In the beautiful city of Strasbourg, a little girl named Celeste Auberon stepped through the gates of Valecrest Global Primary School with a fluttering heart. At seven years old, she was beginning a new adventure in elementary school. Her first days passed with excitement and boundless curiosity. She absorbed every lesson quickly, and before long, Celeste became the star of her class.
In every exam, her name was always at the top of the list. The teachers praised her, her classmates admired her, and her parents, Elara and Drew Auberon, felt immense pride. They saw Celeste as their hope, the living embodiment of their dreams.
Yet behind Celeste's brilliance, a shadow began to grow. Zoya, Celeste's childhood friend, felt jealous of every achievement Celeste earned. She too wanted to be the best, but no matter how hard she tried, Celeste was always one step ahead of her.
Years passed, and Celeste grew into a beautiful and intelligent young girl. On her twelfth birthday, Elara and Drew Auberon celebrated Celeste'ssuccess with a simple yet joyful party. They gave her a special gift and congratulated her on all the achievements she had earned.
"Celeste, you are our pride. We are so happy to see you grow into such an amazing girl," Elara said, her eyes glistening with tears.
"Yes, Celeste. We will always support you in reaching your dreams," Drew Auberon added, pulling Celeste into a tight embrace.
Meanwhile, at Zoya's house, the atmosphere was extremely tense. Zoya had just returned from the city-level science competition carryinga disappointing result : fifth place. Her parents, Viktor Ivanova and Katarina Ivanova, were furious and deeply disappointed.
"Why do you always fail, Zoya? We have given you everything you need. We don't understand why you can't defeat Celeste!" Viktor Ivanova snapped in frustration.
"You've embarrassed us in front of our friends and colleagues. They all boast about their children, while you've become nothing but a laughingstock," Katarina Ivanova added coldly.
Zoya could only lower her head and hold back her tears. She felt utterly crushed and worthless. She knew her parents would never be satisfied with anything she did.
"From now on, you must study harder. You have to defeat Celeste no matter the cost," Viktor ordered firmly.
Zoya felt the pressure tightening around her. She knew her parents would never let her rest until she could surpass Celeste. Resentment and hatred began to burn in her heart. She swore she would repay her pain through Celeste she would simply wait for the right moment.
Graduation day finally arrived. Celeste achieved the highest scores and was crowned the best student of the year. Zoya could only offer a bitter smile as she watched Celeste step onto the stage to receive her award. Deep within her heart, she was already planning something.
"Congratulations, Celeste," Zoya said with a forced smile during the farewell event.
"Thank you, Zoya," Celeste replied sincerely. "I hope we can both succeed in middle school."
Zoya nodded, but in her heart she said,
"We'll see about that, Celeste. I won't let you be happy."
The summer holiday passed quickly. Celeste and Zoya prepared to enter the same middle school. They both knew their rivalry was only just beginning. Zoya had already prepared a plan to turn Celeste's life into aliving hell. She would do anything to bring Celeste down and prove to her parents that she, too, could be the best.
...
The summer vacation passed quickly. Celeste and Zoya prepared to enter the same middle school. Before that, however, Valecrest Global Primary School held a lively festival to celebrate the graduation of its alumni. The festival was open to the public, and at the front gate of the school, a sheet of paper was posted with the words :
"Open to the Public All Are Welcome!"
On the day of the festival, Celeste came alone. She had wanted to invite Zoya, but her friend was busy preparing for her band's performance on the main stage. Celeste let out a soft sigh, trying to enjoy the festival atmosphere by herself.
Meanwhile, a young man stood in front of a poster for the Valecrest Global Primary School festival, his eyes gleaming with excitement. The festival looked incredibly fun, stirring memories of a childhood filled with joy and freedom.
"Father, Mother, may I stop by this festival for a while?" the young man asked hopefully. He knew that, as someone from a distinguished family, he couldn't casually visit public places without permission.
The young man's father, an authoritative man with a sharp gaze, studied his son carefully. "You know we must be cautious. Not every place is safe for you."
"I promise I'll be careful, Father. I just want to experience joy like other children," the young man replied sincerely.
His mother, an elegant woman with a gentle smile, added, "All right, my dear. But you must be accompanied by your bodyguard. Don't go alone."
The young man nodded happily.
