"Greeting the Familiar Stranger"

“I’m sorry if we’ve met before, but I don’t know who you are,” Lucien said, trying to piece together the situation. “What’s your name?”

Celeste’s mouth stayed shut, trying to grasp what had just happened.

The distant chattering from the rest of the class slowly went silent as they started to pay attention to the scene before them.

Her memories seemed as real as every other event in her life, but somehow she was back in high school, as if nothing had happened.

As Adelaide moved closer, she whispered, “Celeste, do you know him?” trying to identify the boy in front of them.

The class’s stares felt blinding, as if they were on stage under harsh lights.

What happened? She didn’t know - But one thing was sure; they had gotten another chance.

The class’s attention was stolen by the teacher clearing his throat.

“I see you’ve met the new transfer student” he announced, focusing his sight on Celeste.

“Lucien, please come up and properly introduce yourself,” he continued. “You can flirt with Celeste after class.”

An awkward giggle filled the room as Celeste shyly returned to her seat, clenching her fist as she excitedly planned to take advantage of the situation she had been put in.

The universe had given us another chance at love, and there was no chance I was letting this go. It was meant to be.

She tried to calm herself, but her rosy cheeks and soft smile exposed her inner feelings as Lucien approached the front of the class.

She felt as if a weight she couldn’t bear was finally lifted off of her shoulders.

Lucien addressed the class, “My name is Lucien Valentin. I transferred from St. Mary’s school in Limburgeuse.”

The class gave their scripted reply, as instructed by the teacher.

“Nice to meet you, Lucien.” they said in unison.

The sound of thirty-some students greeting Lucien echoed throughout the corridor.

While Celeste was so absorbed in her thoughts that, ironically, she was the only one not to participate in the greeting the new student.

Even though it seemed like Lucien was greeting the entire class, his eyes were fixated on Celeste.

His mind was completely captivated by the event that had just transpired between them.

She looked pretty cute, although she seemed a little crazy, he laughed to himself.

Slowly they both drifted off into daydreams about each other, Lucien about the future, yet Celeste about the past.

However, that fantasy was short-lived for both of them as the teacher snapped them back to reality, “Lucien, please take a seat. Let’s start our introductions for the first day.”

As Lucien returned to his seat, the class unanimously decided to play two-truths-and-a-lie, from the provided options.

As the class rearranged their chairs into a circle, the loud scrapes could be heard throughout the school.

As the sounds faded, the teacher announced the order of the game, “Lucien, since you’re new, you go first. We’ll go clockwise afterwards.”

“Do you know how to play two-truths-and-a-lie?” he continued.

“Yes, sir,” Lucien replied

As the room gradually silenced itself, to focus on Lucien, he opened the conversation with his introduction.

“Okay, I guess.. I have two dogs, I went on vacation to the United States, and my favorite show is Jujutsu Kaise—

“That’s the lie! Your favorite show is Attack on Titan!” Celeste cut him off.

Everyone turned towards her, confused by her abrupt statement.

“I thought you didn’t know him?” Adelaide blurted out, while concealing her smile, trying to find out how Celeste knows this.

Is she stalking me? What the hell?, Lucien thought.

First that interaction, now this? Have we met before?

“How.. do you know that?” he asked, contemplating where she garnered that information from.

Celeste realized that she had messed up, using knowledge she obtained during their relationship

As everyone centered Celeste, awaiting an answer from her, she had completely shut down, trying to find an answer.

As she scoured the room with her eyes for any support, she spotted her savior in this situation: an Attack on Titan pin, placed on the center of his bag.

“Well, it’s obvious.” she laughed, “That pin on your bag gave it all away!”

“Oh thank God, I wondered if I was being stalked.” Lucien replied, allowing Celeste to relax, knowing that she had saved herself.

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As the day slowly concluded, Lucien approached her as she was getting her bag, still carrying that youthful smile Celeste remembered.

“Celeste was it, right?” he asked her.

“Yea, It’s nice to meet you,” she replied, “How old are you?”

Making herself act like she didn’t know him, and asking these questions was going to drive her crazy. A bittersweet feeling filled her, as she understood that he didn’t know anything about her, but meeting again was a nice feeling.

“I’m seventeen, you?” he replied, while making his way around her desk, resting his arms on the desk adjacent to it.

“Me too,” she replied, as she grabbed her firm leather bag, ready to leave for home.

As she turned her body towards him as to continue their conversation, he titled his head towards her, exactly how he used to.

His lustrous black hair swept to the side as his deep hazel eyes stared into her, and his face revealed a subtle smile that Celeste couldn’t help but reciprocate.

“Can I ask you something?” Lucien asked. “How did you know my name before?”

As his question wrapped up, the faint chatter of classmates could be heard down the hall.

A rapid heartbeat could be heard pounding in Celeste’s chest.

Gesturing at the blue notebook resting in Lucien’s hands, she said: “Well it’s written right there. Don’t accuse me for being for observative.”

As their eyes meet again, she lets out a subtle laugh, he chuckles under his breath, and suddenly their overlapping laughs make the room feel a lot less quiet.