When the Past Returned
Two hearts once torn by time's cruel hands,
Met again where destiny stands.
A glance, a breath, a spark reborn—
From silent years, new feelings form.
The river of memory runs deep and wide,
Carrying names the years can't hide.
What once was lost, now softly yearned,
Two souls remember—when the past returned.
The hall erupted when the verdict was announced.
Johnson was found not guilty.
But instead of relief, his face held something deeper—something unreadable.
He had risked everything to save her.
Nelson: "Did you see that? He even saved you, Clara."
Liona: "Clara, you owe him both an apology and a thank you."
Sonia: "If it weren't for him—and God—no one knows what could have happened to you."
Clara took a hesitant step toward Johnson, her voice trembling.
Clara: "Johnson, I—"
Johnson: "You don't have to."
He turned and walked away without another word.
Nelson and Peter followed him, while the crowd slowly dispersed to their dormitories. The party was over, but something in Clara's chest refused to rest.
Boys' Dormitory
The room was quiet.
Nelson: "Johnson, why didn't you defend yourself back there?"
Johnson: "I don't know. Every time I see that girl, something strange happens to me. It's like I can't bring myself to hurt her, or even say anything that might. I just freeze. I couldn't even justify myself."
Peter burst out laughing.
Peter: "You're in love, man."
Nelson: "Exactly. The moment it's about Clara, you lose control."
Johnson: "No, that's impossible."
Peter: "Then why did your heart nearly stop when she cried?"
Johnson: "I... I can't explain it."
Their laughter echoed, but Johnson's mind was elsewhere—trapped between confusion and a memory he couldn't reach.
Girls' Dormitory
The girls entered their room, exhaustion mixed with silence.
Sonia: "That party drained me."
Clara: "Same."
Liona: "Clara, you need to apologize to Johnson—and show him you're grateful."
Clara: "But how? He won't even look at me. Still... there's something strange."
Her tone softened.
Clara: "Every time I see him, it feels like I know him—as if he's connected to my past somehow."
Sonia: "How do you mean?"
Clara: "When I was ten, my mother and I moved into a new neighborhood. There was a boy my age who lived next door. We went to the same school. I was constantly bullied because of my surname—mocked, avoided, even by my relatives. I was lonely. One day, I went to the riverside, ready to end it all. But that boy had followed me. Just as I leaned over the water, he caught me and pulled me back. He promised to be my friend."
Her eyes glistened as she continued.
Clara: "He made me laugh again. We played, shared snacks, watched cartoons. It was like we were brother and sister. Then one day, my mother said we were moving again. I ran to his house, crying. We spent one last day together before I left. It broke my heart."
The room fell silent.
Sonia: "What was his name?"
Clara: "Johnson."
Liona: "Wait… the S.P.'s name is Johnson too."
Sonia: "Johnson Adams."
Clara froze. The name hit her like a lightning bolt.
Clara: "No… it can't be." Her voice trembled. "Johnson Adams. My childhood friend. The one who saved me before… saved me again today."
Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her words turned soft, poetic, almost like a prayer.
"Two souls once bound by promise and pain,
Lost by time, reunited again.
My savior, my friend—my past reborn."
The girls surrounded her, holding her close.
Liona: "Clara, don't cry. He's back. You should be happy."
Clara: "But I hurt him. Maybe that's why he wanted to know my surname."
Sonia: "God's timing is perfect. The same boy who saved you years ago has come back into your life. Fate works in quiet ways."
Clara: "I need to talk to him. Somehow."
Sonia (smiling): "Then it's settled. Leave that to me. I have an idea."
End of Chapter 9