"Of course, Mother. Thank you so much!"
With his parents' permission, he entered the festival grounds. He was accompanied by two neatly dressed bodyguards who stayed alert behind him. Even so, the young man tried not to dwell on their presence and focused on enjoying the lively atmosphere of the festival.
When it was her turn, Celeste ordered her favorite strawberry ice cream. While waiting for it to be prepared, her eyes accidentally caught sight of a young man struggling with a ring-toss game. He looked awkward and amusing as he tried to throw the rings onto the neatly arranged bottles.
Celeste smiled softly at his antics. She felt an urge to approach him and offer some encouragement, but she hesitated. She didn't know the young man, and she was afraid she might seem strange if she suddenly went up to him.
"Here's your ice cream, miss," the vendor said, handing Celeste her strawberry ice cream.
"Oh yes. Thank you," Celeste replied as she took it.
Celeste walked away from the ice cream stand, still watching the young man playing the ring toss. She noticed him growing more and more frustrated as he failed to land even a single ring onto the bottles.
Without realizing it, Celeste found herself walking closer to him. She stopped a few steps behind, observing carefully how he threw the rings.
"Excuse me," Celeste greeted softly.
The young man was startled and turned around, looking at her with a confused expression.
"Uh yes? What is it?" he asked nervously.
"I saw you were having trouble with the ring toss. Would you like me to help?" Celeste offered with a friendly smile.
The young man looked surprised by her offer. He hadn't expected anyone to step in and help him.
"Really? That would be okay? I'm not very good at it," he replied hesitantly.
"It's okay. I'm not that great either," Celeste said with a smile. "But I have a few tips that might help."
The young man nodded in agreement. "Alright then. Let's give it a try," he replied, handing a few rings to Celeste.
Celeste took the rings and began explaining her tips. She showed him how to hold the rings properly, how to aim at the target, and how to throw with just the right amount of force.
The young man listened carefully to every tip Celeste gave. He tried to put them into practice, and as a result, he started to successfully land several rings onto the bottles.
"Wow, it worked! Thank you so much," the young man said with a bright smile.
"You're welcome. Congratulations," Celeste replied with a smile.
"Oh, by the way, my name is Celeste."
"I—I'm glad to meet you too, Celeste," the young man replied hesitantly. He didn't want to reveal his true identity.
"I'm glad to meet you as well," Celeste said warmly.
Celeste and the young man continued playing the ring toss together. They laughed and joked, enjoying each other's company amid the lively noise of the school festival.
After they had their fill of the ring toss, Celeste and the young man decided to try another game. Their eyes were drawn to a booth labeled "Water Balloon Shoot." At the stall, players had to shoot hanging balloons with water guns until they burst. The prizes were cute stuffed toys and keychains.
"This looks fun," the young man said, pointing at the water balloon shooting booth.
"Yeah, I've loved playing this since I was little," Celeste replied enthusiastically.
"Want to try?"
"Sure. But I can't promise I'll win," the young man said with a smile.
They bought several rounds of water pellets and began shooting at the colorful balloons. At first, they struggled to aim properly because the water guns were fairly heavy and the targets were small. But after a few tries, they grew accustomed to it and managed to burst several balloons.
"Yes! I got it!" Celeste cheered excitedly as she popped a red balloon.
"Wow, you're amazing, Celeste!" the young man praised with a laugh.
They encouraged each other and shared tips on how to shoot more accurately. The atmosphere grew livelier and filled with laughter. Without realizing it, time passed by so quickly.
Suddenly, a voice from the loudspeaker announced that the festival would soon be coming to an end. The lights began to dim, and visitors started heading home.
"Oh, is it already almost over?" Celeste said in disappointment.
"Yeah, it doesn't feel like it's that late," the young man replied, glancing at his watch.
"I still wanted to play more."
"Me too. I wish we could stay longer," Celeste said with a soft sigh.
They tidied up the remaining water pellets and walked out of the water balloon shooting booth. As they strolled along, they looked around, taking in the atmosphere of the festival as it slowly grew quieter.
"We didn't get any prizes, did we?" the young man said, pointing at the cute stuffed toys hanging at the booth.
"Yeah… what a shame," Celeste replied with a faint smile.
Suddenly, the young man stopped in front of a snack stall. He bought two cotton candies, one pink and one blue.
