The First Step

Selene stood at the gate of her university, the familiar campus stretching out before her. It looked just as it had the first time she walked through — tall buildings with ivy-covered walls, the scent of books and freshly cut grass in the air. Students hurried past, laughing and talking, their backpacks bouncing on their backs. It felt surreal to be here again.

Only this time, Selene wasn’t the same girl.

Before, she walked these paths silently, trying not to stand out. She had always followed the plan: get her degree, say yes to Elijah, then marry into a life someone else designed for her. But today, she wasn’t here for a plan. She was here for herself.

Selene walked into the literature building. Her fingers trembled slightly, but she didn’t stop. She found the bulletin board near the main office and scanned the flyers. One caught her eye — a writing competition. Deadline: one week.

One week.

The same amount of time she had before… everything.

Her heart pounded. Was this why she’d been sent back? Not just to avoid death, but to finally live?

Selene took a deep breath and tore off the bottom of the flyer with the submission email. She clutched it in her hand like a lifeline.

“Excuse me,” someone said.

She turned and found herself face-to-face with a guy holding a pile of books. He looked familiar. Strong jawline, black-rimmed glasses, messy brown hair. Then it clicked — Adrien. The quiet writer from her poetry class. He’d always sat two rows behind her, never really speaking, but always scribbling in his notebook.

“You dropped this,” he said, holding out a pen she hadn’t noticed she’d dropped.

“Oh,” she said, taking it. “Thanks.”

Adrien smiled. “You were in Professor Bennett’s class, right? Selene?”

Her eyes widened. “You remember me?”

He shrugged, shy. “You read a poem once about losing your voice. I never forgot it.”

Selene blinked, startled. No one had ever remembered her words before. Not even Elijah. Not even her mother.

“Are you joining the writing contest?” Adrien asked.

She glanced down at the paper in her hand and nodded. “Yeah. I think I am.”

“Good,” he said, then smiled. “It’s about time.”

As Adrien walked away, Selene stood there for a moment, her chest full of something unfamiliar — possibility. Hope.

She looked up at the tall ceiling and whispered, “Thank you.”

For the second chance.