1 It Started With A Letter

It was just another morning, a windy Thursday morning. Crisan, a doll-like sixteen-year-old girl with double-eyelid childish eyes with curly eyelashes, pixie nose, and a small plump lips was wearing her uniform at a prestigious all-girls school black sweater over a white blouse and an A-line skirt and her brown oxford shoes with a knee-length socks, her hair was in a half pony that gives flow on her beautiful dark-brown hair. She was eating her toast and warm chocolate while reading a book. "Crisanta, here's your scarf," a middle-aged Creole yet light skin tone, brown curly hair tied in a bun woman wearing a wool sweater and said to her and handing her a thick black scarf, "it's windy outside".

"Oh! Thanks, mom", Crisan said to her.

"What are you reading?", her mom asked.

"This indie romance novel entitled 'Eternal With You' and I have to report on Tuesday", Crisan answered.

"Your teacher handed you a romance novel?" her mom asked looking confused.

"Not really, she just told us to find a book to write a book report on and dad told me that there were a bunch of old novels on the shelves at his study and I can just find whatever I see is interesting," Crisan said.

"Is it good ?", mom asked while picking up the plates on the dining table.

"It is if you like a tragedy," Crisan scoffed.

"Sounds realistic", her mom joked.

"Yeah! happy endings are overrated for high school English literature", Crisan chuckled.

"Whatever happened with happy endings? " her mom asked.

"Maybe, in reality, not everyone gets one but the tragedy is a bit too much", Crisan voiced her opinion, she looked at her phone to check the time and realized that she needs to go, she got up to put the book in her satchel school backpack and then she carried it on her shoulder. "I better get going, thanks for the scarf".

"Okay, have a great day", her mom said while starting to wash the dishes.

Crisan got out of her Tudor-style mansion and wore the black thick scarf she walked the pathway to school which was not that far from her house just fifteen blocks away. It was windy but it wasn't strong and it was cold that people need to wear something warm, she felt the cold wind gust on her. Eventually, the wind wasn't that strong so she took out the book from her bag then started reading it again as she was walking.

walking on his way to meet his friend in front of a cafe, a five-foot-seven tall, dark skin and handsome seventeen-year-old named Gage, wearing a casual white long-sleeve shirt that defines his thin yet well-built body and jogger pants minding his own business and about to call someone on his phone, "Hey! Courtney, it's me, I'm here right outside the Patty Cafe, where are you?" he asked.

"Sorry, I over-slept but don't worry I'm on my way there", said Courtney.

"It's okay, we just need to finish our history project today", he reminded.

"Let's just do half of the work done for today", she complained to him, "I have to go, I almost bumped an old lady while I ran".

"Alright, Courtney," he said to her then he puts down his phone and puts it on his pocket and just kept walking.

