— Good start to the school year, babe! — Jake's mom's warm voice echoed through the garage, but the sound barely scratched the surface of the invisible barrier that kept him locked in his own thoughts.

Jake pedaled down the street on autopilot, his feet pressing the pedals with a urgency he didn’t quite understand. The morning sun, just peeking over the horizon, bathed the world in golden hues. Its rays caught Jake’s auburn hair, making it glow like fire under the soft light. His eyes stayed fixed ahead, but his mind wandered through a maze of anxiety and expectations. The morning breeze, fresh and scented with dew, brushed against his skin and made his T-shirt cling slightly to his back, but it couldn’t loosen the tight knot in his chest.

"Just another start of the year," he tried to convince himself, but the unease seemed to grow with every pedal, a stubborn presence he couldn’t ignore.

The screech of tires on asphalt snapped him out of his trance. He barely had time to process the sound before a cheerful voice broke the silence.

— Hey, champ! Ready for an awesome year?

Amelia Bourne appeared beside him with the ease of someone who belonged in the scene, as if she’d always been there. Her long pink curls bounced with every move, dancing like living flames to the rhythm of her relaxed pedaling. The radiant smile on her face was unmistakable, brimming with a contagious energy that seemed to light up everything around her. Her vibrant purple jacket popped against her dark skin, creating an explosion of color and style that only she could pull off with such authenticity.

Amelia had the air of a fearless adventurer, as if the first day of school was just another chapter in an epic journey she was eager to live.

Jake sighed inwardly at the sight of her. He knew that whenever Amelia was around, something embarrassing was bound to happen.

— Oh, here we go... — Jake muttered, trying to keep his balance on the bike as he lined up beside Amelia. His green eyes, intense and expressive, showed a mix of resignation and anticipation. There was no denying it: Amelia was a force of nature, impossible to avoid or ignore.

— I haven’t even said anything yet... — she shot back with a mischievous grin, poking him lightly on the arm with her finger. Her brown eyes sparkled with the amusement of someone who already knew exactly how to throw him off balance.

Jake responded with a half-smile, averting his gaze as he adjusted the hood of his blue jacket. He knew Amelia well: she never spoke without having something in mind. There was always a hidden plan, an idea waiting for the right moment to be revealed.

— Just spit it out already... — he said, his voice laced with theatrical resignation, already mentally preparing for the surprise she probably had in store.

— Tyler and I are in the same class this year, — she revealed, her tone conspiratorial, like she was sharing a well-kept secret.

The name hit Jake like an electric shock. His chest jumped involuntarily, and for a second, it felt like the air had been knocked out of him. His fingers tightened on the handlebars, almost to the point of hurting, while a wave of heat rushed to his cheeks. He desperately tried to hide the blush spreading across his face, but the feeling was unavoidable. How ridiculous! It was just Tyler... A friend. Like he’d always been, right?

But if it was so simple, why did his name still have this effect? Time seemed to slow, the sounds around him growing distant as Jake’s mind plunged into a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts and emotions.

— Cool for you... — he murmured, his voice barely audible. He tried to sound indifferent, but his hesitation was obvious. What if Amelia noticed? The heat in his face seemed to intensify, a cruel contrast to the cold morning wind cutting through the air.

Tyler. A name that carried so many memories, some of which Jake would rather forget. He swallowed hard, the bitter taste of those memories lingering—especially from that night. The image of Tyler’s red eyes, blazing with anger, was still an open wound in his mind. The discomfort in his stomach felt like a heavy, unmovable stone. He looked away, desperately trying to push the memories aside.

— Watch the cars! — Amelia’s firm voice snapped him out of his thoughts, pulling him back to the present with a jolt. Jake realized too late that he’d almost crossed the street without looking, and the genuine concern in her tone made him shiver.

— Distracted much? — Amelia observed as he swerved onto the sidewalk.

Jake shrugged, trying to mask the turmoil churning inside him. But his mind was still a whirlwind of feelings and memories, spinning relentlessly, leaving him ungrounded.

