Cathy took a deep breath before continuing her story.
"It all started on the first day of college..." she said quietly.
Johan remained silent, listening carefully as Cathy began taking him back into the past.
It was the first day of college.
The campus was alive with excitement. New students walked through the corridors, searching for their classrooms and introducing themselves to unfamiliar faces. Laughter echoed from different corners of the building, while groups of students gathered together, talking excitedly about the beginning of their college life.
Among them were Maria and Cathy.
The two had been best friends since childhood. They had grown up together, shared countless memories, and had always remained close to one another. Even on their first day of college, they stayed together.
Maria walked slowly through the corridor, looking around with curiosity. Cathy followed beside her, carrying her books.
"Can you believe we're finally here?" Cathy asked with a smile.
Maria looked around the campus and smiled softly.
"I know," she replied. "It still doesn't feel real."
They continued walking toward their classroom.
But suddenly—
A loud sound echoed through the corridor.
Students nearby turned around.
Two boys were fighting.
One of them was Jason, a student known throughout the college for his aggressive and troublesome behavior. He often bullied other students and was feared by many.
The other boy was someone Maria had never seen before.
He had brown hair and a fair complexion. Despite the chaos around him, there was something striking about his appearance.
The fight became more intense.
Students quickly moved away, afraid of getting involved.
Then suddenly—
The brown-haired boy lost his balance.
He stumbled backward and fell to the floor.
Right at Maria's feet.
For a brief moment, everything seemed to slow down.
Maria looked down at him.
The boy slowly raised his head.
Their eyes met.
Maria froze.
There was something about him that immediately caught her attention. She couldn't explain it. She had never spoken to him before. She didn't even know his name.
Yet, at that very moment, she felt something unfamiliar inside her heart.
A strange warmth.
A sudden attraction.
The boy looked at Maria as well.
For a few seconds, neither of them said anything.
He seemed equally surprised.
As if he, too, had felt something.
But the moment was interrupted when Maria noticed blood near his mouth.
He had been hurt during the fight.
Maria's expression immediately changed.
"You're bleeding..." she whispered.
The boy wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
Then his expression suddenly became serious.
Jason was standing behind him.
The boy quickly stood up.
Without another word, he turned around and moved toward Jason.
The fight began again.
Maria remained standing exactly where she was.
Her eyes followed the boy.
Cathy, however, looked nervous.
She gently grabbed Maria's arm.
"Maria," she whispered urgently, "shall we go? We shouldn't stay here. What if we also get into trouble?"
But Maria didn't move.
Her eyes remained fixed on the fight.
"No," she said quietly.
Cathy looked at her in surprise.
"Maria, this isn't our problem."
"I know," Maria replied.
"But..."
She paused.
"I just want to make sure he's okay."
Cathy looked at her best friend suspiciously.
A small smile appeared on her face.
"Oh..." Cathy said teasingly. "Is that why you don't want to leave?"
Maria immediately turned toward her.
"Cathy!"
But before Cathy could say anything else—
A loud voice echoed through the corridor.
"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?"
Everyone suddenly became silent.
The students stepped away.
At the end of the corridor stood the college headmaster.
His expression was serious.
Jason immediately stopped fighting.
The brown-haired boy also stepped back.
The entire corridor became quiet.
The headmaster looked angrily at both boys.
"You two!" he said firmly. "Come with me."
Jason looked away in frustration.
The brown-haired boy remained silent.
The headmaster then looked around at the students.
"And everyone else, go back to your classes."
But several students remained nearby, curious about what would happen next.
The headmaster noticed Maria and Cathy standing close to the scene.
"You two," he said.
Maria and Cathy looked at each other.
"Sir?" Maria asked.
"Were you both present when this fight started?"
Maria nodded slowly.
"Yes, sir."
"Then come with us," the headmaster said. "I want to know exactly what happened."
Cathy's eyes widened.
She quietly leaned toward Maria.
"See?" she whispered. "I told you we should have left."
Maria gave her a nervous look.
Within a few minutes, Maria, Cathy, Jason, and the mysterious brown-haired boy were standing inside the headmaster's office.
A few other students who had witnessed the fight were also present.
The room was silent.
The headmaster sat behind his desk, his expression serious.
Jason stood on one side of the room with an irritated look on his face.
The brown-haired boy stood quietly nearby.
Maria stood beside Cathy.
