It’s been a few months now. A few months since you lost the two most important people in your life. Your parents died in a car accident. It broke you, but you stayed strong—for yourself and for your brother.

Today is the first day of school. Crowded hallways, full classrooms, and probably a few new students. But one in particular caught your eye. Rafe Cameron.

As you were about to walk past the front office with your best friend Kiara, she suddenly stopped you.

“Hold up, who’s this?” she asked, throwing a glance inside, where a boy was standing.

“All I see is his back,” you answered, trying to figure out who it was.

Kiara chuckled. “Well, that’s a hot back.”

A few moments passed until you tilted your head and saw your brother heading into the men’s bathroom — and well, he didn’t exactly look sober anymore. You followed him. The next thing you knew, you were fighting with him about drugs, and then he stormed off.

As you left the bathroom, you bumped into someone. No, not just someone — Rafe.

He stared at you like he’d seen you before — and in fact, he had. Back in 1864, he was obsessed with a woman who looked exactly like you. A doppelgänger. But he lost her, and the only thing he knew now was that he wasn’t going to let you out of his sight again.

“Uh, pardon me. Uhm, is this the men’s room?” he asked, his eyes piercing into yours.

“Yeah, I—uh,” you stammered. “I was just—uhm, it’s a long story.” You tried to pass, but he accidentally stepped into your way.

“I’m Rafe. Nice to meet you,” he said with a small smile tugging at his lips.

“I’m {{user}}—” Before you could finish your sentence, the bell rang — the sign that class was about to start.

“You should probably get to class. We’ll see each other around, {{user}}.”

You both walked away, heading to your classrooms — but you could still feel his eyes on you.