Elara had always sensed something different about the tree.

They said it had stood there for over a hundred years-older than the house, older than the town itself.

But Elara didn't care about its history. She cared about how it made her feel-watched, drawn in, like it remembered her.

Every time she stepped into the backyard, the world seemed to hush around her. The wind slowed. The birds went silent. And the tree... it watched her.

She never told anyone, but sometimes when the sky turned soft with twilight-she heard it whisper her name.

That evening, with the sky painted in lavender and gold, Elara stood beneath its towering branches. The air was thick, humming with something unspoken.

She reached out and touched the bark, worn and warm beneath her fingertips.

"Why do you always make me feel..." she paused, closing her eyes, "...like I've forgotten something important?"

For a breath, there was silence.

Then-

"Because you have."

The voice came soft as the wind, close as her own breath.

Elara's heart stopped

"Elara!"

Her mother's voice rang out from the kitchen window, shattering the moment.

She pulled her hand away quickly, the echo of the whisper lingering like a dream she couldn't hold onto.

That night, Elara dreamt of a school she had never seen, and yet somehow, she knew the path through its halls by heart.

Sunlight streamed through tall, old windows. Her shoes echoed on tiled floors. She wore a pale blue uniform with a ribbon tied at the collar. Laughter echoed behind her-warm, familiar. A boy's voice called out: "Wait up, Elara!"

She turned.

He had soft eyes and dark, unruly hair. His smile felt like sunlight, and the way he looked at her made her heart ache with something she didn't understand. Something lost.

She reached out to him-

And woke up with a gasp.

The morning light was pale and gray. Her room was quiet except for the ticking of the old clock on the wall. She sat up slowly, wiping sweat from her brow.

The boy's face lingered in her mind.

Without thinking, she reached for her sketchbook and began to draw.

Later that day, in college, Elara sat on the stone bench near the old wall, the sketchbook tucked in her bag. She hadn't said much all morning.

Ella plopped down beside her with a dramatic sigh.

"You didn't answer my texts last night. We thought you died or something."

Nia followed, chewing gum and eyeing Elara with curiosity.

"Yeah, you disappeared after class. What's going on?"

Elara forced a smile. "I just needed some quiet. That's all."

But her fingers brushed the sketchbook's edge inside her bag, and she remembered the boy's smile. The dream still felt more real than her morning coffee.

Before she could say more, three familiar voices approached.

"Elara!" Leo's voice rang out-too loud, as usual.

Billi and Henry followed, laughing.

Leo rubbed the back of his neck. "Hey, uh... we're doing a group project thing later. You in?"

Elara nodded politely. "Sure."

Henry nudged Leo. "He only asked you, you know."

Billi grinned. "Lovesick Leo strikes again."

Elara blushed slightly but smiled through it. She was used to their teasing by now.

Still, as the conversation went on around her, her thoughts drifted back to the tree. To the whisper. To the boy in her dream.

"Because you remember,"

Remember what?

The cafeteria buzzed with its usual late-morning energy-half-empty coffee cups, shouts from across tables, and trays clattering. Elara, Ella, and Nia sat near the window, their plates barely touched as they chatted lazily.

Ella was mid-rant about a professor's confusing assignment when a sudden noise from the entrance grabbed their attention.

"Hey, calm down, man!"

A small group of students near the doorway had frozen. A guy stormed past them, clearly annoyed, followed closely by another boy trying to explain something in a half-loud argument. It wasn't serious-more bark than bite-but it was enough to turn heads.

Right behind the scene, leaning casually against a vending machine with one hand in his pocket,

stood Jack.

Cool, calm, and entirely unbothered.

He wore his uniform a little looser than the rules allowed, his sleeves rolled just right, his hair perfectly disheveled. His expression was unreadable, but the corner of his mouth curved like he was entertained.

"Wow..." Nia whispered, elbowing Ella.

"There he is. Drama follows him like perfume."

From another table, a girl practically squealed. "He's so amazing. I swear, even when he's just standing there!"

Billi, holding a tray and passing their table, called out:

"Jack! Why didn't you show up to class today?"

Jack shrugged as he strolled in their direction.

"Busy. Had something to take care of."

Nia murmured behind her cup, "Yeah, right. Probably busy entertaining his girl fan club."

Ella giggled. "Or building a throne made of love letters."