For the first time, Maria was standing close enough to properly look at him.
She wondered who he was.
Why had Jason attacked him?
And most importantly...
What was his name?
The headmaster looked at everyone in the room.
Then he slowly removed his glasses and placed them on the desk.
The headmaster's office remained silent.
Jason stood on one side of the room, his expression tense and angry. The brown-haired boy stood quietly nearby, while Maria and Cathy remained together.
Headmaster Alden looked around the room.
"Now," he said firmly, "someone will tell me exactly what happened."
For a few seconds, no one spoke.
Then suddenly, Maria stepped forward.
"Sir," she said.
Everyone turned toward her.
Maria took a deep breath.
"Jason attacked him."
The room immediately became quiet.
The brown-haired boy looked toward Maria in surprise.
Jason's eyes widened.
"What?" he said angrily.
But Maria continued.
"He was just doing his own work. Jason was the one who started the fight."
Cathy immediately turned toward Maria.
Her eyes were filled with shock.
"Maria!" she whispered.
Maria glanced at her.
Cathy leaned closer and spoke quietly.
"Why are you saying that? We don't know who started the fight."
Maria's expression became serious.
"Keep quiet, Cathy," she whispered.
Cathy stared at her in disbelief.
They had both arrived after the fight had already begun. Neither of them truly knew who had started it.
Yet Maria had spoken without hesitation.
Jason immediately stepped forward.
"Sir, that's not—"
"Enough!"
Headmaster Alden's voice echoed through the office.
Jason stopped.
Alden looked directly at him.
"Jason, this is not the first complaint I have received about your behaviour."
Jason's expression changed slightly.
The headmaster continued.
"Fighting, threatening other students, creating problems on campus... I have warned you before."
Jason clenched his hands.
"Sir, you don't understand—"
"I said enough."
Alden's voice was firm.
Jason immediately fell silent.
The headmaster leaned forward.
"Because of your repeated behaviour, you will not be allowed to attend college for the next six months."
Jason's eyes widened.
"Six months?" he said. "Sir, please—"
"I have made my decision."
"But sir, he—"
Headmaster Alden raised his hand.
"No more arguments."
Jason looked furious.
He glanced toward the brown-haired boy, then toward Maria.
For a moment, anger filled his face.
But he said nothing.
Headmaster Alden looked at everyone else.
"You may all leave now."
One by one, the students began walking out of the office.
Cathy quickly followed Maria.
The brown-haired boy walked out behind them.
Once they were outside, the atmosphere felt completely different.
Students were still moving through the corridors, talking and laughing as if nothing had happened.
Maria and Cathy began walking away.
But suddenly—
Someone approached them.
Maria turned around.
It was the brown-haired boy.
Cathy immediately became nervous.
She moved slightly closer to Maria.
"What is he going to do?" she whispered.
Maria looked at him calmly.
The boy stopped in front of them.
For a moment, he simply looked at Maria.
Then his serious expression softened.
"Thank you," he said.
Maria looked surprised.
"For what?"
"For helping me."
Maria smiled slightly.
"You don't have to thank me."
The boy shook his head.
"No. You didn't even know me, but you still stood up for me."
Maria remained silent.
The boy glanced in the direction Jason had gone.
"Students like Jason don't deserve to behave like that in college," he said.
His voice suddenly became more serious.
"He misbehaved with my sister."
Maria's expression changed.
The boy continued.
"That's why we fought."
For the first time, Maria understood that there was something deeper behind the fight.
She looked at him carefully.
Then she noticed something.
There was still a small amount of blood near his mouth.
"Wait," Maria said.
The boy looked confused.
"What?"
"You're still bleeding."
Maria quickly opened her bag and took out a small piece of cotton.
Cathy watched her with surprise.
"Maria..."
But Maria stepped closer to the boy.
"Stay still," she said.
The boy remained completely silent.
Maria gently cleaned the blood near his mouth.
For a brief moment, the busy sounds of the college corridor seemed to disappear.
The boy looked directly at her.
Maria slowly finished cleaning the wound and stepped back.
"There," she said softly.
The boy touched his mouth.
"Thanks."
Maria smiled.
Then he looked at her curiously.
"Who are you?"
Maria looked slightly surprised.
"Oh."
She smiled.
"My name is Maria."
Then she pointed toward Cathy.
"And this is my close friend, Cathy."
