The university library was cool and quiet that afternoon, a sharp contrast to the buzzing campus outside. The big library was stocked with textbooks from the high bookshelves, and wooden tables set in the right order for readers.
Star moved through the Biology section with quiet purpose, her arms stacked with bulky textbooks she had just selected. She turned to leave, but bumped into someone unexpectedly. The books slipped from her grip and scattered across the floor with a soft thud.
"Oh no," she muttered, already kneeling to gather them.
The guy she had bumped into bent as well, helping her pick them up. As he reached for the last book, he froze, looking up to see the victim's face, and it was her.
For a moment, he simply stared. The books were forgotten in his hand. The girl he had searched for. The girl he once hurt unintentionally, without fully understanding what she meant to his soul. How long had it been, three years?
He had begged Purple countless times to give him Star's contact, to tell him where she lived. But Purple had guarded that information like gold. She always changed the subject, snapped, or outright lied.
He had gone to that bar where he first met her, hoping she still worked there, but she was no longer there. He'd waited outside in the evenings, hoping to catch a glimpse. But nothing, other than empty longing.
And now, here she was. Right in front of him. Her face hadn't changed, yet it had. She looked more mature now, her tender eyes a little wiser, her features sharper, more defined. She had grown. Into beauty, into confidence. Her skin still glowed, her natural hair still shone in that effortless way it always had.
He blinked, thinking maybe it was all a dream. He tried to pinch himself, but in doing so, the books in his hands slipped again, tumbling to the floor a second time. They both reached down instinctively, and this time, as they gathered the books again, their eyes locked, deeply and profoundly.
They stared, but neither of them spoke. Until finally, Star tilted her head slightly and broke the silence.
"Thanks, dear… Can I have my books?"
Her voice was calm, gentle. But there was a tinge of curiosity in it, too, like she was trying to remember where she had seen him before.
"Yes… Sure," he said, his voice almost hoarse from surprise. He stood and handed the books to her slowly, almost not wanting to let them go.
"Thanks," she replied, taking them carefully. She turned slightly, ready to leave.
But he reached out and gently held her arm, just the way he had done 3years ago, but this time, he wasn't letting her disappear. The young man knows what he wants, and this time, he is ready to pursue and win it.
"You… you don't remember me, do you?" he asked, eyes fixed on her.
Star paused. Looked back at him properly, she did remember.
The guy in the auditorium. Her first week in school. The rude boy turned soft when he saw her pain. The one who held her foot like it was something fragile and sacred. And after that day… nothing. He vanished.
"I do," she said softly. "The auditorium. First year."
A small smile pulled at the corners of his mouth.
"You remember."
Star nodded, but her tone was guarded.
"It's been years. You looked all grown up."
"Yeah… three years," he said. "I've been trying to find you."
She blinked, a bit caught off guard.
"But… why?" she asked.
He stepped closer, sincerity dripping from every word. "Because that one day has stayed with me for three years."
While Star's world seemed to pause in the library, back at the small student apartment she shared with Lizzy, the room was quiet.
***********************************
LOVE MET AGAIN
***********************************
Earlier that morning, Lizzy had woken up with a burning fever. Her skin was hot to the touch, her voice barely above a whisper. Star had placed a cold towel on her forehead, helped her sip some water, and insisted she stay in bed. She offered to stay home, but Lizzy, ever the drama queen with a soft spot for Star, waved her away.
"You go joor… don't use me to skip library time," Lizzy croaked with a faint smile.
"I'll be fine."
So Star had gone, though not without worry.
Life had changed so much over the years. After their second semester in year one, Star couldn't keep up with hostel fees. She packed her things and moved in with Lizzy, who had graciously offered her spare bed. From that moment, their bond had grown beyond ordinary friendship. They became sisters in every way that mattered.
And thanks to Star's constant influence, Lizzy started studying again. The former party girl turned semi-bookworm. Star brought structure into Lizzy's life; Lizzy brought laughter into Star's, as she had been the one buying their weekly groceries and providing everything money could buy for them. It was love, and they were family.
Now, in their final year, with exams just days away, their evenings were always the same: books spread across the floor, music playing softly in the background, cups of coffee steaming beside their notes.
"Star," he called gently.
She was surprised to hear him call her name; her heart gave a small leap.
"He knows my name."
She muttered quietly to herself, "Oh my God… he knows my name."
Their eyes met, and his gaze was fixed, unblinking and filled with awe, like he was trying to memorize every detail of her face. Her pointed nose stood out delicately, her lips still curved into that graceful, mysterious smile. She looked effortlessly radiant under the bright library lights. Miguel couldn't take his eyes off her.
"Can we please sit down?" Star asked softly, slightly amused by the way he was staring as if he'd never seen a girl before.
They found an empty reading cubicle in a quiet corner of the library.
As they settled down, Star looked at him properly for the first time. And what she saw surprised her.
He was fine. Not the careless campus guy type, but the quietly confident kind. His skin was dark and smooth, with a soft glow. His lips were naturally red, like he had been born wearing pink lip balm. His shirt, tight and white, clung to his chest like it was painted on.
She noticed he wasn't wearing a singlet underneath, and with the first two buttons undone, a peek of his hairy, well-shaped chest teased her eyes.
"It's just… fucking sexy," she said silently to herself, mentally shaking off the thought.
She'd never reacted to a guy like this before, not this instantly.
