrived before your friends."

"Thank you?"

The professor slowly nodded.

"Please sit down before I become concerned."

Evan walked toward his seat.

Ryan, Daniel, and Noah followed behind him.

The professor looked at all four of them.

His expression immediately changed.

"Your project."

Silence.

Evan stopped.

Daniel stopped.

Ryan slowly closed his eyes.

Noah looked at the ceiling.

The professor narrowed his eyes.

"You did bring your projects?"

Evan turned toward his friends.

Daniel whispered.

"Don't move."

Ryan whispered back.

"That doesn't help."

The professor crossed his arms.

"Evan?"

Evan slowly smiled.

"Define bring."

"Outside."

Evan's smile disappeared.

"Sir "

"Outside."

"Sir, I woke up early today."

"Outside."

"I came to class early."

"Mr. Evan."

"That's unfair."

"OUT."

Five minutes later, the four of them sat outside the classroom.

Evan leaned against the wall.

Daniel looked at him.

"You woke up at six for this."

Evan glared.

"I know."

Ryan laughed.

"Historic."

Noah shook his head.

"You came early and still forgot the project."

Evan covered his face.

"Nobody talk to me."

Daniel leaned closer.

"So."

Evan didn't look at him.

"No."

"You haven't told us why you're early."

"No."

"Is it a girl?"

Evan looked up.

"No."

The three of them smiled.

Daniel placed a hand dramatically over his heart.

"It's definitely a girl."

Evan stood.

"I'm going to football practice."

"Classes?"

"Don't care."

"Your education?"

"Don't care."

"Your future?"

Evan pointed at Daniel.

"Especially don't care."

---

Celestia

Celestia had forgotten how much she loved being a student.

Maybe it was because this time, she wasn't seventeen and terrified.

Maybe it was because she had chosen this degree for herself.

Or maybe it was simply because the campus was beautiful.

She walked slowly through the university grounds, holding a folder against her chest.

Students moved around her.

Some rushed toward classes.

Some sat beneath the trees.

Others were gathered around small food stalls, laughing loudly as though they had nowhere important to be.

Celestia smiled.

A new city.

A new university.

A new beginning.

She liked the sound of that.

Her first morning had been spent finishing paperwork and finding her department.

Then she'd somehow ended up making three wrong turns before reaching the cafeteria.

A girl sitting outside had noticed her confused expression.

"You're lost, aren't you?"

Celestia smiled.

"Is it that obvious?"

"You're holding the campus map upside down."

Celestia looked down.

"Oh."

The girl laughed.

And just like that, Celestia had spent the next twenty minutes talking to someone she had only just met.

By lunchtime, she had two new phone numbers.

A list of the best food places near campus.

And strict instructions to never trust the vending machine near the library.

"Why?"

"Trust me."

Celestia didn't ask.

Some university mysteries were better left unexplored.

She was walking back toward the main building when she heard cheering.

Loud cheering.

Celestia stopped.

Her eyes followed the sound.

A large crowd had gathered near the sports area.

"What is that?" she asked a student walking past.

"Football practice."

"That many people watch practice?"

The girl smiled.

"Not usually."

Celestia looked confused.

"Then why?"

The girl pointed toward the field.

"The university team."

Celestia followed her finger.

And stopped.

Four boys were standing near the side of the field.

Even from a distance, they were impossible to miss.

The students around them were laughing.

Someone shouted Evan's name.

Celestia blinked.

Evan?

She moved a little closer.

Sure enough, there he was.

Her Evan.

Well.

Not her Evan.

Definitely not her Evan.

She immediately frowned at her own thoughts.

But there he was.

Wearing a football jersey.

His hair slightly messy.

Laughing with three other boys.

For a moment, Celestia simply watched.

This was different.

At home, Evan had been teasing.

Confident.

But there was still something familiar about him.

Here

He looked completely comfortable.

Like the entire university belonged to him.

Someone threw him the ball.

Evan caught it easily.

A group of students cheered.

Celestia smiled despite herself.

"So that's why Luna said he's changed."

She stepped closer to the fence.

Evan moved across the field.

Fast.

Confident.

The ball remained close to his feet as he passed another player.

Then another.

His friends shouted something.

Evan laughed.

He looked toward the goal.

One player tried to stop him.

Evan moved past him.

The crowd cheered louder.

He was about to shoot.

And then—

His eyes found hers.

Celestia.

Standing beside the field.

Watching him.

Evan froze.

The ball continued moving.

His foot missed.

The easiest goal of his life rolled directly past him.

Silence.

Then—

"EVAN!"

The entire field exploded.

