The next day, I walked into the lecture hall, my mind already focused on the day's Total Commitment to my studies. I expected to find my usual spot in the back row occupied by the new group of friends I had made. I was prepared to sit anywhere—after all, I was an Unbreakable Spirit who didn't need anyone to take care of me.
But as I reached the back row, I stopped.
There was Luca, sitting in his usual spot, but the chair next to him wasn't empty. He had placed his heavy council bag on it. When he saw me, he didn't wait for me to ask. He simply reached over, moved his bag, and gestured to the chair.
"Sit here," he said. His voice was calm, but his eyes were firm.
I felt a sudden heat climb to my cheeks. A blush I couldn't control. I wasn't used to being the person someone waited for. In my Cruel World, I was the one who had to survive on my own. But here, in this New World, someone had kept a space just for me.
As I sat down, the air in the room felt heavy with the puzzled stares of the other girls. Their eyes were full of questions: Why is the star boy reserving seat for the quiet girl? What is the secret between them? They didn't know our story or the grief we shared. They only saw a girl and a boy who were "too close." But we didn't notice the noise. We opened our notebooks and began discussing the class assignments. We were just Good Friends working toward a future, but to the rest of the class, that reserved seat felt like the beginning of a scandal. Life at college began to move in a beautiful rhythm. I was no longer a girl sitting alone with my grief. Because I had found the courage to sit with Luca, I found the courage to speak to others. Slowly, my circle grew. I made a few more friends—classmates who liked my quiet strength and the Commitment to my goals.
After my mother's death, I didn't feel this way, a simple and pure happiness. I spend my afternoons laughing with my new friends in the cafeteria, realizing that the Cruel World of my relatives was finally fading away.
But no matter how many people I met, my connection with Luca remained my Safe Place.
In the Library: we were silent partners, lost in the world of books and ambition.
In the Classroom: He was my protector, always ensuring her seat was reserved.
On the Phone: we were secret confidants, sharing the thoughts they couldn't say out loud.
I didn't want to overthink it. I didn't want to wonder if it was "romance" or just a deep friendship. I was simply Learning to Live in the Present.
"For a girl who had lost so much, having a crowded table at lunch and a reserved seat next to my friends felt like I had finally won my battle against destiny."
The walk home had become the highlight of my day. Since my new friends lived in the same direction, the journey that used to be lonely was now filled with laughter and shared beautiful stories. I felt like I was finally Learning to Live in the Present.
One evening, I messaged Luca, my heart full of excitement.
"Everyone is so kind now. We walk home together, and they actually want to hear what I have to say. I never thought college would be this happy."
I waited, expecting him to be happy for me. But Luca's reply was grounded in Practical reality.
"I'm glad you're happy, Iris. You deserve that. But remember—don't give your heart to everyone so quickly. In this world, some people are friends because it's easy; others are friends because they want something. Keep your 'Fighting Spirit' close. Not everyone is as real as they seem."
I stared at the screen, my blush fading slightly. I felt a bit "puzzled." Was he jealous? Or was he trying to protect me from a new kind of Grief? I realized that while I was enjoying the Turning Tide, Luca was reminding me to keep my feet steady on the ground.
Every day, I talked about my new friends with a bright smile. "They are so kind, Luca," as we walked to the library. "They ask me to join them for lunch, and they always wait for me after class. I think they really like me."
Luca would listen politely, his expression calm and Respectful. He didn't want to break my heart or make me angry, but he saw the puzzled looks the other students gave them. He knew that in a "New World" like college, information was a weapon.
"I'm glad you're finding your place, Iris," he said softly one afternoon. "But do me a favor. When they ask about us, don't tell them we are close friends. Don't tell them we talk everyday or how much we know about each other."
I looked at him, feeling a bit puzzled. "But why? You're my good friend. Why should I hide that?"
Luca stopped and looked at me with a serious, gentle gaze. "Because not everyone is good, Iris. If they know we are good friends, they might not be your friends for the right reasons. Some might stay close just to get information about the Council or some other things and others might get jealous. Just tell them we are 'good classmates' or that sometimes we study together. Keep our real friendship for us. Let's keep it safe."
I felt a little troubled. I didn't understand why the world had to be so complicated, but I trusted Luca more than anyone else. I realized he wasn't being mean—he was building a wall around their friendship to keep the Toxicity out.
For a few weeks, I allowed myself to believe in the dream. I had friends to walk with, people to chat with, and the constant, steady presence of Luca by my side. I was "Learning to Live in the Present," and for the first time since my mother passed away, she felt like a normal eighteen-year-old girl.
"Maybe the 'Ugly Child' is gone for good," I whispered to myself. "Maybe I can finally have a good life."
Everything felt perfect. Perhaps too perfect.
I walked home that evening, my heart light and my mind full of the Happily Ever After I had always dreamed of. My new friends were laughing beside me , their voices like honey and their smiles brighter than ever. I felt so lucky to finally be part of the New World.
"Because of my Innocent Heart, I didn't notice the way their smiles didn't reach their eyes. I couldn't see the Toxicity hiding behind their sweet words, or the way they exchanged "puzzled," sharp glances whenever I mentioned my studies. I was so focused on the warmth of the sun that I didn't see the long, dark shadows growing behind me ."
"I didn't know that the Cruel World was already moving against me. I didn't know that the very people I called friends were holding secrets that would soon shatter my peace."
"Luca's warning sat in the back of my mind like a silent bell, but I chose not to hear it. I wanted to believe in the kindness. I wanted to believe that destiny was finally on my side.
But as the sun dipped below the horizon, a cold wind began to blow. The storm wasn't just coming; it was already here, waiting for the perfect moment to break my Unbreakable Spirit."
"I was happy, unaware that the ground beneath my feet was starting to crack. My innocence was my greatest beauty, but in a room full of masks, it is also my greatest danger.