Reborn: A Second Chance Through Time

As Lily sat in the cafeteria with Anna and Leah, her eyes drifted toward Emma, who had just walked in. Emma's straight blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes caught everyone's attention. She was stunning—the kind of girl who seemed effortlessly perfect. It wasn't hard to see why Noah had a crush on her back in high school. A pang of envy tugged at Lily's chest, but she quickly brushed it off.

"Focus on yourself, Lily," she whispered under her breath. She resolved to stay away from the tangled mess of feelings she once had for Noah. Instead, she turned her attention back to Anna and Leah.

Anna smiled warmly. "I'm so glad you decided to join us today. Honestly, I've always noticed you alone or just with Noah. Why didn't you hang out with anyone else back then?"

Lily hesitated, then gave a small laugh. "I guess I just kept to myself. It was easier that way."

Leah chimed in. "Noah's great, but he's not much for gossip or girl talk. Trust me, you missed out on some juicy stuff!"

Anna giggled. "Speaking of which, did you hear about Mrs. Gomez? Apparently, she's getting married to Mr. Reed from the science department!"

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? I thought they hated each other."

Leah leaned in, lowering her voice. "That's what we all thought, but rumor has it they've been secretly dating for years. Wild, right?"

They laughed and continued to share stories and gossip about teachers and classmates. For the first time in years, Lily felt like she truly belonged. She wasn't just Noah's shadow anymore—she was building her own connections.

Later that day, as Lily packed her things to leave, she received a text from Noah:

Noah: "Hey, can you wait for me? I have football practice, and we can head home together after."

Lily sighed. She really wanted to go home.

Lily: "It's okay. I'll text my mom to pick me up. See you tomorrow!"

When her mom's old car pulled up, Lily climbed in and greeted her. "Thanks for picking me up, Mom."

Her mom smiled. "Of course, sweetheart. How was school?"

Lily hesitated. "It was… different. Good, though. I made some new friends."

"That's wonderful, honey," her mom said, glancing at her in the rearview mirror. "You deserve to have friends who care about you."

As they drove, Lily's eyes lingered on the dashboard. She realized just how old and worn the car was. Memories of the tragic accident that claimed her mother's life in her past life flooded her mind. The brakes had failed—a problem caused by the car's age and lack of maintenance. The thought sent a chill down her spine.

"Mom," she began, trying to sound casual, "do you think this car is safe?"

Her mom chuckled softly. "It's not the best, but it gets us where we need to go. Why do you ask?"

Lily forced a smile. "No reason. Just wondering."

She couldn't shake the realization of how poor they were compared to families like Noah's. Their family only lived in a wealthy neighborhood because her paternal grandparents had left them the house after their deaths. When her father passed away, it had been a struggle for her mother to keep everything afloat. Most of her mom's salary went toward Lily's private school tuition and other necessities.

That night, Lily lay in bed, thinking about how she could help ease her mother's burden. An idea struck her: she could sell paintings online. Before her death, Lily had done commission work as a side job and had been quite successful. This was something she could start again.

The next morning, Lily set up accounts on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, naming her art gallery "Galerie de Rêves," which meant "Gallery of Dreams" in French. She gathered her materials, pulling out old paintings she had kept and starting new ones. As she painted, she filmed the process without showing her face, focusing on the intricate details of her brushstrokes.

Once she finished, she edited the videos and posted them online. She wasn't expecting much, but to her surprise, one of her videos went viral. Comments poured in, and soon, her inbox was filled with messages from people interested in buying her work or commissioning custom pieces.

Within a week, Lily had sold all 20 paintings she had posted, earning $35,000. She was stunned by how quickly it had all happened. Her hands trembled as she counted the money. She told her mom the news that evening.

"Mom, guess what? I sold my paintings online and made $35,000!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement.

Her mom's eyes widened, filling with tears. "Lily, that's incredible! But you didn't have to do that. You should be focusing on school, not worrying about money."

Lily shook her head. "Mom, you work three jobs just to keep us going. I want to help. At least now you can cut back and rest a little."

Her mom pulled her into a tight hug. "You're amazing, sweetheart. But promise me you'll save most of it for college, okay?"

Lily nodded, though she already had other plans in mind. She remembered a specific date when a particular stock would skyrocket. Armed with knowledge from her past life, she decided to invest the entire $35,000 into the stock market.

She researched meticulously and chose "ArdenTech Inc.," a tech company she knew would experience exponential growth. When Monday came, she bought shares at their current price, waiting for the market to take its course. As the stock value climbed, Lily watched in awe as her investment multiplied. By the end of the week, the stock had risen by an astounding 30,000%.

Her $35,000 had turned into a staggering $10.5 million.

Lily stared at the screen, hardly believing her eyes. She had gone from being a struggling high school student to a millionaire in just a matter of days. This second chance at life was turning into something extraordinary, and she was determined to make the most of it.