Cling... cling... cling...
The sound of a clock echoed faintly in the background.
"Maya! Maya, wake up—it's your first day of school!" a woman's voice called.
Maya opened her eyes slowly. Sunlight poured through her window, golden and too bright. She yawned, stretched, and began her usual routine—bath, uniform, and downstairs to the smell of breakfast.
Her mother was preparing food, while her father sat at the table, sipping his coffee.
"Maya, come on now. Eat. It's your first day—you shouldn't be late," her mother said with a gentle smile.
Maya was a seventeen-year-old high school girl with calm brown eyes, long black silky hair, and a quiet, gentle presence. She nodded and ate quietly.
Later, she took her bike and rode off to school. She loved these small morning moments—the soft breeze, the 7:00 a.m. sunlight, the roosters crowing, the sound of other students heading off to class.
As she arrived, the school was already alive with noise. Students laughed and shouted across the campus.
"Maya! Maya, you're late for our meetup time!" a voice called.
It was Ina, her quirky friend, who had black, slightly curly hair and bright eyes. She was also on her bike.
"I'm sorry! I slept late last night," Maya said, catching her breath.
"Oh, let me guess," said Tanya, appearing beside them. Her hair was chestnut brown, her eyes sharp and calm. "Did you dream of that boy again?"
"Hey!" Ina teased. "Don't make it sound like some prince charming! That dream boy is, what, twelve? That's suspiciously young for a romantic lead."
Maya laughed. "No, no—it's not like that! He's just a kid. I've only seen him twice. It's not even every night."
"But what if he's, like, your soulmate? Just… younger?" Tanya said, half teasing, half serious.
"Hmm. I don't think so," Maya replied, brushing it off. "He's probably just a random dream character."
The bell rang before they could say more, and the three went off to class.
Later that day, as the teacher introduced herself and the students chatted noisily, Maya found her eyes drifting toward the window. The sky had darkened. Rain began to fall. Heavy and slow, it washed the colors of the world into grey.
They were dismissed early due to the storm.
The three decided to leave their bikes and ride a vehicle home instead, canceling their plans to hang out.
Back home, Maya was welcomed by her mother, who offered her snacks and asked about her day. They talked—about school, classmates, the rain—but still, something itched in Maya's mind.
She loved her mother. But sometimes, when they spoke, it felt like they were strangers. Like they had only known each other recently.
Everything around her felt normal.
Too normal.
Later that night, her father came home and they ate dinner together. Her mother tucked her into bed, reminding her of school tomorrow.
Rain tapped on the windows.
Maya stared outside, feeling the cold breeze drift into her room. She didn't tell her parents about the strange feeling growing inside her. She didn't want to worry them. Maybe it was normal.
he stared at the rain.
And slowly, she drifted to sleep.