The next morning, the dorm felt different. It was quieter than the day before, but not empty.
Students were moving quickly, rushing to classes, some still trying to figure out where they were supposed to be. I followed Talia down the hallway, carrying my bag, trying to look like I knew what I was doing.
"How do you know all these people?" I asked quietly, glancing at her as she greeted a few students with familiarity I couldn't even imagine.
Talia smiled. "I'm not a freshman like you. I've been here for two years. I know people. That's it,"she said.
"Oh," I said.
"Just follow me. You'll be fine,"she said.
I nodded, though I wasn't sure I believed her. I had spent most of my life blending in, keeping my head down and making myself small.
Talia, on the other hand, moved through the hall like she owned it, or knew how everything should be. She had this confidence that made me feel both impressed and exhausted at the same time.
We walked toward the lounge where a group of students was already gathering. It was louder than the hallway. There was a lot of sorting out to do, which made it look rough and unsettled.
Talia stopped near the counter and leaned close to me. "See that group over there?" she whispered.
"Pay attention. That's the person everyone's talking about."she added.
I followed her gaze. A crowd had formed near the fountain just outside the lounge windows, people were standing back, giving space, their heads turned toward someone I couldn't quite see yet. I could feel the energy even when I am yet to see this person in question ,but the way people celebrate or are happy about this arrival is what wants to make me know more.
"That's him?" I asked softly.
Talia nodded. "That's Rowan Ashford. Everyone here knows him except freshmen like you. And yes, he's exactly like the stories you've heard,"she said.
I blinked. I couldn't make out much at first, just the shapes of people, the way they moved, how they reacted. But there was something different about him.
"He's… real?" I whispered, my voice barely above the background chatter.
"Yes," Talia said. "And intimidating. Some people like him, some are nervous around him, but mostly, they just… respect him."she added.
My plan to stay invisible went on hold for a while. Watching from the side, it was easy to see why everyone made such a big deal about him. Even without knowing him personally, I could feel why he was important.
Talia nudged me again. "See that? They're all reacting to him without even realizing it. That's the difference between someone who's known and someone who's… just here,"she added.
I looked at her. "I don't want to be noticed."
"You won't be," she said. "Not if you don't want to be. But it doesn't hurt to watch, sometimes you learn more that way."
I nodded slowly. I wanted to believe her.
We moved closer to the windows, and I could see him more clearly now. He was tall, relaxed, and confident. He wasn't shouting or showing off, but people still paid attention. He spoke quietly to a small group, but every word drew a reaction. Laughter, nods, smiles.
Even the way he stood made it clear he was used to being noticed.
I stepped back instinctively. I didn't want him to see me, and I didn't want to be part of the crowd's energy. I was careful to stay on the edge, out of sight as much as possible.
Talia leaned closer, her voice soft. "Don't worry. He probably hasn't even noticed you. Most people don't, unless they're forced to."
"Good," I whispered. "I plan to keep it that way."
She smiled faintly. "You'll see. In this place, staying invisible is harder than it looks. People talk, rumors spread, eyes follow. Even if you don't mean to be noticed, something always finds you,"she added.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. I had been preparing for this by keeping my head down, avoiding attention, and learning to move without being seen. And yet, standing there, watching him, I felt a small part of my plan wobble.
A few students walked by, glancing toward the group. I overheard bits of conversation.
"Did you see him last night?"
"Yeah. Everyone was talking about it."
"He's always like that. Makes everything seem… effortless."
"Why does everyone talk about him like that?"i asked.
She shrugged. "Because he's Rowan Ashford. That's all you need to know for now. You'll understand more as time goes on."she said.
I didn't like that answer, but I didn't push. I wanted to stay invisible. I wanted to be careful.
Still, I couldn't stop my eyes from drifting back to him. Just for a moment, just enough to get a sense of why he was the person everyone whispered about.
The moment passed quickly. Talia grabbed my arm again. "Come on, we're not here to stare. You'll get enough chances later,"she said.
I nodded, letting myself be pulled away. I kept glancing toward the fountain, my curiosity nagging at me despite all my careful planning.
*********
"Talia" I called.
"What is it ,Lily?"she replied.
"Can you please with your kindness, tell me who Rowan is ?"I begged, as my curiosity was taking hold of me.
"Oh my !! Lily, you are not sounding like someone who is planning to stay Invincible"She said.
"It's okay for me to know, especially now that I am a student in this school, it's nothing serious." I said.
"Okay!!!, he's Rowan Ashford, the son of one of the biggest shareholders of the school." She said,
"He's that popular, because of his kind gestures, and how calm and open hearted he is despite his father's influence on the school"she added.
"Oh I see" I replied.
"You will get to know more, as time goes on," she said.