Change in the Past
Seth
I sat by the window on the bus, watching the scenery rush by while my classmates laughed and chatted all around me. Their voices filled the air with happy energy, but I couldn't bring myself to join in. My leg bounced restlessly without me noticing.
"So... the day's finally here," I thought, feeling a quiet heaviness settle in my chest.
Ivan sat next to me, leaning back with his earphones in and his eyes closed. A small smile rested on his face, like he didn't have a single worry. I wished I could feel that relaxed too.
He looked tired when the trip started, so I didn't bother him and just let him rest. But as I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, I felt a tight knot in my stomach. Memories of the accident slowly began to creep back. Seeing his peaceful face now made me want to cry. But I held it in—I didn't want him to worry about something that hasn't even happened yet.
"Hey." His voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I turned to see him looking at me with one eyebrow raised. "You, okay? You've been really quiet... and kind of tense."
I gave a small, fake laugh and shook my head. "Yeah, I'm just tired. Didn't sleep much last night."
Ivan looked at me for a moment, like he knew I wasn't being honest. But then he shrugged and leaned back. "You think too much, man. Just relax. It's only a field trip."
Only a field trip.
I nodded and swallowed hard, but the heavy feeling in my chest didn't go away. Because deep down, I knew the truth—this wasn't our first trip. And the last time... it ended with Ivan's death.
Not this time. Not again.
The field trip went by in a blur of colors, laughter, and the kind of fun that comes from getting away from the usual school routine. Ivan and I stayed close, just like we always did. Our classmates split into groups—some exploring the outdoor market, others wandering around the nearby hills— but I hardly paid attention.
The noise, the crowd, the unfamiliar faces—all of it faded into the background. In that moment, it felt like it was just the two of us, caught up in our own little world.
We walked through the rows of market stalls, the air full of the smell of grilled food and spices. Ivan looked around at the different items, smiling wider every time he saw something funny or way too pricey. That smile—it was all I needed. It showed me he was happy, like nothing bad had ever happened.
Later, we shared a giant pretzel, trying to pull it apart without making a mess. "We should've just brought our own snacks," Ivan said with his mouth full, crumbs falling onto his shirt. "But hey, this isn't so bad."
I laughed and shook my head. Typical Ivan—always finding a way to enjoy whatever situation we were in.
As he kept eating, my eyes wandered away from the food stalls to the nearby booths filled with handmade crafts and souvenirs.
We joked around with a vendor while trying to bargain for a pair of hand-carved figurines, laughing at how bad we were at it. Ivan kept saying he was getting a great deal, but I was pretty sure we were getting ripped off.
"Man, these would probably cost half as much back home," he said with a laugh, shaking his head.
"Yeah, but where's the fun in that?" I replied, watching him hand over the money anyway, looking proud of himself.
As Ivan leaned in to look at a delicate piece of handmade jewelry at one of the booths, I quietly took a step back, slipping away without him noticing. My fingers brushed across the smooth wooden counter, passing over polished trinkets and rings arranged neatly under the soft, warm glow of the lights above.
Then, my hand stopped.
Two simple silver rings lay among the other items—plain but quietly beautiful. I felt a lump in my throat as I looked at them, my heart beating fast. I paused for a moment, then picked them up, rolling the cool metal between my fingers.
One for me. One for Ivan.
I wasn't sure why I wanted to buy them. Maybe they were just small souvenirs, or maybe they meant something more—a quiet promise to myself that I wouldn't let the past happen again. A sign of something unspoken, something that kept him close to this moment, to now, to me.
The vendor wrapped them up quickly, and I slipped the second ring into my pocket. Its small weight felt steady, grounding me somehow. I took a deep breath, then turned back toward Ivan, who was already looking at me with a curious expression.
"What'd you get?" he asked, flashing his usual teasing smile.
I held up a small keychain I'd grabbed at the last second—a simple souvenir, nothing special. "Just something to remember the trip," I said with a shrug, trying to act casual.
Ivan raised an eyebrow but didn't ask more. He just nodded and put his hands in his pockets. "Nice. Guess we'll have matching junk to toss in a drawer later."
I laughed and shook my head. "Yeah, guess so."
But deep down, my fingers gently held the ring hidden in my pocket, its cool metal pressing against my skin. It helped me breathe a little easier—a quiet reminder that this wasn't the past. This was the present. Ivan was here, beside me, alive.
And I would do whatever it takes to keep it that way.
As the sun sank lower in the sky, its golden light spread across everything, marking the end of our trip. The laughter and energy from earlier had begun to fade, replaced by a calm silence as everyone started to realize—it was time to head back. For some reason, my heart had been racing ever since we got off the bus. Maybe it was the uneasy feeling that had been following me all day, or maybe it was something else.
In the distance, our classmates were getting together, their voices growing louder as they walked toward the bus. My chest felt tight. This was the moment I had been afraid of—the moment everything had gone wrong before.