Crisan was about to pass by Patty Cafe and she was still reading the romance genre book. She turned a page then there was a thin envelope and it seems old because of the brownish color and the edges were black, and there was a name written on it at the back it was 'Marie' with thick black ink, a postal stamp and an address she never heard of. She stopped walking and got curious, she was about to reach it but the wind got stronger so the paper blew away, "Oh no," she gasped. So she chased that envelope then it just landed on the ground and it was ten feet away from her when the wind stopped. She does have a chance to get it once she got there but the wind swept it away again further and further and Crisan had a hard time catching up but she was determined to get it but then it blew on the left side of the path so she ran to it again. Gage was about to cross a pathway just to get to Patty Cafe to wait for Courtney. The wind blew the envelope through the pathway then it stopped when it gets to Gage's eye level so it suddenly caught his attention and then just like that, the wind stopped so he watched the envelope fell on the ground in front of his shoes. He got curious so he picked it up and took a closer then he turned it and he reads 'Marie' at the back. He got puzzled when he saw the name and looked to his right if someone might've lost it but Crisan was still in a distance to know that someone might've found it and then suddenly, the wind turned up again and it got stronger. He didn't hold the envelope tightly then it flew off from his hands, Gage was taken aback for a second and to him, it was unusual so then he shrugged it off and continued to cross the path then got Patty Cafe and stood in front of it and didn't think too much about the envelope. The wind carried envelope across the intersection road then it landed on a tree where it was in the corner end of the bridge and road across the front of Patty Cafe. Crisan appeared and stood where Gage saw the envelope and she still wants to get the letter however she didn't know where it has gone, Gage saw her at the corner end of the pathway where he stood and he saw her and then looked at her from her brown oxford shoes to her black to her white uniform and then her intriguing appearance and it looked like she was searching for something which she was though and Crisan was so focused on that letter that she wasn't even aware that someone was there. Her head was wondering around finding that letter then she looked at the tree and then there she found it. Since no cars were coming, she just crossed in the middle of the intersection road and Gage continued to watch her quietly. Once she got there, her mouth dropped once she saw the letter at a tree crown behind the bridge sides and out of her reach but she still can see it. She was clenching and cracking her knuckles out of stress thought of going up the bridge side since it was three and a half feet, she first looked at her phone to check the time and she still has twenty minutes left before school starts and she looked around to see if there was someone else in the area to stop her from doing what she was about to be doing and in a hurry, she didn't even looked at the Patty Cake way so she still didn't know that someone, Gage, was there still watching her. So she puts down her bag at the side and turned to the tree and the bridge side. She puts both of her hands at the platform bridge sides and pulled herself up and then puts her one knee after the other on the platform. She was on her knees on the platform and saw the strong stream under the bridge, she gulped. She immediately looked up to not think about falling off, Gage was in disbelief that she got up on the bridge side platform. Crisan grabbed the tree trunk to hold on to something and slowly stood up and kept looking up nervously. She grabbed a branch with her left hand and the other to reach the letter at the side of the tree crown. She had a hard time reaching it so she does something crucial, she moved almost to the edge, Gage still stood there started to worry for her safety somehow. Crisan slides her left foot a little to get a better reach, she stretched her arm a little more and she was almost there but she has to move a little bit more but it means she has to be more careful so the metatarsals part of her shoe helped her hold on the platform and the other foot was on the air. She carefully stretched her arm and she had a great chance of getting the envelope. Her pointy and middle finger was about to make a tweezer so she can get the tip of the envelope, Gage suddenly got concerned he dropped his shoulder bag on the ground and walked fast toward her while she was about to successfully caught the paper. Gage instinctively went to her but Crisan was so focused and that she was getting closer and closer to getting the letter then finally she got it with the tweezer of her two fingers then she fully held it to her hand tightly. Gage came behind her feeling distressed for her, "Hey! look out!", he yelled at her. Crisan got startled and quickly turned her head looked behind her and took a quick look at him but before she could react, she lost her focus so her foot slipped and she lost the grip on the branch and was about to fall off the bridge, she shrieked as her body swayed towards the side of the stream. Gage quickly grabbed her left elbow and her waist and pulled her to safety but as he hauled her off the platform, her body swayed on her back and tear a fabric off of the sleeve on her sweater yet she still held the envelope tightly in her hand. Gage, the strong guy that he was, still has his hands on her and caught her over his arms and her feet were harmlessly placed on the ground. Crisan's eyes were closed when she was on his arms, she thought she fell on the ground, "It's okay, I got you", Gage told her, she realized that she wasn't on the ground so she slowly opened her and saw Gage's handsome face with beautiful olive-green eyes looking back at her as her eyes got wide and got stunned then got speechless.

"Uhmm...", she uttered still feeling in disbelief that she nearly fell off a bridge. She then realized that she was on his arms so she got off and stood up and was still in shock.

Gage saw she was shaking, gasping and looked pale and cracking her knuckled again and not knowing she was holding the letter so he got concerned for her, "Are you alright?", he asked her.

She choked and couldn't voice out her response so then she nodded. Crisan took a deep breath then she opened her mouth, "Ahh...yeah, I am...now", she stuttered and still feeling in shock from almost falling to her death and talking to an attractive guy.

"Are you sure?", he asked again because from what he was seeing she looked like she saw a ghost, "are you hurt?"

"Yeah, I mean no, I'm fine," she nervously answered both questions at him.

"Okay, just relax for a second" Gage told her as he sees she might still in shock.