"Here, this is for you," he said, handing the pink cotton candy to Celeste.
"Wow, thank you so much!" Celeste said, her eyes sparkling. "I really love cotton candy."
"You're welcome. Think of it as a prize for keeping me company today," the young man replied with a gentle smile.
They walked side by side, enjoying their cotton candy. The atmosphere grew warmer and more intimate as they shared stories about the things they liked, their dreams, and funny experiences they had gone through.
Celeste felt comfortable and happy being around him. She sensed that he was kind, thoughtful, and fun to be with. She hoped they could continue this friendship beyond the festival.
By the time they reached the school gate, the sky was already pitch-dark. Streetlights illuminated the road with a soft glow.
"Thank you for today. I really had a great time playing with you," Celeste said sincerely.
"I did too. You made today so much more fun," the young man replied with a smile.
They exchanged a lingering glance. Warmth and a quiet closeness shone in their eyes.
"Um, Celeste," the young man said nervously. "May I have your phone number? Maybe we could hang out again sometime."
Celeste smiled at his request. She felt happy that he wanted to see her again.
"Of course. Here's my number," Celeste replied as she gave it to him.
"Okay, thank you," the young man said as he saved Celeste's number on his phone. "I'll contact you soon."
"Alright, I'll be waiting," Celeste replied with a smile.
They parted ways at the school gate. Celeste walked home with a light, joyful heart. She couldn't wait to meet the young man again another time. To her, this day felt unforgettable, one she would always remember with a smile on her lips.
Yet, unbeknownst to Celeste, the young man watched her from afar with a meaningful gaze. He knew their meeting was no mere coincidence. Something far greater awaited him and her in the future.
...
Celeste was sitting on the front porch of her house, playing with her beaded bracelet while waiting for Rowan. Today, Rowan had promised to pick her up so they could play at the city park. Not long after, Rowan appeared on his bicycle, stopping in front of Celeste's gate.
"Celeste, let's go!" Rowan called out with a wide smile.
Celeste hurried over to him, and the two of them pedaled their bikes toward the park. As soon as they arrived, they ran straight to their favorite swings. While gently swinging her legs, Celeste started a conversation.
"Rowan, which middle school do you want to go to later?" Celeste asked.
Rowan paused for a moment, thinking. "Hmm, I'm not sure yet. How about we go to the same middle school across town? I heard St. Clarion Academy is really good," Rowan replied.
Celeste's eyes lit up. "Sure! Let's apply together later. That would be so fun!"
"Of course!" Rowan answered enthusiastically.
Time passed far too quickly. A few months later, Celeste couldn't keep her promise to apply to middle school together with Rowan. Financial difficulties struck her family. Celeste was heartbroken, but she understood. Her parents were doing everything they could to make sure she could continue her education, even if it meant delaying it for a few months.
At home, Celeste saw her mother speaking seriously with her father. She could faintly hear them talking about school fees and how they might seek a loan. Celeste felt a deep sense of sympathy, but she also knew her parents would never give up.
"Celeste, sweetheart, don't worry," her mother said as she hugged her tightly.
"Your father and I will do our very best so you can attend the middle school you want."
A few months later, a small miracle happened. Celeste's parents managed to receive financial assistance from their extended family. At last, Celeste was able to enroll at St. Clarion Academy the same school Rowan had dreamed of. She was overjoyed, even though she joined as a new student and had already fallen behind in her lessons.
One afternoon, while taking a walk in the park, Celeste noticed a cluster of roses blooming beautifully at its center. She stepped closer, savoring their beauty and enchanting fragrance. By chance, she ran into a young man she had met before at the Valecrest Global Primary School festival.
"Hi, you're Celeste, right?" the young man greeted her with a friendly smile.
Celeste was slightly surprised, but happy to see him again. "Yes, I'm Celeste. Oh by the way, you never told me your name. May I know who you are?"
"I'm Arden," he replied, extending his hand.
Celeste shook Arden's hand with a smile. At last, she knew his name. The two of them soon fell into a pleasant conversation. Arden turned out to be friendly and funny.
Later, Celeste told Rowan about her meeting with Arden. Rowan grew curious and wanted to meet him. Eventually, the three of them played together at the park. Rowan and Arden quickly became close, and before long, the three of them became good friends, often spending their time together.