I looked at Ivan. His usual relaxed smile was gone. Instead, he looked more serious. He let out a small sigh and put his hands in his jacket pockets before turning to me.
"Ready to go?" he asked.
I felt the rings in my pocket—a quiet reminder of the promise I made to myself. My stomach felt tight, but it wasn't fear anymore. It was something warm.
I nodded. "Yeah, let's go."
As we walked side by side toward the bus, I touched the cool metal in my pocket. Today had been perfect. Now, I just had to make sure it stayed that way.
**********
The bus slowed down as it pulled into a small gas station, the engine humming quietly before stopping near the pump. Outside, the flickering lights above gave off a weak glow, barely lighting up the dark and casting long, moving shadows on the ground. The station looked quiet—almost empty—with only a few other cars nearby.
Inside the bus, the excitement from earlier was gone. Some students were still whispering to each other, but most had already fallen asleep, leaning against the windows or resting on their friends. The long day had finally caught up with everyone.
I moved a little in my seat and looked around. The quiet talking and a few snores filled the bus, making it feel calm and sleepy. But I still felt uneasy, like something wasn't right. Stopping here, in the middle of nowhere, made my chest feel tight.
I didn't get up. I just kept looking out the window. The gas station lights blinked on the glass, but I wasn't really paying attention. My mind was busy, stuck on thoughts I couldn't shake off.
Next to me, Ivan had fallen asleep, his head resting on my shoulder. His calm, steady breathing helped me stay grounded in the moment. I didn't move, not wanting to wake him.
But the uneasy feeling from earlier was still there. My fingers tugged at my jeans without me even thinking about it—a nervous habit I couldn't stop. I wanted to believe that everything was fine, that nothing bad would happen this time. But the tight feeling in my stomach just wouldn't go away.
The stop felt like it lasted forever, each second making me more anxious. Finally, the driver came back, and the bus started up again with a low rumble. The sound of the engine filled the quiet as we left the gas station and got back on the road. I let out a slow breath, staring at the dark highway ahead. Just a little more, and we'd be home.
The soft hum of the bus and its gentle movement had put almost everyone to sleep. The air felt heavy with tiredness. The excitement from earlier was gone, replaced by quiet breathing and the faint sounds of people shifting in their seats.
But I couldn't fall asleep.
I kept my eyes on the road, watching the headlights light up the dark. My body felt tight and stiff, like it was ready for something bad to happen. The nervous feeling I'd been holding back all day wouldn't go away.
Beside me, Ivan moved a little in his sleep, his head leaning more against my shoulder. He looked so calm, not knowing how scared I was inside. Even with the fear, I found myself smiling a little.
Then it happened.
The bus suddenly swerved to one side. My heart jumped as I heard gasps and quiet screams from the others around me.
The driver cursed and held the wheel tightly, but the bus kept swerving, the tires screeching loudly against the road. That awful feeling of losing control hit me hard, and panic rushed through my chest. My hands curled into fists, and my breathing turned quick and shaky.
Then I saw it—the edge of the road, way too close.
"Ivan!" I shouted, acting on instinct. Without thinking, I grabbed him and pulled him away from the window, just as the bus jerked again.
Everything tipped.
A loud crash filled the night as the bus hit the side of the road. My body was thrown backward, and everything hurt from the strong impact. My shoulder slammed into the seat, and pain shot through my side—but I didn't care.
All I could think about was Ivan.
As we fell, I turned and wrapped my arms around him, trying to protect him. The crash pushed us forward, and my back hit something hard. A sharp pain ran through me, but I didn't let go. I held him tightly.
The world spun around me, and I could barely tell what was happening. I heard metal twisting, people screaming, everything blending into a loud, messy blur. The smell of burning rubber and something sharp and bitter filled the air.
But none of that mattered. I held onto Ivan tightly, my heart pounding in my ears. Not again. I won't let this happen again. Everything started to blur—the sounds, the pain, the chaos. The noise slowly faded into a heavy silence. My whole body hurt, and I could smell smoke... and blood.
I tried to move, but a sharp pain in my side stopped me. I couldn't even sit up. The only sound was the weak sputter of the bus's engine in the background, breaking the heavy silence.
Beside me, Ivan groaned and moved. A wave of relief hit me—he was alive.
"Seth! Oh my God, Seth!" he shouted, his voice shaking as he grabbed my shoulders. His eyes were full of fear.
I gave him a weak smile. "I'm fine," I whispered. "I'm just... glad you're okay."
Ivan's hands shook as he pressed on my side, trying to stop the bleeding. "No, don't say that. You're going to be fine. Stay with me, okay? Seth, please!"
His voice was shaking, but my body was getting weaker. My eyes felt heavy, and it was getting harder to stay awake. I wanted to hold on—to stay in this moment—but everything was fading.
"Ivan..." I whispered.
And then, everything went dark.