Crisan nodded at him again then she took a deep breathes since not only she was on trauma, her heart skipping a beat just look at him and his gentle smile then she leaned on the bridge side then puts her right hand on her chest, she looked down then saw that she actually was holding the envelope so she held it up to see if it was the envelope. Gage was also looking at it and once he got better a glimpse, he did recognize that it was the envelope that he found on the streets. Both of their mouths dropped but then Crisan was ecstatic, "Yes, I got it ", she said with a sigh of relief, "now, I'm okay".

Gage looked at the envelope then at her then at the envelope then back at her with his mouth open, "Wait", he asked then Crisan paused her contentment and looked at Gage, "that is yours?"

"Yeah", she lied since it wasn't actually for her but she did found it.

"So is that why you got up there? because of that letter?", Gage questioned her.

Crisan suddenly felt embarrassed, "I know, it's crazy", she responded to him.

"It must be a very important letter to do what you just did", Gage said to her, he couldn't admit to her that he saw the letter a while ago.

"Yeah", she sighed looking down then she remembered something then looked at him again, "I forgot to thank you for saving me just now".

"No problem", he said to her with his effortlessly handsome smile.

"I'm sorry, for all the trouble", she apologized to him.

"It's okay, I wasn't the one who almost fell off a bridge", Gage responded jokingly to her and chuckled.

Suddenly, Crisan's phone vibrates so she took out her phone and looked at it, there was a text message that said, 'Hey, Are you coming to school? where are you?'. Then she looked at the time and then she gulped, "Oh gosh, I have to go, I have less than fifteen minutes to get to school".

"Oh! yeah, of course," he said nodding his head to her.

She took her bag that she left on the side and started to walk backward at first facing him," Bye, and thanks again" she said to him with a friendly smile on her face.

"Bye", he said back to her and waved lightly.

Then she waved back him farewell after a few steps then she turned and walked across back to get back to the street on her way to her school. Once she got further from him, there was a big grin on her face and like any sixteen years old she felt that kind of romantic excitement from meeting a good-looking guy.

As for Gage, he watched her leave and he kind of felt indifferent yet he was happy to help even if it was just with anyone. Then he walked back to Patty Cafe saw Courtney, blond messy long-haired girl, wearing sweatshirt and leggings with white sneakers carrying an old backpack on her back and a paper bag on her other hand standing in front of the cafe, "finally, you came", Gage said to Courtney.

"So why were you talking with that church girl ?", Courtney asked him, apparently she saw him talking to Crissy, who was wearing her uniform and she noticed that from afar while she standing in front of Patty Cafe.

"What?", Gage said looking confused at her.

"That girl you were talking to about a minute ago", Courtney pointed out.

"Oh! her", Gage understood, "I'll explain later so anyways, let's go so we won't be late".

"Okay", Courtney responded then walked their way to school.

"By the way, did you bring the materials for our history report?", Gage asked her.

"Yes, it's in the bag," Courtney assured him and pointed at the paper bag she was carrying.

"Good," Gage said to her.

"I hope Dave finished his part of the work on making the Colosseum", Courtney said.

"Me too", he said to her, "We still have to work on the little villagers, the lava and we need something that can show the effects on volcanic ashes".

"Did I mention I hate history?", Courtney sighed.

"Don't worry, the sooner we finish the sooner we don't need to worry", Gage assured her.

"Well, I hope Dave finished making the Colosseum", Courtney hoped.

"He better ", Gage hoped too, "I have swim practice after school and I might not be able to help the next couple of weeks or so".

"So do I", she reminded him, "at least you're doing well, I need the grade to still be swimming or else I'm off".

"Really? is it that bad?", Gage asked her.

"Sort of," Courtney said feeling embarrassed, "I wasn't doing well in Algebra already".

"Did you ask for extra credit?", Gage asked her.

"Not yet," answered Courtney, "but I will ask for it later".

Gage showed his concern for her as a friend, "Don't worry, we'll figure this out", he reassured Courtney and she felt determined then they continue walking to school.

Later at St. Rebecca All-Girls School still fifteen minutes before classes will start, some girls got out of the school bus, some got out of their parent's car and others walked to school. A black curly long hair Latina girl wearing an A-line long sleeve dress uniform sitting on at the middle of the stairway entrance of the school was on her cell phone and waiting for someone, Crisan suddenly ran to her with a big smile on her face and then she stood two feet in front of her, "Tori!" Crisan greeted the girl gleefully, then she stopped looking at her phone and looked up to Crisan with a grin on her.

