If only I knew

Chapter 1: Karina Rivera

Are you really leaving? When will you come back? Don’t worry, my mom said we’ll visit again next summer. I hope you won’t forget me; after all, best friends keep each other in their hearts. Here, take this bracelet my dad made. There are only two of them in the world, both engraved with the letter K—just like Karina and Katelyn.

“Karina, Karina, wake up! You’re going to be late for school!”
I groaned as I woke up, the dream still vivid in my mind. It’s been seven years since I last saw her. I wonder how Katelyn is doing now but Im so mad at her, she promised to visit every summer—knowing her she probably has a lot of friends by now. .

My name is Karina Rivera, and I’m 18, a senior at Whitney High School.I hope this year passes as uneventfully as the others, without anyone bothering me though the past years were uneventful I was still bothered, each morning I deal with a dozen letters and flowers left at my locker, all from boys, it sometimes makes my heart flutter that they consider me pretty how cute of them but I wouldn't date them I prefer girls found out when I was 14 that I prefer girls but I had not engage in any relationship at all.

Saw a few faces nothing new the girls talking about boys and their vacations and the boys talking about somethings weird you know how they are, as I walked from my locker to the classroom I received so many greetings and few letters and flowers from boys some doing that for stunts to flex on their friends and some are youtube streamers, one of my classmates sent a link of a YouTube video in the class group chat last semester the title was "Tried to Rizz One of the School's Top 3 Beauties at Whitney high school and Got Rejected".
It’s amusing, really, despite the attention, I have no friends. I’m popular, but I keep everyone at arm's length, believing it's better for both them and me. At school, my brother teases me, saying I resemble a villainess from a manga—cold, unapproachable, yet undeniably pretty.I sit alone at the back of the classroom, by the window, enjoying the breeze. The bell rings, and the class quiets down as the teacher enters.

“As seniors, I expect much from all of you. I hope you’ll strive to work harder this year. We have a new student joining us. Please come in,” the teacher announces,The room buzzes with whispers some students look intrigued, others annoyed the boys were falling in love and the the girls were filled with animosity it was as if they met a new rival or they are witnessing their boyfriends get taken away and the were realize a predator has came to their turf.

I zone out, lost in thoughts of manga and anime. I do it a lot in class especially on trivial matters that happens in class sometimes it might be entirely because I anime and manga a lot its because of loneliness because I have no one to gossip nor engage in a conversation with I'm not complaining though.

I only heard a sweet sound from someone introducing herself " Hi, I'm Katelyn chamberlain an I'm from Brooklyn hope to get along with all of you" suddenly my mind came back from my Minnie world when I heard the name it was not powerful enough to take off my attention on the trees outside but it was enough for me to think if the is it really the one I long for or just someone with a familiar name, the first name made me doubt, but the last name confused me even more. Grandma Eleanor’s last name is Ormsby, so why would Katelyn go by Chamberlain? Maybe it's just a coincidence of names—let me not think too deeply about it.

The teacher gestured Katelyn to take a sit.I was looking outside through the window and still enjoying my the breeze, that voice I heard from a bit distance was now close " you wouldn't mind if I sit here right ? " I glance up and my heart skip a beat---Infront me was a girl with the cool luminescence, with ethereal, pale complexion that seemed to glow under her dramatic jet-black hair, which framed her face with striking contrast, her large,almond-shaped blue-grey eyes, framed by long lashes, reflected both beauty and a subtle pain. Her smile was a bit mischievous accompanied by small unoticable dimples hinting at an enigmatic depth beneath her youthful charm.

" my pet came back to me" The room seemed to hold its breath,the other kids were in awe witnessing the brief, poignant exchange or maybe it was because they saw an expression of my face that they don't know or one could say they the amazed by how sad the gaze exchanged between strangers who just met was. before I could say any further Kate said " do we know each other " my eyes filled with tears.

A pang of disappointment hits me. “Sorry, you just reminded me of someone I knew,” I reply, trying to mask my hurt, i opened the window more wide I was running out of breath Katelyn’s eyes don’t seem to recognize me, my best friend has forgotten me I guess our memories for her has passed so as summers that passed without her visiting, but it's probably for the best to keep distance that what I said to myself as I wipe the tears on my chick and eyes.