chapter 1 ~ THE CROSSING

The night was calm, but the air hummed with a tension only she could feel. Alina stood on the edge of the park, her heart pounding as she clutched the small, silver pendant around her neck. This was it. The moment she'd been preparing for all these years, the moment when everything would change. At twenty-five, she was about to do something she’d only read about in books—step through time itself.

The device in her pocket hummed softly, a gift from her mentor, the eccentric Professor Dorian. He had warned her about the risks, the potential consequences of meddling with time. But this wasn’t just about changing the past for the sake of it. This was personal. She was going back to meet him—to meet Adrian when he was just seventeen years old.

Her mind raced with thoughts of what she might find, of the boy who would one day become her husband. Would he recognize her? Would he even believe her? Alina took a deep breath, feeling the weight of her mission settle heavily on her shoulders. This wasn’t going to be easy, but she had to do it. Adrian’s future—and their future together—depended on it.

With a final glance at the modern city skyline that had become her home, Alina pressed the button on the device. A soft, blue light enveloped her, and the world around her began to shift and blur. Time seemed to fold in on itself, and for a brief moment, everything was a whirl of colors and sensations.

Then, just as quickly as it had begun, the light faded, and Alina found herself standing in the same park—but it was different now. The towering skyscrapers were gone, replaced by a skyline of smaller buildings and quaint houses. The air was fresher, crisper, and there was an undeniable sense of youthfulness all around her. She had made it. She was back in time.

Alina looked down at her hands, marveling at how real everything felt. She wasn’t just a visitor from the future; she was fully here, fully present. The park was almost empty at this early hour, save for a few joggers and a couple of teenagers hanging out by the swings. Alina’s eyes scanned the area, searching for him. For Adrian.

And then, she saw him—a young man, just a boy really, sitting on a bench under a large oak tree. He was scribbling something in a notebook, completely absorbed in whatever world he was creating on the page. His hair was slightly messy, and he wore a worn-out jacket that looked a size too big for him. But it was him. Adrian, at seventeen.

Alina’s heart skipped a beat. She had prepared for this moment, rehearsed what she would say a thousand times. But now, standing just a few feet away from him, all those carefully planned words seemed to vanish from her mind. How was she supposed to introduce herself? How could she explain who she was and why she was here?

She took a tentative step forward, her shoes crunching softly on the gravel path. Adrian looked up, his eyes meeting hers. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Alina saw the flicker of curiosity in his gaze, the same look he’d given her the first time they met in the future. Her heart ached with the knowledge that he didn’t recognize her—not yet.

“Hi,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “Mind if I sit here?”

Adrian blinked, clearly surprised by the sudden interruption. But he nodded, moving his notebook aside to make room. “Sure, go ahead.”

Alina sat down beside him, the weight of the situation pressing down on her. She had to play this carefully, make sure she didn’t scare him off. “Nice day, isn’t it?”

Adrian glanced up at the sky, then back at her. “Yeah, I guess so. Do I know you from somewhere?”

Alina felt a pang of longing, but she forced herself to smile. “Not yet,” she replied, her voice soft. “But I think we’re going to get to know each other very well.”

Adrian looked at her, clearly puzzled. “Okay… That’s kind of a strange thing to say.”

Alina chuckled, trying to ease the tension. “Yeah, sorry about that. I’m Alina.”

“Adrian,” he responded automatically, though she could see he was still wary.

She nodded, savoring the sound of his name on his lips, so familiar yet so different. “What are you writing?” she asked, gesturing to the notebook in his lap.

“Oh, just some stories,” Adrian said, his tone suddenly more guarded. “It’s nothing, really.”

Alina smiled, remembering the countless stories he had shared with her over the years. “Stories are never just ‘nothing,’” she said gently. “They’re a window into who we are, who we want to be.”

Adrian looked at her, really looked at her this time, as if he was trying to figure out what to make of her. “You’re not like other people, are you?”

Alina’s heart swelled with affection. “You have no idea,” she said, her voice filled with warmth. “But I promise, you’ll understand everything soon.”

Adrian tilted his head, a small smile playing on his lips. “You talk like you know something I don’t.”

“Maybe I do,” Alina teased, feeling a rush of hope. “Maybe I’m here to help you find something—or someone—you didn’t even know you were looking for.”

Adrian raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite himself. “You’re full of mysteries, aren’t you?”

Alina’s smile widened, and for the first time since she’d arrived, she felt a sense of calm wash over her. This was going to work. She was going to make sure of it.

“I suppose you could say that,” she replied, leaning back against the bench. “But stick with me, and I promise, you’ll get all the answers you’re looking for.”

As they sat together, the morning sun rising higher in the sky, Alina knew that this was just the beginning. There was so much more to come—so much more she had to do to ensure their future. But for now, she was content to just be here, in this moment, with the boy who would one day become her everything.

And as she watched Adrian return to his writing, the corners of his mouth twitching into a smile, she couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, everything was going to turn out just fine.

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