The Beginning

The first day of senior year smelled like freshly cut grass, new notebooks, and endless possibilities.

Students rushed through the hallways of Westbrook High, laughing loudly as lockers slammed shut one after another. Some were excited to reunite with friends, while others dreaded another year of exams.

Among the crowd walked Ethan Carter.

Tall, messy dark hair, warm brown eyes, and a smile that seemed to make everyone around him smile too. Teachers admired him for his grades, the basketball team relied on him, and nearly every girl in school had, at some point, developed a crush on him.

Yet Ethan wasn't arrogant.

He greeted everyone with the same kindness.

"Morning, Mrs. Collins," he said as he helped the elderly librarian carry a stack of books.

"Thank you, Ethan," she smiled warmly. "You're always saving the day."

He chuckled before continuing down the hallway.

Meanwhile, on the other side of campus...

A girl sat alone beneath an old maple tree, completely absorbed in her novel.

Her name was Lily Evans.

Unlike Ethan, Lily loved quiet moments. She preferred books over parties, rainy afternoons over sunny beaches, and photographs over conversations.

A camera hung around her neck wherever she went.

She believed every photograph captured a feeling that words sometimes couldn't.

"Still hiding from the world?" her best friend Emma teased, sitting beside her.

"I'm observing it," Lily corrected with a small smile.

Emma rolled her eyes.

"One day you'll have to talk to people instead of taking pictures of them."

Lily laughed softly.

"Maybe."

The morning bell rang.

Students hurried toward their classrooms.

Lily stood up, balancing three heavy textbooks in one hand while adjusting her camera with the other.

As she turned the corner...

Crash!

Books scattered across the floor.

Loose papers flew through the hallway like snow.

"Oh no..."

Lily knelt quickly, trying to gather everything before anyone stepped on it.

"I'm so sorry!"

A familiar voice spoke above her.

She looked up.

A pair of warm brown eyes stared back at her.

Ethan Carter.

He immediately crouched beside her and started picking up her books.

"My fault," he admitted. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"No... I should've looked up."

They both reached for the same notebook.

Their fingers brushed.

Both pulled away at the same time.

"Sorry."

They laughed awkwardly.

Ethan noticed the camera around her neck.

"You like photography?"

Lily nodded.

"A little."

"A little?" Ethan smiled. "You carry a professional camera to school. I'd say it's more than a little."

She couldn't help smiling.

"I guess."

He handed her the last notebook.

"I'm Ethan."

"I know."

He blinked.

"You do?"

She laughed quietly.

"Everyone knows who you are."

He scratched the back of his neck, suddenly embarrassed.

"Fair enough."

"I'm Lily."

"Nice to officially meet you, Lily."

The second bell echoed through the hallway.

"We're both late," Ethan said.

Lily looked toward the classroom.

"So much for making a good first impression."

Ethan grinned.

"Want to make a terrible first impression together?"

She stared at him for a second before laughing.

"Sure."

Together, they walked into class.

Neither of them realized that a simple collision in a crowded hallway would become the beginning of a love story strong enough to fight even forgotten memories.

Or that one day...

One of them would remember everything.

While the other would remember nothing.

END OF CHAPTER 1