Chapter 3 Fate’s First Move

Briar’s POV

Briar stood at the front of the classroom, her heart racing. “Hello, my name is Briar. I am from—” she paused, her nerves causing her to stumble over her words, “It’s nice to meet you all.”

The classroom buzzed with whispers and curious glances. As she returned to her seat, Briar caught a glimpse of Angelo. He sat in the middle of the room, his dark hair tousled and his eyes focused intently on her, a slight smile playing on his lips. For a moment, the world around her faded, and all she could think about was the way his presence ignited a warmth inside her.

“Thank you for that,” said Mrs. Amato, the teacher who had been observing Briar's introduction. She was striking, with vibrant red hair that framed her face and brown eyes that sparkled with enthusiasm. “My name is Mrs. Amato, and I will be your general education professor. You are all in my care this semester, so let’s make it a good one. Remember, you are my responsibility, so don’t make my job harder than it needs to be. Understand?”

“Briar!”

Briar snapped out of her thoughts, her cheeks flushing as the teacher’s voice broke through her daydream. “Yes, do you understand?” Mrs. Amato asked, her brow raised in expectation.

“Yes, ma’am,” Briar replied quickly, trying to suppress her embarrassment.

“Good. I would like you to take a seat next to Angelo,” Mrs. Amato instructed, gesturing toward an empty desk beside him.

Briar’s heart skipped a beat as she made her way across the room. As she settled into her seat, she could feel Angelo’s gaze on her, an intensity that made her stomach flutter. “Hey,” he said softly, flashing her a smile that sent her heart racing.

“Hi,” Briar replied, her voice barely above a whisper. She could hardly concentrate on the lesson, the air around them charged with an unspoken connection.

Mrs. Amato continued explaining the rules and expectations of the class, but Briar’s mind drifted. She found herself stealing glances at Angelo, fascinated by the way he listened attentively, his brow furrowed in concentration. She couldn’t help but wonder about the history between them, the past lives that seemed to bind them together, even if she didn’t fully understand it yet.

“Alright, class,” Mrs. Amato said, snapping Briar back to reality. “I’d like each of you to partner up for a project that will explore the concept of identity. You’ll have to work closely with your partner, so choose wisely.”

Briar's heart raced again. This was the perfect opportunity to get to know Angelo better, but it also meant she had to figure out how to navigate the growing tension between him and Celeste.

“Looks like we’re partners,” Angelo said, a hint of excitement in his voice.

“Yeah,” Briar replied, trying to keep her voice steady. “I guess we are.”

As they exchanged ideas, Briar felt a sense of camaraderie building between them, yet the shadow of Celeste loomed over her thoughts. Would Celeste see this as a threat? The rivalry felt inevitable, and Briar wondered how it would play out as the semester progressed.