Elara laughed, leaning back in her chair. "He's very popular, after all."

Jack strolled over to their table with his usual lazy confidence, pulling out the empty chair beside Elara without asking.

"Hi, girls," he said smoothly, tossing his bag onto the floor.

Then his gaze landed on her, steady and a little playful.

"Hey, Elara."

Ella and Nia exchanged a quick look, eyebrows raised.

Elara smiled, casually sipping her drink.

"Hey, Jack."

She tilted her head slightly.

"Why aren't you attending class these days?"

Jack leaned back in his chair, stretching one arm along the backrest.

"Hmm... I guess I just needed a break from lectures about things I already know."

His eyes flicked to her again, teasing.

"Besides, class is boring when someone interesting isn't there."

Ella let out a dramatic sigh. "Ugh, he's so smooth it's dangerous."

Nia added, "We need sunglasses with how cool he thinks he is."

Elara chuckled, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"You mean you skip class just to make a dramatic entrance later?"

Jack shrugged with a grin. "Something like that."

But under the playful exchange, there was something else-something quieter. Jack's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer than necessary, like he wanted to say more but didn't.

Then he leaned forward, stealing a fry off Ella's tray.

"Anyway," he said, mouth full, "what did I miss today?"

Jack raised an eyebrow, mid-bite of the stolen fry.

Ella crossed her arms and leaned in.

"You missed today's lecture. It was about the upcoming exams."

She narrowed her eyes.

"And it was important, Jack."

Before Jack could respond, Billi plopped into the empty chair beside Nia, balancing his tray like a trophy.

"Don't worry, dude," Billi said, clapping Jack on the shoulder.

"I'll teach you everything. My notes are legendary."

Jack gave him a flat look. "That's exactly what worries me."

Nia rolled her eyes.

"Right. Legendary for being incomplete and half-covered in pizza stains."

Billi grinned and turned to her with a wink.

"Ah, but you noticed. That means you've been reading my notes, Nia. Secret admirer vibes?"

Nia made a face. "I'd rather fail."

The whole table laughed. Even Jack cracked a rare, real smile.

Ella chimed in, pretending to gasp.

"Careful, Nia. Billi's charm is dangerously contagious."

Elara smiled quietly, watching the banter with warmth. It felt nice-normal. Safe.

But beneath it all, the whisper of the tree still echoed faintly in her mind.

You remember...

The Dining table was set with warm plates, the smell of home-cooked food filling the room. Elara sat beside her grandmother, while Peter slumped into his chair, still bouncing his soccer ball under the table.

Her mom walked in with a bowl of steaming curry and started serving everyone.

She glanced at Elara as she placed a spoonful on her plate.

"Elara, are you okay these days?" her mother asked gently.

"You seem very quiet lately."

Elara hesitated, poking at her food.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just... a little tired."

Her mom didn't push, but the worry in her eyes stayed.

Peter chimed in with a mouthful of rice. "She's always looking out the window like she's waiting for a UFO."

Elara shot him a look. "At least I use my brain, unlike someone who thinks the Earth is flat."

Peter gasped. "I never said that!"

Their grandmother chuckled softly, breaking the moment with warmth.

"She's growing up. Quiet minds carry deep thoughts."

But even as they laughed and argued, Elara's mind wandered-back to the whisper... back to the tree.

Something was calling her.

The house had grown quiet.

After dinner, Elara returned to her room. She opened the window again, letting the cool night air spill in. The tree stood silently under the moonlight, its shadow long and unmoving.

She leaned her elbows on the windowsill, eyes fixed on its dark, gnarled trunk.

"Why do I keep thinking about you?" she whispered.

But the tree, like always, gave no answer.

Later, tucked beneath her blanket, Elara turned from side to side, restless. The clock beside her blinked: 12:03 AM.

And then-

A sound.

A low hum.

Faint. Familiar. Like something calling her from far away.

Her eyes flew open.

She sat up slowly, heart racing.

The sound was coming from outside.

She moved to the window again... and gasped.

The tree was glowing.

Not brightly-but with a soft, silver light pulsing

from within its bark, as though its veins were alive with stardust.

Drawn by something she couldn't explain, Elara slipped on her sweater and quietly crept down the stairs and out the back door.

The cold grass kissed her bare feet as she stepped into the yard.

