When Autumn Chose US

Amina always believed that people were like books. Some opened easily, their stories written clearly on every page. Others were locked behind heavy covers, waiting for the right person to understand them. Idris was the second kind. Ever since their first meeting, she had noticed something different about him. He was kind, but distant. He smiled, but there was always something hidden behind his eyes. He listened more than he spoke, as if he was afraid that saying too much would reveal a part of himself he wanted to protect. Amina tried not to think about him too much. She failed. Every morning, she found herself looking around, hoping to see him. Every conversation they had stayed in her mind long after it ended. She wondered why someone she barely knew could make her feel so curious. One afternoon, the sky turned grey, and rain began to fall as students rushed home. Amina stood under the school entrance, waiting for the rain to slow down. “You’re going to be waiting here for a long time,” a familiar voice said. She turned and saw Idris standing beside her, holding an umbrella. “I don’t mind waiting,” she replied. He smiled slightly. “You always say that?” “Say what?” “That you don’t mind things. Like nothing bothers you.” Amina looked away. “Maybe I just don’t like people knowing when something does.” For a moment, Idris was quiet. “Maybe we’re more alike than you think,” he said. That was the first time Amina saw a different side of him. Not the confident boy everyone knew. Not the person who always seemed to have everything together. Just Idris. A boy carrying his own silent battles. As they walked together through the rain, they talked about simple things—their favourite places, childhood memories, and dreams they had never told anyone else. Amina realized something that day. Sometimes, the people who say the least have the most to tell. And maybe Idris wasn’t a mystery she needed to solve. Maybe he was a story she needed to patiently read.