CHAPTER 5: Shadows of Memory
546 Words
Chapter 5: Shadows of Memory
Yarra sat quietly at the farthest corner of the classroom the next day. Her head was low, her eyes fixed on her notebook — but her mind was a storm.
She could still feel his lips on hers.
Still feel the heat of anger, shock, and confusion.
“What the hell was that kiss for?!” she thought, scribbling random lines on her paper, frustrated.
“Yarra,” Jenny whispered beside her. “You okay?”
She quickly nodded. “Yeah. Just tired.”
But it was a lie.
She had been avoiding Zarred Altamonte since that incident in the garden. Every time she saw his tall frame or heard Josh’s loud teasing voice, she would quickly turn the other way. She didn’t even tell Rahya what happened. How could she? It didn’t make sense.
Why would a complete stranger kiss her?
And why… did it feel strangely familiar?
---
Meanwhile…
Zarred leaned against the old tree behind the gym building, trying to focus on the music in his headphones. But his thoughts kept drifting back to the girl in the garden. Her face, her voice, her eyes when she slapped him.
“Who are you?” he whispered to no one.
"Hoy!" Josh interrupted, tossing a soda can at him. “Ba’t ka tulala d’yan? Thinking about your mystery girl again?”
Zarred caught the can, irritated. “Shut up.”
“Wow, nagalit,” Josh teased. “Teka, don’t tell me you actually like someone?”
Zarred stood. “I don’t even know her.”
Josh laughed. “But you kissed her, bro.”
Zarred didn’t answer.
The truth was — since that day — he had started having dreams.
Dreams of a small garden, mango trees, a swing. A girl in a blue dress holding daisies. A promise. A pendant.
But every time he woke up, the images would fade like smoke.
He didn’t know why, but Yarra made him feel something familiar. Something buried deep.
---
Later that Week
Yarra found herself walking alone to the library after lunch, hoping to escape the noise. She passed the bulletin board and accidentally bumped into someone — again.
Her eyes widened when she saw who it was.
Zarred.
He looked just as surprised.
Neither of them spoke at first.
Then Zarred said, “You’ve been avoiding me.”
“I had a reason.”
He nodded. “I deserved the slap.”
Yarra raised an eyebrow. “You think?”
Zarred looked at her seriously. “I don’t know why I did it. I just… felt something. Familiar.”
Yarra paused. Her heart skipped a beat. “Familiar?”
He leaned closer, lowering his voice. “Do you… remember a garden?”
She froze.
He continued, “A swing? A mango tree? A girl with daisies?”
Yarra stepped back slowly, her fingers instinctively reaching for her pendant hidden beneath her uniform.
“You… you can’t be—” she whispered.
Zarred blinked. “Wait… what did you say?”
But Yarra shook her head and walked away.
She wasn’t ready to believe it yet.
Not now.
But in her chest, her heart was pounding wildly.
Because suddenly, the boy from her past…
might not be gone after all.
- Writer