Cathy gave him a small smile.
"We're new students here," Maria added. "It's our first day."
The boy nodded.
Before anyone could continue the conversation—
RRRIIINNNGGG!
The college bell rang loudly.
Students immediately began moving toward their classrooms.
"Looks like class is starting," Cathy said.
Maria looked toward the brown-haired boy.
He nodded and began walking away.
But suddenly—
"Wait!"
The boy stopped.
He turned around.
Maria looked at him.
"You know my name," she said.
The boy smiled faintly.
Maria continued.
"But I still don't know yours."
For a moment, he looked at her.
Then he replied.
"My name is Nick."
Maria repeated the name quietly.
"Nick..."
Nick nodded.
"I'm studying in the second year."
Maria smiled.
"It was nice meeting you, Nick."
Nick looked at her for a moment.
A small smile appeared on his face.
"It was nice meeting you too, Maria."
The bell rang again in the distance.
Nick turned and began walking toward his classroom.
Maria and Cathy headed in the opposite direction.
As Maria walked away, she turned back one more time.
Nick was disappearing into the crowded corridor.
Cathy noticed Maria looking at him.
A mischievous smile appeared on her face.
"What?" Maria asked.
"Nothing," Cathy replied.
Maria narrowed her eyes.
"Cathy."
Cathy laughed.
"You like him."
Maria immediately looked away.
"I just met him!"
"Exactly," Cathy replied playfully. "And you've already defended him, cleaned his wound, and asked for his name."
Maria tried to hide her smile.
"Stop it."
Cathy laughed as they walked toward their classroom.
But Maria's mind was no longer focused on the first day of college.
A single name remained in her thoughts.
Nick.
Neither Maria nor Cathy could have imagined that this simple meeting in a crowded college corridor would become the beginning of a relationship that would change Maria's life forever.
As the day slowly came to an end, the excitement of the first day of college gradually faded.
Night settled over the campus.
The college buildings became quiet, and the busy corridors that had been filled with students during the day were now empty. Inside the girls' hostel, one by one, the lights in the rooms began to switch off.
Maria and Cathy shared the same room.
After a long and eventful first day, both of them were exhausted.
Cathy lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling.
"I still can't believe you actually defended a stranger today," she said with a teasing smile.
Maria, lying on the other bed, turned toward her.
"He wasn't a stranger after he told us his name."
Cathy immediately smiled.
"Oh, really?"
Maria rolled her eyes.
"Good night, Cathy."
Cathy laughed softly.
"Good night, Maria."
Within a few minutes, the room became silent.
The lights were turned off.
Outside, the hostel was quiet.
Maria slowly drifted into a deep sleep.
Cathy also closed her eyes.
For some time, everything was peaceful.
Then suddenly—
A loud shout echoed somewhere in the distance.
Cathy's eyes immediately opened.
She remained still for a moment.
Her heart began to beat faster.
Had she really heard something?
She slowly sat up on her bed and looked around.
The room was dark.
Only a faint light from outside entered through the window.
Maria was still sleeping peacefully.
Cathy looked at her carefully.
Maria showed no sign of waking up.
Then Cathy heard it again.
A faint sound.
Someone shouting.
Cathy quickly got out of bed.
"Maria?" she whispered.
But Maria remained deeply asleep.
Cathy slowly walked toward the door.
She hesitated for a moment before opening it.
The hostel corridor outside was dark and silent.
Cathy stepped outside.
She looked toward one end of the hallway.
Nothing.
Then she looked toward the other end.
Still nothing.
The entire corridor was empty.
There were no students.
No voices.
No sign that anyone had been shouting.
Cathy frowned.
"Maybe I imagined it," she whispered to herself.
Slowly, she returned to her room.
She closed the door behind her.
But the moment she turned around—
She froze.
Someone was standing in front of her.
A dark figure.
Cathy could not see the person's face clearly.
The room was almost completely dark.
The figure remained motionless.
Cathy's heart began pounding violently.
She tried to see the person's face.
But the darkness covered everything.
Then she noticed something.
Two eyes.
Blue.
A strange, intense blue.
They were staring directly at her from the darkness.
Cathy stopped breathing for a moment.
Fear rushed through her entire body.
She tried to move.
But her legs felt weak.
"W-Who are you?" she whispered.
The figure remained silent.
Those blue eyes continued staring at her.