"Crissy!", Tori said cheerfully and then they linked their arms together to go inside their school. They were walking in the hallways heading to their lockers that were next to each other, "So are you still in for the photoshoot this Saturday with me and Munro?".

"Of course, I won't bow out to it", Crisan said to her.

"Yay!", Tori cheered. They got to their locker and opened them and then took out the books that they need for their class, "I picked out the perfect clothes that you'll wear from a thrift store".

"Can't wait to see them", Crisan said to her.

"Also let's discuss makeup later at lunch", Tori informed her.

"Sure", Crisan responded then she took out the book she was reading and Tori has her eyes on it then got it out of her hands. Crissy was kind of surprised but didn't say anything and let Tori looked at it.

"What's this?", Tori asked while holding the book and read the title, " 'Eternal with You'? Since when do you read hopeless romantic novels ".

"It's for a book report for English class", Crisan explained.

Tori turned the book to see what it was about, "Two star-crossed lovers, Caeus and Arina, were forbidden to see each other because of their two opposing families so they were separated by making Arina moved to a faraway town and arranged to marry noble", she reads the summary, "Sounds interesting, Where did you buy this book?".

"I found it at an old shelf in our attic, I think it was my dad's", Crisan answered. Then Tori gave the book back to Crisan then she puts it inside her locker.

"Okay, When you're done, can I borrow it?", Tori asked.

"Sure," Crisan said. Suddenly, the school bell rang and all of the students there went to their classes, "anyways, I'll see you in the third period".

" Right, see you", Tori said then carried their books and they went to their respective classes.

In Augustus High School, Gage and Courtney were in their algebra class. They were both sitting next to each other writing things down in their notebooks and their teacher, Mr. Halsey was discussing linear functions, "The two columns of floating-point values are the data columns, say a1 and a2, and can be taken as a matrix A. The two unknown values x1 and x2 can be taken as the coefficients of the equation and together form a vector of unknowns b to be solved", he lectured while pointing what he was teaching on a whiteboard.

"Could this get any more confusing," Courtney whispered to Gage.

Gage looked at her then get back to writing on his notebook, "just relax, it may be hard now but try to work on it later", Gage whispered to her.

"Easy for you to say, your one of those smart athletes in this school," Courtney pointed out to him, Gage rolled his eyes and chuckled. Then the bell rang which meant that class is over. Gage and Courtney then closed their notebook then put them in their bag.

"Hey! I struggle with stuff too you know", Gage said to her, they stood up and was about to walk out of the classroom.

"Courtney, I need to talk to you", Mr. Halsey called her.

Courtney looked worried, "just meet me by my locker", Gage whispered to her then went out the classroom and then Courtney went towards Mr. Halsey.

Gage walked in the hallways, "Yo! Gage", greeted a guy, with a messy shaggy brown hair and blue eyes and a couple of inches shorter than Gage wearing a blue jacket over a grey shirt and a khaki pants and worn-out sneakers, walked with Gage to his locker.

"Hey! Dave", Gage greeted him back.

"Where's Courtney?", Dave noticed "I need to talk about our history project".

"She's just talking with Mr. Halsey for while", Gage answered, "By the way, did you finished the Colosseum?".

"Yeah... about that," Dave responded feeling guilty.

Gage looked at his face then got worried "Oh... gosh, what happened?", Gage asked him nervously.

"It was an accident," Dave defended himself.

"How?", Gage asked again with a look of shock on his face.

"I was carrying it on my way here and I was in a hurry so I tripped and it dropped and well it's destroyed," Dave explained tensely and Gage's jaw dropped, "but not completely".

"We need better news than that", Gage said to him, "especially to Courtney, she is going to kill you".

"Don't you think I know that?", Dave claimed.

"Okay, where is it now?", Gage asked.

"In the study room", Dave answered. Once they got to the study room, Dave showed the damaged project to Gage, It was not destroyed but it seems impossible to be fixed.

"This looks bad", Gage cringed.

"We just need to fix this part of the Colosseum", Dave pointed out and trying to be optimistic.

"Okay, what's your plan?", Gage asked him.

"Uhm... I don't know yet", Dave replied looking clueless.