Daniel fell to the ground laughing.

Ryan stared at him in disbelief.

Noah slowly looked toward the side of the field.

Then at Evan.

Then back at Celestia.

"Oh."

Evan stood completely still.

Celestia covered her mouth.

Trying not to laugh.

Trying.

Failing.

His eyes widened.

She was laughing.

At him.

After eight years.

The first time she saw him play football

He missed an open goal.

Fantastic.

Absolutely fantastic.

Daniel shouted from across the field.

"EVAN! WHAT WAS THAT?"

Evan pointed at him.

"Shut up!"

Ryan yelled.

"Nobody was even defending you!"

"SHUT UP!"

Then Celestia laughed again.

And Evan's anger immediately disappeared.

Just like that.

Because she was laughing.

And apparently—

That was enough.

Evan walked toward the side of the field.

The crowd moved slightly as he approached.

Celestia raised an eyebrow.

"Nice goal."

Evan stopped.

His jaw dropped.

"That was cruel."

"I thought you were good."

"I am good."

"Really?"

"Very."

Celestia folded her arms.

"Could have fooled me."

Behind Evan, his friends began laughing again.

Evan looked at her.

Then smiled.

"You're distracting."

Celestia blinked.

"What?"

Evan realized what he had said.

Daniel made a choking sound behind him.

Ryan covered his face.

Noah whispered something that sounded suspiciously like, "He's finished."

Celestia stared at Evan.

Evan smiled.

Like he hadn't just accidentally confessed that seeing her made him forget how football worked.

"I mean," he corrected smoothly, "new people aren't allowed to stand there. It's against university rules."

Celestia looked around.

"There are twenty people standing here."

Evan glanced behind her.

Everyone immediately looked away.

Celestia smiled.

"Sure."

Evan stared at her.

She smiled wider.

And his heart did that stupid thing again.

The thing it had been doing since he was twelve.

The thing he thought eight years would eventually cure.

Apparently not.

Because there she was.

Standing beside his football field.

Laughing at him.

And Evan suddenly knew one thing.

He was in serious trouble.

Again.

Evan hadn't even taken three steps toward Celestia when Daniel grabbed his arm.

"Wait."

Evan looked at him.

"What?"

Daniel slowly turned toward the girl standing beside the field.

Then back at Evan.

His eyes widened.

"No."

Evan immediately knew what was coming.

"Don't."

Daniel pointed dramatically.

"Celestia?"

Evan closed his eyes.

Ryan looked between them.

"Wait."

Noah's eyebrows slowly rose.

"The Celestia?"

Evan opened his eyes.

"Yes."

Silence.

His three friends stared at him.

Then at Celestia.

Then back at him.

Daniel's mouth fell open.

"THAT CELESTIA?"

Evan grabbed his football.

"Why are there so many ways to say her name?"

Ryan stepped closer.

"Evan."

"No."

"Is that seriously her?"

"No."

All three of them stared.

Evan sighed.

"Yes."

Daniel looked personally offended.

"You're telling me the mysterious Celestia actually exists?"

Evan narrowed his eyes.

"Of course she exists."

"WE THOUGHT YOU MADE HER UP!"

Evan stared at him.

"Why would I make up a person?"

Noah folded his arms.

"Because you went on two blind dates with girls named Celestia."

Evan immediately pointed at him.

"That wasn't my fault."

Ryan laughed.

"It absolutely was."

---

The first time it happened, Evan had been nineteen.

His friends had spent three months complaining that he needed to start dating.

According to Daniel, Evan was "wasting his face."

Evan had no idea what that meant.

But apparently, it was serious.

So eventually, he agreed to let his cousin arrange a blind date.

Evan hadn't cared.

Not until his cousin said the girl's name.

"Her name is Celestia."

Silence.

Then Evan slowly turned around.

"What?"

His cousin frowned.

"Celestia."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes?"

"What does she look like?"

"I sent you a photo."

Evan didn't care about the photo.

"Where is she?"

His cousin stared.

"The restaurant."

Evan grabbed his jacket.

"Which restaurant?"

"Wait—Evan, you haven't even looked at—"

But he was already leaving.

His cousin had watched him run toward his motorcycle.

Run.

Evan.

The man who was usually late for everything.

And unfortunately...

The girl was not his Celestia.

She was very nice.

Very pretty.

Very confused.

Because Evan spent the first ten minutes looking at the restaurant entrance.

Just in case.

---

The second time was worse.

Much worse.

Daniel had arranged it.

Evan had repeatedly said no.

Daniel had repeatedly ignored him.