— You know what this means, right? — Amelia pressed, her challenging tone echoing her usual teasing.

— Don’t even try! — Jake shot back immediately, his voice firm but almost desperate. He leaned forward on his bike, picking up the pace. It was as if he wanted to escape not just her words, but the storm of confusing emotions raging inside him.

Amelia, however, had no intention of letting him off the hook. She sped up with her usual ease, her pink curls swaying in the wind as if celebrating the race.

— I could always talk about you to Ty... — she teased, her voice dripping with mischief and amusement.

Jake nearly lost control of his bike. The pedals faltered under his feet, and he jerked abruptly to correct his balance. His heart raced, as if he’d been shocked. He turned to Amelia, his eyes wide and his voice caught in surprise.

— Amelia! — he exclaimed, panic clear in his tone as he struggled to process her words. — Don’t even think about it!

— Why not? — Amelia raised an eyebrow, her mischievous smile lighting up her face like a flame. — You two would make such a cute couple!

Her words hit him like a punch to the gut. A couple? Him and Tyler? The idea struck him with unexpected force, shattering any emotional control he had left. Friends... They were just friends, right? Jake shook his head, as if he could shake off the growing confusion. But the gesture only brought a new wave of discomfort—the cold sweat trickling down his neck added to his agitation. The icy wind kept hitting him, but it wasn’t enough to calm the suffocating heat burning in his face.

— Oh my God... — he muttered, more to himself than to her, his voice heavy with exasperation. — What kind of fanfics do you come up with in your head?

Amelia laughed, a satisfied laugh, but she didn’t miss the chance to deliver the final blow, the one she knew would truly shake Jake.

— Hyan thinks so too, you know...? — she said, her tone casual but her eyes gleaming with mischief.

Jake felt the ground disappear beneath him. His heart, already racing, now seemed to want to escape his chest. Hyan? He blinked several times, as if trying to clear his thoughts, but the world around him blurred as his mind was consumed by chaos.

— What does Hyan know, Amelia? — he asked, confusion spilling into his voice. His tone was a mix of disbelief and nervousness as he desperately tried to regain some control over the situation.

— He figured it out on his own, I swear — Amelia said, shrugging nonchalantly. — You know how he is, with those weird intuitions of his...

Jake sighed, knowing exactly what she meant. Hyan always had that peculiar way of observing everything around him, silent and attentive, only to drop a sharp comment that unraveled situations with unsettling clarity. It was like he could see deeper than anyone else.

— The Red Way are weird... — Jake murmured, trying to mask his discomfort with a shy smile. The words slipped out without thought, almost like a shield to avoid dealing with what he really felt. But then, an idea struck him, a chance to turn the tables. He looked at Amelia with an expression that mixed lightness and a touch of mischief, immediately piquing her curiosity.

— But, speaking of Hyan... — he began, pausing deliberately to hold her attention. — I’m in his class this year...

Amelia, who had been feigning disinterest, raised an eyebrow. Her gaze sharpened, clearly catching that Jake was about to flip the script.

— And...? — she asked, trying to hide her anticipation.

— Looks like the tables have turned, huh? — Jake replied triumphantly, a smile spreading across his face as they crossed 37th Street. He gripped the handlebars tightly, but now the wind against his face felt like an ally, a new energy propelling him forward. — I could always talk about you to Hyan...

— Jake! — Amelia shouted, visibly uncomfortable with the sudden shift. She pedaled harder, determined to catch up, but couldn’t hide the blush creeping up her cheeks.

Jake let out a genuine laugh, something he seemed to have been holding back all day. The weight in his chest finally began to lift. He turned the corner onto 38th Street, feeling revitalized, as if he’d won a small victory against both Amelia and his own unease.

— Now pedal faster! — he called over his shoulder, his voice brimming with newfound enthusiasm. — I don’t wanna be late for the first day of school!

Amelia, laughing despite herself, flipped him off with a grin, a gesture that said more than any words. She knew Jake had won this round... but only for now.