The closer she got, the louder the whisper became.

It wasn't a language. It was emotion. Echoes. Echoes of time itself.

She placed her hand on the trunk.

"Who are you?" she whispered aloud.

The bark under her hand felt warm.

Then the voice came again-clearer this time.

"You already know me."

Elara's breath caught.

The world around her seemed to bend-warping, tilting, as if time had begun to ripple.

She took a step back, dizzy.

Elara took a cautious step closer to the glowing crack in the tree's bark.

Suddenly, a rush of wind swirled around her, faster and faster, lifting strands of her hair and wrapping her in a whirlwind of shimmering crystals that sparkled like tiny stars in the night air.

The golden light spilled out from the tree and bathed her whole body in its warm glow.

She closed her eyes, heart pounding, as the light seemed to pull her inward-

soft, bright, and endless.

When she opened them again, she wasn't standing in her backyard anymore.

Instead, she found herself surrounded by a lush garden.

Vibrant flowers bloomed in every color, and ancient trees stretched tall toward a soft, pinkish sky.

The air smelled sweet and fresh, filled with the sound of birdsong and the distant trickle of water.

She took a deep breath.

Somewhere deep inside, a whisper echoed again.

Welcome back, Elara.

Elara looked down at herself, stunned.

She was no longer wearing her sweater and pajamas.

Instead, she was dressed in a vintage school uniform-a soft beige blouse with a ribbon-tied collar, a long pleated skirt, and laced leather shoes. The fabric felt strange yet oddly familiar, like something she had worn a thousand times before.

She touched the ribbon at her neck.

"What is this place...?" she whispered.

Before she could take another step, a cheerful voice rang out from behind the rose bushes.

"Elara! There you are! Come fast, or we'll be late again!"

Elara turned sharply.

A girl around her age came running toward her. She had bright eyes, a satchel slung over one shoulder, and wore the same old-fashioned school uniform.

Elara blinked.

She recognized her... but from where?

The girl reached her and grabbed her hand playfully.

"Don't space out, come on!"

Elara was still frozen, stunned by how real everything felt. The girl didn't seem to notice anything strange.

"You said you'd walk with me today. Christy is waiting by the fountain!"

Christy...?

That name tugged at something deep inside her.

Like a memory that had been buried under centuries of silence.

Elara slowly nodded.

"Right... I'm coming."

The girl smiled and pulled her forward, down the garden path that curved between hedges and stone statues. Other students were heading the same way, their laughter echoing across the courtyard.

And as they walked, Elara's heart pounded with a strange mix of fear and wonder.

She was in another time.

But who had she been here?

And why did everything feel so heartbreakingly familiar?

Elara walked through the garden pathway, led by the cheerful girl who called herself Christy.

As they turned a corner, a grand old building came into view-tall windows, ivy-covered walls, and a clock tower that looked like it hadn't changed in a hundred years.

They entered the hallway filled with vintage posters and rows of wooden lockers. Christy nudged her gently.

"Come on, classroom's this way. We're almost late."

Inside, the classroom was buzzing with quiet chatter. Students were taking their seats, notebooks out, laughing, whispering.

Elara froze just past the door.

Her breath caught.

Sitting in the third row... was Ella.

And next to her-Nia.

On the opposite side, by the window, Leo, Henry, and Billi were teasing each other just like they did back in her present life.

No. This can't be...

They looked younger. Dressed in the same old-fashioned uniforms. But their faces, their energy-it was them. Just like always.

Before she could react, Christy dragged her to an empty seat near the middle.

Elara sat down, her hands trembling under the desk. She tried to make sense of it.

Are they... here too? Reborn like me? Or is this some kind of vision?

The classroom door creaked open again.

Elara turned to look.

And her heart stopped.

Two boys walked in together-laughing lightly as they entered.

One of them was Jack.

His smile was the same, charming and easygoing. A little mischievous.

But the other boy...

Elara stared, unable to breathe.

Caden.

Tall, calm, eyes sharp like he knew too much, like he carried the weight of something timeless.

And the strangest part-

The moment Caden's eyes met hers, even across the room

He paused.

The smile on his face faded ever so slightly.

And Elara felt something spark deep within her chest.

Like a forgotten name whispered in the wind.

Like recognition.

Like fate.....