"Look, we need to finish this soon", Gage reminded him, " there are other things we have to complete, and I'm not sure if Courtney and I can help because of swim practice".

Courtney was looking for Gage and Dave and found them when in the study room through the doorway, "Hey! I thought you said to meet by your locker", she said to Gage and his face was staggered. Dave seems frozen stiff when he saw Courtney was there and then she saw the destroyed project, "what the hell happened?", looking at them very startled.

"I'm sorry, I can explain", Dave said nervously.

"Long-short story It was an accident", Gage answered instead to Courtney, "So now we need to think of how are we going to fix this?".

"I can kill him first", Courtney said angrily looking at Dave.

Dave felt bad and uncomfortable, "again, it was an accident", Gage reminded her.

"How?", She groaned to Dave.

"Let's just calm down and think," Gage suggested to them.

"Fine", Courtney said still feeling annoyed at Dave.

"Let's just work on the villagers, trees and all those things for today", Gage said to them.

"I agree", Dave responded.

"Don't drop them this time", Courtney glared to Dave.

"It was an accident", Dave reminded her but Courtney didn't want to hear it, "I said I'm sorry, I'll be careful this time".

"Fine", Courtney hesitantly forgave him, "let's just work on this ".

"Can we have lunch first?", Dave suggested. Gage and Courtney turned their heads on him and glared in response, "you know what? It wouldn't hurt to skip a meal".

Back in St. Rebecca School, Crisan and Tori were at their chill spot at a tree in their school garden eating sandwiches. "So about our hair and make-up plans for the shoot, I was thinking we'll just do it ourselves since make-up artists don't do it right", Tori talking to Crisan.

"Yeah, I suppose we can do that", Crisan responded to her

"So I have here some make-up and hair inspirations", Tori said as she took out photos of the style inspiration from her school bag then showed it to Crisan.

"Oh, cool," Crisan said looking at the photos.

"So here, we have the seducing summer, smokey dark shade eye shadow, winged eyeliner, and bold red lipstick or the other one which is sweet sunny, nude colors for eyes and lips yet more blush on the cheeks and thick brows".

"I'm going for sweet sunny since we will be at the park", Crisan suggested.

"Agree", Tori said to her then took out another couple of pictures, "now for hair, flirty curly or ordinary straight".

"Flirty curly", Crisan answered.

"I think we're all set", Tori said then put the pictures back in her bag then she faced Crisan again. She was about to say something to her then she looked confused when she suddenly saw something on Crisan's black sweater, there was a tear on the left elbow part on the sleeve,it was not that big of a tear but it was noticeable so then she points her finger on it, "Hey, what happened there ?".

Crisan didn't have a clue that there was a tear until Tori pointed it out so she lifts her elbow and was taken aback that there was tear so she took off her sweater and put it on her lap to get a better look. Crisan was trying to remember what happened then it hit her, "the bridge", she recalled.

Tori looked at her perplexed, "huh?", she questioned.

"I mean something happened to me this morning", Crisan answered.

"Wait, what?", Tori asked looking mix again, "what happened?".

"I almost fell off a bridge to get this letter", Crisan started to explain.

"Woah! back up, you almost fell off a bridge", Tori reacted, " for a letter? what letter?".

"I found this letter", Crisan told what happened this morning so then she opened her bag and took out the old letter and showed it to Tori, "in the book I was reading".

"Looks old", Tori responded then she saw the name written on it, "and who's Marie?".

Crisan shooked her head, "I don't know too," she said.

"So then what happened after that?", Tori asked again.

"The wind blew and somehow it landed on a tree across Patty Cafe so I climbed on the bridge and hold tree just to get it", Crisan said and Tori's eyes got wide, "and I slipped and I guess it caused the rip on my sweater and nearly fell".

"It's a good thing you didn't", Tori felt relieved.

"Yeah, if it wasn't for this cute guy", Crisan said but then Tori suddenly got all excited.

"A cute guy? what cute guy?", Tori gasped and interrupted then questioned in a giddy.

Crisan began smiling, "this cute guy came and saved me", she said.

"This is like a fairy tale", Tori said, "what does he look like?".

"He was kind of tall-ish, tan skin, well-built and oh yeah... olive green eyes", Crisan described the best in her memory of him.