Then, one afternoon, Daniel walked into Evan's room.

"Blind date tonight."

"No."

"She's pretty."

"No."

"She's funny."

"No."

"Her name is Celestia."

Evan sat up.

Daniel smiled.

"Got you."

Evan stared.

"What?"

"Her name is Celestia."

"Why didn't you say that first?"

Daniel's smile slowly disappeared.

Evan was already standing.

"What time?"

Daniel stared at him.

"You were literally asleep."

"What time?"

"Evan."

"WHERE?"

Daniel slowly began to understand.

And Evan, unfortunately, was too distracted to realize he had just exposed himself.

He arrived at the restaurant thirty minutes early.

Thirty.

Minutes.

Early.

He had never been thirty minutes early for anything in his entire life.

The girl arrived.

Her name was Celestia.

She was not his Celestia.

Evan spent the next hour feeling like the universe was personally making fun of him.

---

"Wait."

Daniel's voice brought Evan back to the present.

Evan groaned.

"Don't."

Ryan stared at Celestia.

Then at Evan.

"Both blind dates."

"Don't."

"Both girls."

"I said don't."

"Both of them were named Celestia."

Noah slowly smiled.

"And you went to both dates without looking at their pictures."

Evan looked away.

"That's unrelated."

The three of them went silent.

Then Daniel laughed so loudly that people on the other side of the field turned around.

"UNRELATED?"

Evan kicked his football toward him.

"Shut up."

Daniel caught it.

"YOU RUSHED TO TWO BLIND DATES BECAUSE THE GIRLS HAD THE SAME NAME AS YOUR CHILDHOOD CRUSH!"

"Lower your voice!"

Ryan looked genuinely amazed.

"Eight years?"

Evan didn't answer.

Noah's expression softened slightly.

"You've liked her for eight years?"

Evan looked toward Celestia.

She was still standing beside the field.

Talking to one of the students.

Laughing.

Completely unaware of the conversation happening about her.

His smile disappeared.

Just slightly.

"Yeah."

His friends went quiet.

Daniel stopped laughing.

Ryan folded his arms.

Noah looked at Evan.

"You've never actually liked anyone else, have you?"

Evan didn't answer immediately.

He looked at the football beneath his feet.

Then back at Celestia.

"I tried."

Daniel frowned.

"Tried?"

Evan nodded once.

"The blind dates. Other girls. Whatever you guys kept forcing me to do."

Ryan watched him carefully.

"And?"

Evan smiled without humour.

"And every time, I compared them to someone else."

Noah looked toward Celestia.

"The real Celestia."

Evan nodded.

For a moment, nobody said anything.

Then Daniel placed a hand on Evan's shoulder.

"Wow."

Evan looked at him.

"What?"

Daniel wiped an imaginary tear.

"Our i***t is actually in love."

Evan pushed him away.

"Don't make it weird."

"It's been weird for eight years!"

Ryan laughed.

"Now everything makes sense."

Noah nodded.

"The early mornings."

Evan frowned.

"What early mornings?"

"You woke up early today."

Daniel gasped.

"Because of her!"

Evan immediately looked around.

"CAN YOU KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN?"

Too late.

Celestia turned.

Their eyes met.

Evan froze.

Daniel slowly whispered.

"He's done."

Evan glared at him.

Then looked back at Celestia.

She raised an eyebrow.

"What are you all shouting about?"

Daniel opened his mouth.

Evan stepped on his foot.

Hard.

Daniel smiled painfully.

"Nothing!"

Celestia looked suspicious.

Evan immediately smiled.

"Nothing."

She stared at him for a second longer.

Then shook her head.

"You're all weird."

She walked away.

The moment she was out of hearing distance, Ryan looked at Evan.

"So."

Evan sighed.

"What?"

"What are you going to do?"

Evan looked toward Celestia.

Eight years.

He had spent eight years believing she was nothing more than a childhood crush.

A silly memory.

Something he would eventually forget.

But she was here now.

Standing on his university campus.

Living in his house.

Laughing at his terrible football performance.

And Evan suddenly knew the truth.

He had never really forgotten her.

Maybe he never would.

"I have no idea," he admitted.

Daniel smiled.

"Good."

Evan frowned.

"Why is that good?"

"Because watching you fall in love is going to be the best entertainment of my life."

Evan picked up the football.

And threw it directly at him.

Daniel screamed.

Ryan laughed.

Noah stepped aside.

And for the first time in eight years

Evan's three best friends finally understood.

Celestia wasn't just a name.

She was the reason Evan had never truly given his heart to anyone else.

She had it long before she ever knew.