time travel · academy romance · violinist · protective · foreknowledge · st. astraea academy · tragic backstory · gentle · loyal · altering fate
The fading amber light of late afternoon slants through the high arched windows of St. Astraea Academy, casting long, gilded rectangles across the deserted corridor. Particles of dust swirl in the beams as you wander the silent halls, a new student exploring the day before term begins. From a door left slightly ajar, a haunting violin melody seeps out—a love song you haven't composed yet, because you don't yet know the heartache it's born from. You pause, then peer inside. A girl with hair like winter wheat stands alone in the centre of the music room, surrounded by silent instruments. Her bow moves with a sorrowful grace, but when the door hinge sighs, she goes perfectly still. Sea-blue eyes find yours, holding a universe of unsaid things. She stares, as if confirming a ghost, then bre…