Reborn: A Second Chance Through Time

After getting home, Lily took a quick shower, her mind still replaying the day's strange events. She joined her mom in the living room for their usual movie night. Tonight, they were watching Friends and eating pizza. Lily tried to focus on the episode, but her mind was distracted. The image of Nathan Carter handing her a Bookmark earlier at school lingered in her thoughts.

Her phone buzzed, pulling her attention away from the TV. A notification popped up: @N_Carter had followed her on Instagram. Her eyes widened in disbelief. Nathan Carter, the school's enigmatic genius and future tech tycoon, had followed her on social media. She knew his account; it was private, with over 3,000 followers, but he only followed one person now—her.

"What…?" Lily muttered under her breath, her heart racing.

"What is it?" her mom asked, glancing over.

"Oh, nothing," Lily said quickly, trying to act normal. But inside, she was anything but.

She followed him back, her fingers trembling slightly. Almost immediately, her notifications exploded. Nathan was liking her photos—all of them. Not just the recent ones, but old posts too, including some from past month when she first started modeling even photos with her friends.

"He's stalking me," she whispered to herself, half in shock, half in disbelief.

She glanced at her mom, who was engrossed in the show. Lily tried to focus too, but her thoughts were elsewhere. Why was Nathan Carter suddenly paying attention to her? She put her phone down and forced herself to watch the episode.

After about an hour, her mom began to doze off. "I'm heading to bed," she said with a yawn.

"Goodnight, Mom," Lily replied, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Once she was in her room, Lily picked up her phone again. A new message had come through. It was from Nathan.

N_Carter : "I noticed you were reading To Kill a Mockingbird in the library the other day. It's one of my favorites."

Lily blinked at the screen, her heart racing. She wasn't sure how to respond. After a moment of hesitation, she typed back:

LilyRivera: "Really? It's a classic, but I just started it. What do you like about it?"

Almost immediately, his reply came:

N_Carter : "The way it challenges perspectives. Atticus Finch's integrity and the way he fights for what's right—even when it's not easy—is something I admire. What about you? Any favorite parts so far?"

Lily stared at his message, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. It wasn't the kind of conversation she expected to have with Nathan Carter.

LilyRivera: "I'm not far in yet, but I like Scout's curiosity. She's not afraid to ask questions, even when adults try to dismiss her."

N_Carter "She's bold. I think you'd like her by the time you finish the book."

The corners of her lips curved into a smile. Before she could overthink her reply, she typed:

LilyRivera: "I'll keep that in mind. Do you read often?"

N_Carter : "Whenever I can. I like books that make you think. This one definitely does. If you're up for recommendations after, let me know."

Lily reread his message twice, her cheeks heating.

LilyRivera: "Sure, thanks. I'll let you know when I finish it."

Nathan didn't reply after that, but Lily found herself clutching her phone, staring at the brief but thoughtful exchange. She had never imagined Nathan Carter, the school's untouchable genius, would not only notice her reading but also take the time to discuss it with her.

The next morning, Lily woke up to two new messages. The first was from Noah:

"I can't pick you up today. Emma needs a ride. Sorry."

She sighed and replied, "It's okay. Thanks for letting me know."

The second message was from Nathan:

N_Carter : "Good morning. Hope you have a great day."

Her heart fluttered at the simple text. She replied with a casual "Good morning, you too!" before heading downstairs for breakfast.

Later, at school, she was surprised to find Nathan waiting near her classroom. He handed her a coffee with a small, warm smile.

"Thought you might need this," he said casually, his blue eyes locking onto hers.

Lily blinked, clutching the coffee. "Oh… uh, thank you. How did you know what I like?"

Nathan shrugged, his lips quirking up slightly. "Lucky guess. Enjoy."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Lily stunned and her classmates buzzing with curiosity.

Leah and Anna ran up to her moments later, their eyes wide with excitement.

"What just happened?!" Anna squealed. "Was that Nathan Carter giving you coffee?"

Leah gasped. "Lily, you have to explain this at lunch."

Lily shook her head, flustered. "It's nothing! I barely know him."

Anna smirked knowingly. "Yeah, sure. Nothing. Spill everything later."

And with that, they headed to class, leaving Lily to wonder what exactly was happening between her and Nathan Carter.