Cathy's fear suddenly overwhelmed her.
She screamed.
"AAAAAH!"
She immediately closed her eyes and fell to the floor, covering her face.
Her scream echoed through the hostel.
Maria suddenly woke up.
"Cathy!"
Maria quickly got out of bed.
At the same time, doors began opening throughout the corridor.
Other students woke up.
"What's happening?"
"Who screamed?"
Several students rushed toward Maria and Cathy's room.
Maria quickly switched on the light.
The bright light filled the room.
Cathy was sitting on the floor, trembling.
Maria immediately rushed toward her.
"Cathy! What happened?"
Cathy slowly opened her eyes.
She looked around the room.
The figure was gone.
There was nobody there.
Cathy stared toward the empty corner where she had seen the mysterious shadow.
Her breathing became uneven.
"There was someone here," she whispered.
Maria looked around.
"Where?"
Cathy slowly pointed toward the corner.
"Right there."
Maria looked carefully.
But there was nothing.
The other students also looked around the room.
The room was completely empty.
Cathy looked frightened.
"There was someone standing there," she said again. "I couldn't see their face properly... but..."
She paused.
Maria held her hands.
"But what, Cathy?"
Cathy slowly looked at her.
"Their eyes."
Maria's expression changed.
Cathy's voice trembled.
"They were blue."
For a moment, Maria remained silent.
Then she gently held Cathy's shoulders.
"Cathy, listen to me."
Cathy looked at her.
"You were sleeping," Maria said softly. "Maybe you had a bad dream."
"But Maria, I woke up."
"I know."
"I went outside. I heard someone shouting."
Maria looked concerned.
Cathy continued desperately.
"And when I came back... I saw someone."
Maria gently pulled her closer.
"Cathy, there is no one here now."
The other students slowly began returning to their rooms.
Some of them whispered to each other, believing Cathy had simply experienced a nightmare.
But Cathy still looked terrified.
Maria sat beside her.
"It could have been your imagination," Maria said gently. "You had a long and tiring day."
Cathy shook her head.
"I know what I saw."
Maria looked at her carefully.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Maria gently held Cathy's hand.
"Come."
Cathy looked at her.
"Don't sleep alone tonight."
Maria moved closer and made space beside her bed.
Cathy slowly stood up.
She looked around the room one last time.
The dark corner was empty.
There was nothing there.
Still, she couldn't forget those eyes.
Those strange...
Blue eyes.
Cathy quietly lay down beside Maria.
Maria held her hand gently.
"Try to sleep," Maria whispered.
Cathy nodded slowly.
After some time, exhaustion finally overcame her.
Her eyes slowly closed.
The room once again became silent.
Outside the window, the night remained calm.
The trees moved gently in the wind.
Everything appeared peaceful.
But neither Maria nor Cathy knew...
That somewhere in the darkness beyond the hostel...
Someone was watching.
And in the shadows...
Two deep blue eyes remained open.
The following morning arrived quietly.
Soft sunlight spread across the college campus, and students slowly began filling the corridors once again. It was the second day of college, and the excitement of meeting new people was still visible everywhere.
Maria and Cathy entered their classroom together.
They took their seats and began talking with a few of their classmates. The atmosphere was cheerful, filled with small conversations and laughter.
Cathy leaned toward Maria.
"So," she said playfully, "did you sleep well?"
Maria looked at her suspiciously.
"Why are you asking?"
Cathy smiled.
"Nothing. I was just wondering if you spent the whole night thinking about a certain second-year student."
Maria immediately understood what she meant.
"Cathy," she warned.
Cathy laughed softly.
Before Maria could say anything else, the classroom suddenly became quiet.
A professor had entered.
He was a middle-aged man with a calm expression and a serious but friendly appearance.
"Good morning, everyone," he said.
All the students immediately stood up.
"Good morning, Professor!"
The professor smiled.
"Good morning. Please take your seats."
Everyone sat down.
The professor placed his books on the table and wrote his name on the board.
PROFESSOR JOE
He turned toward the students.
"Today," he said, "we are going to discuss something very interesting."
The students listened carefully.
"The subconscious mind."
Maria sat slightly forward.
Professor Joe continued.
"Our minds are more complicated than we often realize. There are thoughts, memories, fears, and emotions that we may not always consciously remember."
The classroom remained quiet.