Breaking the silence, he spoke.
"My name is Miguel. 400-level, Mass Communication."
Star smiled faintly. "You already know I'm Star."
"Yeah…," he leaned forward slightly, "You look good."
Miguel's face didn't change, but something behind his eyes dimmed.
Star's smile returned. "Ohh… that's a fact. Thank you, tho! And I ran into you again today. It's like we're good at bumping into each other."
They both laughed, the awkwardness melting into something easier, warmer.
"Yeah," he said. "Everything's been a mistake so far… but I hope this", he gestured to the space between them, "won't be one too."
"Excuse me?" she asked, playfully raising a brow, pretending to frown. But her heart had already betrayed her. It was dancing wildly in her chest.
Miguel smiled with calm sincerity.
"I know it might sound strange… but after that day at the auditorium, I couldn't stop thinking about you. You were unforgettable. Then I realized I'd seen you before, that time at the bar… You served me. I've gone there so many times to see you again, but they said you don't work there anymore."
Star's lips parted slightly in surprise.
"Yes… I quit," she said. "Lizzy insisted. She said I didn't need it anymore since I started staying with her and… her parents were more supportive financially."
"Lizzy?, The soldier who was always with you at that time?"
"Soldier?" Star laughed
Miguel leaned closer.
"It's not funny oo. I was so frustrated, Star. I searched for you everywhere. The only person I knew who might know you was Purple…"
"You… met Purple? How do you know her?" she asked, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Yeah. She was my classmate from grade school. But she wasn't… helpful. She said she didn't have your contact."
Star looked down and shook her head. "Typical Purple."
Miguel tilted his head. "So, you're her sister?"
"Step-sister," Star corrected quickly. "Same family. Different worlds."
There was a short pause.
"Anyway," Star said, trying to change the tone,
"I'm here now. What do I owe you?"
Miguel smiled. "Your heart."
She laughed, trying to brush it off.
"You're not serious."
"I'm dead serious," he said, his voice soft but steady.
"It might sound crazy… but I've waited years to see you again. And now that I have, I can't pretend like it's nothing. Please, Star… I don't want to lose this opportunity. Can you be my girl?"
His hands were crossed on the table now, eyes locked on hers, searching, pleading, and hoping for a positive answer.
Star stared at him, but she didn't speak right away. Because deep down, something inside her had already said yes. But another part of her, the fear of being vulnerable, told her to tread softly.
Throughout her four years in school, Star had built a fortress around her heart, strong, tall, and unshakable. Many had tried. Young men with soft eyes and smooth tongues. Sons of wealthy businessmen who drove sophisticated cars and wore designer perfumes. Some bought her gifts. Some even stood outside her faculty, waiting under the sun for a smile that never came. She turned them all down, gently, firmly, and without apology.
To her, relationships were distractions, and distractions were dangerous to her target. In her world, the focus was survival. Only two things ever made sense to Star: Books and Lizzy. Although Lizzy had persuaded her to have at least one guy, she maintained her no-man rules. It was man that ruined her mother's life, and such will never be her case.
But today… Something shifted. Her hands flipped through the pages of the textbook on the desk, but her eyes weren't reading. Her brain was skipping every word.
All she could see was him. Sitting there beside her. Unlike other guys, to her, Miguel was breathing and existing.
There was something about the way he looked at her, like she was a rare find, something valuable that fate had almost hidden away from him. And now that he had found her again, he didn't want to blink, nor to lose her again.
"Excuse me, young man," she said, trying to maintain composure. She picked up a book from the pile of textbooks on the desk.
"I actually came here to read. Can you let me be, please?"
She opened the book and buried her face in it like a shield, but her heart was already exposed. This desire was obviously seen. For once, she wondered what it felt like to be held. To be someone's first thought in the morning. To feel wanted. Desired. To be called "mine" by someone who meant it.
She had always been married to her books, and they never disappointed her. Books were safe. Predictable and Loyal. But Miguel's presence was none of that. He was fire, and she was drawn to it.
"Please," he said again, gently, "just give me a chance."
Star sighed and looked up at him. Her elbow rested lightly on the table as she gave him a half-raised brow.
"Alright," she said at last. "But promise me, no distractions. If you're going to be around me, don't disturb my reading."
Miguel's face lit up with a boyish grin.
"You come here every day?"
"Of course," she replied. "Sitting for hours just to read."
He looked surprised. "That's your routine?"
She nodded. "It's my lifestyle. Reading gives me joy. My books are my peace."
He smiled again, this time more sincerely.
"You must be a bookworm."
Star rolled her eyes slightly but laughed.
"Call it what you like. My books and I, we're in a serious relationship."
"Alright," he said, leaning back in his chair.
"Then I'll be coming with you. We'll read together. Even though I'm not much of a reading person… I guess it's time I made it a habit. Final exams are around the corner, right?"
She blinked, pleasantly surprised. "Yes. They are."
"Well," he said, smiling, "I guess we'll be study buddies."
Star smiled.
"Thank you for giving me a chance to love you, I promise I won't misbehave," he said quietly, but Star didn't respond.
Miguel leaned forward, flipping open a book on his end of the table.
"Hope she meant the yes she said," he muttered under his breath.
"Sorry?" Star asked, glancing at him.
Miguel quickly shook his head. "No, I wasn't talking to you."
But Star smiled anyway, because she heard it. And deep down…She wanted it to be real.