✦ Scene 1 – “Landing Error”

EXT. SCHOOL FESTIVAL – NIGHT, 2012

A blinding flash, a ripple of air, and the smell of smoke. The time-jump leaves scorch marks in the grass behind the gym. When the light clears, the Vale-Lee mission has gone very, very wrong.

THEO sits up first, dazed, blinking at strings of colorful lanterns swaying in the night breeze. He looks down—his sleek future jacket is gone, replaced by a borrowed 2012 hoodie.

THEO (quietly) Okay… not bad. Just… not the right year of fashion.

Across the festival grounds, SOFIE lands behind a tent full of posters. She groans, brushing glitter off her hair.

SOFIE Ugh—Aster said “soft landing!” This is not soft!

Meanwhile, ASTER is nowhere near them. He’s crashed straight into the parking lot beside a group of teens in school uniforms—one of them looking suspiciously like Neo, and another… definitely Jax.

ASTER (under his breath) Oh no. I think I’m in the pre-dad timeline.

He pulls out a cracked temporal compass. It sparks.

ASTER Double no.

Back at the festival, Theo spots two figures under the lights: teen Nico, laughing too loudly, and Jamie, pretending not to care but clearly watching him.

Theo freezes. It’s like watching history breathe. His future father, before the love story began.

Then Jamie glances his way.

JAMIE (TEEN) (to Nico) Hey, uh… do you know that kid?

Theo panics and waves awkwardly. THEO Hi! I’m—uh—transfer student! Big fan of… your face?

Nico smirks. NICO (TEEN) Bold. I like him already.

Elsewhere, Sofie sneaks through the crowd—and bumps into young Jamie’s friend group, ending up face-to-face with Neo. She realizes she’s stuck with the wrong teen but might as well roll with it.

SOFIE (whispering to herself) Okay, twin mission step one—find Theo. Step two—don’t ruin the timeline. Step three—try not to fall for anyone born before you.

She pauses, watching Jamie glance across the field toward Nico, that flicker of curiosity already there. Sofie grins.

SOFIE Alright, Papa. Guess I’m your wing-woman now.