"Sounds like tall, dark and handsome," Tori said to her, "did you get his name?"

"Oh no... I didn't even have the time to introduce myself to him", Crisan moaned.

"Aww... damn, did you at least talk to him?", Tori said to her.

"I just thanked him for saving me", Crisan said.

"Oh well", Tori expressed while she shrugged her shoulder, "so what's so important about that letter that made you cling to your death?"

"I don't know, I haven't read it but since it was in my dad's book, I just thought it might be important to him", Crisan explained to Tori.

"It better be, you nearly fell off a bridge ", Tori pointed out, "but, unless it means you'll be saved by a handsome stranger". Crissy rolled her eyes and annoyed by it but kind of smirked on what she said.

Then the school bell rang which means is it was time for their next class, "Ugh..." Tori reacted.

"Come on", Crissy said Tori who felt irritated to be in class then put the letter and fixed their stuff in their bag then got up from their chill spot and went back inside the school.

Later, class ends in Augustus High School, Gage and Courtney they were a varsity swim team and had their swim practice but Gage, wearing only his swim trunks and a towel over his shoulder, was sitting on the side with the other team member who was done with practice. Courtney and the other half of the team were racing in the pool, she was freestyling her way to win. She was such a gifted swimmer which made her an acceptable part of the team. "Come on, Court, you got this", Gage cheered for her knowing that she's ahead then as it was the last lap, she was on the lead and succeeded. She finished the race by first place.

"Great job, guys, especially you, Courtney ", Coach Griffin said, "now hit the showers let's do this again tomorrow".

Gage ran to the pool to get to Courtney. As he got there, he took out his hand to her then she grabbed his hands then Gage pulled her out of the pool, "thanks!", she said to him panting.

"You were awesome back there," Gage said to her then they high-fived each other.

"I know", she jokingly bragged to him then they laugh.

"Courtney, a word", Coach Griffin called her. Courtney walked to him looking puzzled, Gage stayed behind this time, "Courtney, what you did there was great".

"Thanks, coach", she said to him feeling confident.

"I'm not done, as much as I want you to compete against our school's rival, I can't allow you to", Coach Griffin said to her.

Courtney's mouth dropped since she was taken aback to what he just said to her, "Wait, what?" she said in a stunned, "why not?".

"Your grades are dropping, school rules state that you should maintain at least a 3.0 average", he explained to her.

Gage was listening from behind and heard the bad news and doesn't seem happy about it, "No, no, I have to compete", Courtney begged.

"I'm sorry, my hands are tied", he said to her, "fix this", then he walked past her.

Gage walked to her for comfort, "you okay?", he asked her.

"This is a disaster, I'm in a sports scholarship program and if I can't maintain this average I'll have to stop and I might not be here anymore", Courtney cried.

"Calm down", he said to her, "just set your priorities straight, and get the average you need to still be in the team".

"I'm already failing two subjects", Courtney whined then she sat down on a bench and put her hands on her head feeling like it's the end of the world. Gage then sat next to her and not sure what to say next.

"Don't worry, you'll get through this", Gage said to her.

"How?" she said trying to hold back tears.

"We've been in a worse situation before, like the time we almost failed four classes because of the coach back then made us practice every single day", Gage recollected to her.

"Oh yeah, it's a good thing, he's gone", she said.

"The point is if we can get through that then we'll get through this one too and I'll help out whenever I can", Gage explained her with motivation.

"I guess, you're right", she said to him.

"Now, come on, let's hit the showers", he said to her, "then we'll work on our history project".

"Yeah, thanks, Gage", she said to him starting to feel better.

"Of course," he said to her, "let's go, then so we can head to the study area before the school closes".

"Alright", she hesitantly responded to him.

Tori and Crissy walked home together from school, "Gosh, I can't wait for tomorrow", Tori said.

"Because it's Friday?" Crissy sarcastically asked her, "Plus we have work to do".

"Yeah, I don't mind that because it's Payday", Tori answered, "and yes because tomorrow is Friday".

"I know what you mean, I'm trying to save up", Crisan said to her.

"Me too plus I have to pay Munro for his 'services'" Tori said to Crisan.

"I don't get it, I know that he's our photographer for the shoot but he's still our friend," Crisan pointed out, "so why do you have to pay him, I don't think he asks for it ?"

