The hand on my shoulder didn't just startle me.
It shook me.
Not because it was rough. Not because it meant harm. But because I hated being touched—especially by someone I didn't know. Especially by a man.
It was a fear I carried quietly, stitched into me long before I understood what it meant.
I came from a place of love. A home that tried to protect me, to keep me safe. But life had unfolded differently. Hostels were supposed to be safe spaces—especially for girls.
They weren't.
Not always.
Some memories don't fade. They just settle deep inside you, waiting for the smallest trigger to rise again.
And that touch—unexpected, unfamiliar—brought everything rushing back.
For a second, my entire body froze.
Every nerve. Every breath.
I couldn't move.
Slowly, I turned.
And then I saw him.
Not a stranger.
Greg.
But he looked just as startled as I felt.
He immediately pulled his hand back, his expression shifting from confusion to concern.
"I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I didn't mean to scare you... beautiful girl."
I blinked, forcing myself back into the present. Forcing my voice to steady.
"It's okay," I said, after a pause. "I think it happens when people are rude."
The words came out sharper than I intended.
He winced slightly, then gave a crooked smile.
"Ouch. Fierce one, huh?"
"Yeah," I replied, folding my arms slightly, instinctively putting my guard up. "I'm gentle with people... just not with those who give unnecessary compliments."
There was a brief silence.
Then his expression softened.
"I'm sorry," he said again, more quietly this time. "I was just trying to lighten the mood. I got a little embarrassed."
Something in his tone made me pause.
And then it hit me.
I had overreacted.
Not completely unjustified—but still.
I exhaled.
"I think I was being a bit over-defensive," I admitted. "But... I don't think I would've reacted differently."
He nodded, almost respectfully.
"Fair enough," he said. "Then I'm truly sorry, madame."
That made me smile—just a little.
"It's okay," I said. "I accept your apology."
"Good," he grinned. "Then... can we start over? Let's be friends. I'm Greg."
"Hi, Greg," I said. "I'm Sia."
We both laughed softly, the tension easing just enough to breathe again.
But then—
Something shifted.
A strange chill ran down my spine.
"Uff... why do I suddenly feel cold?" Greg muttered, glancing behind him.
He tilted slightly to the side.
"Oh—Sia, I forgot to introduce you to someone."
And then he moved.
And I saw him.
My breath caught.
The boy in the maroon shirt.
The one I had been looking for without admitting it to myself.
For a second, everything inside me went loud—my thoughts, my heartbeat, the sudden rush of something I didn't yet understand.
But on the outside, I stayed still. Calm.
Controlled.
"Hi," I said, hoping my voice didn't betray me. "I'm Sia."
He stepped forward slightly.
Up close, he was even more unsettling—not in a frightening way, but in the way his presence seemed to press into the space around him. His gaze was intense, steady, like he was seeing more than he should.
And then, just as suddenly, it softened.
His voice, when he spoke, was lower than I expected—husky, but gentle.
"Hi, Sia," he said. "I'm Ethan."
A small pause.
"I'm sorry, my friend scared you."
And just like that—
The moment I had been unknowingly waiting for... finally happened.
Before the moment could settle, Greg suddenly clapped his hands once, as if something had just occurred to him.
"Wait a minute—this is unfair."
Ethan and I both looked at him.
Greg pointed between us dramatically.
"You're gentle with him," he said, narrowing his eyes at me, "and fierce with me. I think that means something."
I raised an eyebrow. "Does it?"
"Yeah," he continued, placing a hand over his chest in mock offense. "It means you're only fierce with special people. So tell me, Sia... am I special to you?"
Before I could respond, Ethan shot him a look—a sharp, silent warning.
The kind that didn't need words.
Greg immediately straightened, clearing his throat.
For a brief moment, the three of us stood there in an awkward silence.
Then, as if remembering something, Greg turned back to me.
"Hey... wait," he said, squinting slightly. "Why were you following us?"
My heart skipped.
I hadn't expected that.
For a second, my mind scrambled for an excuse—but my face stayed composed. I met his gaze, matching his intensity.
"Who's following you?" I replied coolly. "You're not special enough for that. I was heading to the snacks bar."
There was a pause.
Greg blinked.
Then he pointed behind me.
"But the snacks bar is... that way."
I froze internally.
Of course it was.
"I—" I hesitated, then quickly added, "I got a little confused."
Before Greg could say anything else, Ethan stepped in, his voice calm and effortless.
"It's fine," he said. "The snack bar is that way."
He gestured lightly.
"We were heading there too. Want to join us?"
For a second, I forgot how to breathe.
He asked me.
Ethan.
I nodded, trying to keep my excitement from showing.
"Yeah... I'd like that."
And just like that, I found myself walking beside them.
The snacks bar was buzzing with noise—students talking, laughing, the hum of casual chaos filling the air.
I stepped up to the counter, suddenly aware of myself.
Trying to look composed. Normal.
Without thinking too much, I ordered something healthy—something I would never usually choose.
Greg leaned closer, glancing at my order with exaggerated curiosity.
"So," he said, resting his elbow on the counter, "what branch has this beautiful lady chosen?"
I sighed quietly.
"Computer Science."
His eyes widened in mock shock.
"Ooooh, come on," he said. "Everyone takes Computer Science these days. It's become so... common." He tilted his head, studying me. "Doesn't suit your personality at all, madame."
I turned to him, unimpressed.
"Oh, really?" I asked. "Then I wonder... what branch has this rude man taken?"
He placed a hand on his chest again, pretending to be wounded.
"As I said," he replied dramatically, "I'm just a common man. So I took the common branch—Computer Science."
I couldn't help it.
I laughed.
Then, almost instinctively, my gaze shifted to Ethan.
"What about you?" I asked. "Which branch are you in?"
He looked at me for a second—just a second—, but it felt longer.
"I think I'm a common man too, Sia," he said quietly. "So... Computer Science."
Something inside me lifted.
A small, unexpected happiness.
We were in the same branch.
After finishing our drinks, we stepped out of the snack bar and began walking back toward the academic blocks.
At first, I didn't think much of it.
But then—
We climbed the same staircase.
Turned onto the same floor.
Walked down the same corridor.
I slowed slightly, confusion creeping in.
No way...
I stopped near a classroom door and turned to them.
"You don't have to walk me all the way," I said. "I've already reached my class."
Greg looked at me, then at the door... and then back at me.
A grin slowly spread across his face.
"Madame," he said, barely holding back his amusement, "I think you're mistaken."
He gestured toward the classroom.
"This... is our class too."
For a moment, I just stood there.
Staring at the door.
Then at them.
And suddenly, everything felt different.