"Sometimes," he continued, "experiences become buried deep inside the subconscious mind. A person may not consciously remember something, but the mind can still react to it."
Cathy listened with curiosity.
Professor Joe then wrote another word on the board.
HYPNOSIS
Several students exchanged curious glances.
"Today, we will also briefly discuss hypnosis and how altered states of attention can affect memory, perception, and the subconscious mind."
Maria listened carefully.
For some reason, the subject felt strangely interesting to her.
But before Professor Joe could continue—
"Excuse me, sir."
Everyone turned toward the classroom door.
A girl was standing there.
She looked quiet and nervous.
For a moment, the entire classroom watched her.
She was wearing a simple black dress. Her appearance was striking, but there was something reserved about her expression. She kept her hands close to herself, as though she did not enjoy being the center of attention.
Professor Joe looked toward her.
"Yes?"
"May I come in, sir?" she asked softly.
Professor Joe nodded.
"Of course. Come in."
The girl slowly entered the classroom.
She walked toward the front.
Professor Joe smiled gently.
"You must be our new student."
The girl nodded.
"Yes, sir."
"Alright," Professor Joe said. "Why don't you introduce yourself to the class?"
The girl turned toward the students.
For a brief moment, she seemed nervous.
Then she spoke quietly.
"My name is Sophie."
Her voice was soft and gentle.
"I am currently staying here in San Jose."
Maria and Cathy listened.
"But I'm originally from Los Angeles."
Maria immediately glanced toward Cathy.
Cathy looked back at her.
Both of them were also from Los Angeles.
Sophie continued.
"I recently moved here, and I'm staying with my brother."
Maria listened casually.
Then Sophie added:
"My brother is also studying in this college."
Maria's attention suddenly increased.
"He's in the second year."
For some reason, Maria immediately thought about Nick.
Then Sophie spoke again.
"His name is Nick."
Maria froze.
Her eyes widened slightly.
Nick.
The same name immediately returned to her mind.
The brown-haired boy.
The fight.
His injured mouth.
Their first conversation.
Maria couldn't stop a small smile from appearing on her face.
Her cheeks became slightly warm.
Cathy noticed immediately.
A playful smile appeared on her face.
Without saying anything, Cathy gently pinched Maria's chin.
Maria quickly turned toward her.
"Cathy!"
Cathy tried not to laugh.
"Oh, nothing," she whispered innocently.
Maria looked away, trying to hide her embarrassment.
At the front of the classroom, Professor Joe smiled at Sophie.
"Thank you, Sophie."
He looked around the room.
"You may take a seat."
Sophie nodded.
"Thank you, sir."
She looked around the classroom, searching for an empty seat.
Then she noticed the empty chair beside Maria.
Sophie slowly walked toward it.
Maria moved slightly to make space for her.
Sophie sat down quietly.
"Hi," Maria whispered.
Sophie turned toward her.
"Hi."
"I'm Maria," she said.
Sophie gave a small smile.
"Sophie."
Maria smiled.
"I know."
For a moment, Sophie looked slightly confused.
Then Maria laughed softly.
Cathy smiled beside them.
The class continued.
Professor Joe returned to the subject of the subconscious mind and began explaining how memories and emotions could influence a person's thoughts and behaviour.
Throughout the day, Maria occasionally noticed Sophie.
Sophie was extremely quiet.
While other students talked during breaks, Sophie usually remained silent.
She carefully listened to the professors.
She took notes.
She spent most of her time studying.
Even during small breaks, she preferred reading rather than talking.
Maria found herself becoming curious about her.
There was something different about Sophie.
She wasn't unfriendly.
She simply seemed...
Quiet.
Reserved.
Almost as if she preferred keeping her thoughts hidden.
By the end of the day, Maria had noticed something else.
Whenever someone mentioned Nick's name, Sophie's expression changed slightly.
Only for a moment.
So quickly that Maria wasn't completely sure she had seen it.
But something about Sophie made Maria curious.
She was Nick's younger sister.
She was from Los Angeles.
And now...
She was sitting beside Maria.
Maria had no idea that Sophie's arrival would soon bring her closer to Nick.
But she also didn't know that the quiet girl sitting beside her carried memories and secrets that would one day become deeply connected to Maria's future.
And somewhere beneath the ordinary beginning of their friendship...
The first pieces of a much darker story were slowly beginning to fall into place.
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