"I know that, if it's another photographer then I'll have to pay the actual minimum", Tori explained to her, "but artists like us should not ask for free".

"I guess you're right, so how much are you gonna pay me?", Crisan jokingly asked her.

Tori stopped walking and looked at Crisan with her mouth wide open, Crisan looked at her reaction and started laughing, "shut up!" Tori said to her and then laughed.

"I got you there, didn't I ?" Crisan continued laughing.

"Okay, the last one to Red's Diner pays for the curly fries", Tori said to her then started runs pass Crisan. Then Crisan followed her and runs as well.

"Hey, I'll see you there first and you'll pay for my milkshake", Crisan said loudly to her while running. Then they race to Red's Diner.

Walking on the other side of the street, Gage and Courtney were walking with a change of outfit and semi-wet hair, "It's a good thing we finished making the villagers, and trees", said Courtney.

"Yep," Gage agreed, "all that's left are the grass and volcano, we still need to buy more materials".

"Okay, I'll see what I can get from the craft store", Courtney said to him.

"Thanks, Courtney and don't worry, we'll get a good grade when we present it", Gage assured her.

"No problem, I couldn't do this without you.... and Dave", Courtney said to him.

"It was an accident", Gage reminded her.

"I know," Courtney said to him, "it's just that I want to compete".

"You will, or else we'll lose", Gage pointed out, "you're one of the best swimmers in the team, you know? next to me".

"Yeah, right", Courtney said to him and she rolled her eyes.

"Are you still coming tomorrow for dinner with Mr. Gordon and the running club members?" Gage asked her.

"Yeah, I'm not gonna turn down on free food", Courtney answered.

"Great, I can't even wait for another running session", Gage said to her.

"Me too", Courtney responded, "it's the one thing, I can't be cut off because of my grades".

"I know what you mean," Gage said to her.

"Hah, I'm gaining", a voice appeared and it caught Gage and Courtney's attention while they were still walking then they looked around to see where it was coming from.

"What was that?", Courtney wondered.

Gage and Courtney were walking at the main street on a pathway then they looked at the opposite side of the road then saw Tori and Crisan racing each other. Gage did not immediately recognize Crisan from afar since she wasn't wearing her thick black sweater and scarf this time so he just watched them run. Crisan was on the lead and Tori was running behind her and the two of them were laughing while running like young children. "I'm gonna want that milkshake large", Crisan shouted and looking at her back to see Tori.

"No fair, I tripped on a crack ground", Tori defended out loud to Crisan.

Then there they go. Gage and Courtney, still walking, looked at each other for a while with a confused look on their face.

"I wonder what are those church girls up to?" Courtney said sarcastically.

"Church girls? why do you call them that?", Gage asked her.

"Oh right, your kind of new here", Courtney recalled, " you'll recognize them with their uniforms, it's this all-girls school about eight blocks from Patty Cafe called St. Rebeccas ".

"There's an all-girls school here?", Gage said who was taken aback since he just moved in the city when since last year but even though he adapts and knows some places in the city, he still doesn't know a lot like not knowing there was an all-girls school on the other side of the same area of his school.

"Yep, rumor has it is that there are a lot of 'old rich' families in this city and they like their daughters to enroll at that 'prestigious' school" Courtney explained to Gage and mocking a posh accent on old rich and prestigious.

"How come I never know this?" Gage wondered.

"Duh... it's only for girls so it's not much of a topic to talk about for guys and the school doesn't really compete with other co-eds school so yeah, it's not your fault if you haven't heard it", Courtney assured him, "that girl you were talking to this morning is one of them".

Gage was kind of surprised, "I see," he responded.

"I'm surprised those girls were not in their limos with a British accent driver", Courtney added.

"Maybe they don't have limos with a British driver", Gage jokingly said to her.

"Whatever ", Courtney said to him, "all I know is that those girls are not living in a real-world".

"Well... who knows", Gage shrugged it off but he was a bit stunned that he saved and talked to a church girl. Then they resumed walking home.

Perhaps there are life stories that started that fate might bring two people together and meet in unexpected ways but is it fate that brings two people together? or maybe this just happens just like that for them?

What they don't know is their worlds are smaller than they think.