Rebirth: Cutting Ties Before It's Too Late

After the final monthly exam of senior year, my class gathers at a karaoke lounge to celebrate. Halfway through the party, in the restroom, I receive a mysterious video from Giselle Morris, supposedly from ten years later. Giselle and I have grown up together, and I've had a crush on her for 5 years. In the video, she stands in a wedding dress, her smile gentle and content. "Chris, I'm getting married to Spencer." Then, Spencer York, the most popular guy in our class, appears beside her. Their fingers intertwine as he smiles at the camera. "I hope you find your own true love soon." The screen goes black, leaving me staring at my own tear-filled reflection. After washing my face, I return to the karaoke room. The moment I walk in, the entire class turns toward me. "I told you all he'd cry," Spencer says triumphantly into the microphone. Everyone bursts into laughter. Giselle frowns, stands up, and shoots everyone a cold glance. "Enough." She walks up to me, her voice uneasy. "Spencer asked me to record that video. He improved a lot on this exam, so this was his reward. Don't take it seriously." From behind her, Spencer teases, "Yeah, it was just a joke. Surely, you can take one. Right?" I stand frozen, looking at the face that I've spent five years thinking about, and eventually say nothing. The video is indeed a joke, but little do they know that Giselle and Spencer will actually get married ten years later. And how do I know? Well, I've just come back from the future.