CHAPTER 1-HOW WE MET
1172 Words
While walking through the crowded hallway, I heard someone calling my name.
“Ey-vee! Ey-vee!”
I stopped and turned around.
A familiar face came rushing toward me.
“Oh, hi, Lori,” I said with a smile.
Lori Torres had been my best friend since grade school.
Her family moved from the Philippines to California when we were kids, and adjusting hadn’t been easy for her. She struggled with English at first, but somehow, we became friends almost immediately.
One of my favorite memories was when she tried asking for a pencil in class.
Instead of saying the word, she pointed dramatically at someone’s desk and said, “Lapis.”
I misheard it and thought she said “lupus.”
The look on her face afterward was priceless.
That was the beginning of our friendship.
Lori wasn’t the type of girl who wore dresses or floral outfits. She preferred oversized shirts, baggy jeans, and her favorite leather jacket—even during summer.
Still, she somehow made everything look effortless.
“Come on,” Lori said, grabbing my wrist. “We’re going to be late for orientation.”
“I literally just got here.”
“Exactly.”
I rolled my eyes and followed her.
Briarwood was already buzzing with students. Some carried coffee cups, while others hurried across campus, trying to find their classrooms.
Meanwhile, I was trying not to look completely lost.
As we turned a corner, I glanced back at Lori.
Big mistake.
I walked straight into someone.
My books slipped from my arms and scattered across the floor.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!”
I immediately crouched down to gather them.
Another hand reached for one of my notebooks.
“It’s okay.”
The voice was calm.
I looked up—and suddenly forgot what I was doing.
Dark hair. Sharp jawline. Brown eyes. The kind of face that looked unfairly attractive.
He handed me my notebook.
“You always greet strangers by throwing books at them?” he asked.
I blinked.
“What?”
A small smile tugged at his lips.
“Just wondering.”
Heat rushed to my face.
“It was an accident.”
“Good.”
I frowned.
“Good?”
“Yeah. Because if that’s your usual introduction, I should probably start wearing a helmet.”
Behind me, Lori laughed.
Traitor.
He handed me my last notebook.
“I’m Mason,” he said.
“Evelyn.”
His expression softened slightly.
“Nice to meet you, Evelyn.”
Then he walked away.
And somehow, my first day had already become a lot more interesting.
I stood frozen in the middle of the hallway long after Mason disappeared.
“Ey-vee.”
No response.
“Ey-vee.”
Still nothing.
“EY-VEE!”
I nearly jumped out of my skin.
“What?” I snapped, turning to Lori.
She stared at me.
“You’ve been staring at the same spot for thirty seconds.”
“I have not.”
“You absolutely have.”
I rolled my eyes and adjusted my backpack.
“Come on. We’re going to be late.”
“That’s exactly what I’ve been saying,” Lori replied.
Together, we made our way toward the auditorium where freshman orientation was being held.
The building was already packed. Students filled every row of seats, chatting excitedly while waiting for the program to begin.
My stomach twisted with nervousness.
New school. New people. New everything.
I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to run away or pretend I belonged here.
“Relax,” Lori whispered. “Nobody knows what they’re doing.”
“That’s not helping.”
“It should.”
“It isn’t.”
She laughed softly.
Eventually, we found two empty seats near the middle.
As I sat down, my eyes wandered around the room—
and immediately landed on him.
Mason.
Of course.
Because apparently, the universe enjoyed making my life difficult.
He was sitting a few rows away, talking to another student.
My heart gave a strange little jump.
Annoying.
Very annoying.
I quickly looked away.
The orientation began a few minutes later.
A woman stepped onto the stage and introduced herself as the Dean of Student Affairs.
For the next hour, we listened to presentations about campus rules, student organizations, and academic expectations.
I tried my best to pay attention.
I really did.
But every now and then, my gaze drifted.
And every single time, I somehow found Mason.
At one point, he caught me looking.
The i***t actually smiled.
I immediately turned back toward the stage.
Nope.
Absolutely not.
This was not happening.
After what felt like forever, the orientation finally ended.
Students began filing out of the auditorium.
I grabbed my bag and stood.
“Freedom,” Lori announced dramatically.
I laughed.
“That wasn’t even that bad.”
“You say that now.”
We joined the crowd heading toward the exit.
As we stepped into the hallway, I finally felt myself relax—
until someone appeared beside me.
“Hey.”
I nearly screamed.
Mason looked entirely too amused.
“Do you enjoy sneaking up on people?” I asked.
“No.”
“You’re lying.”
“Probably.”
I shook my head.
“You’re impossible.”
“That’s not what people usually say.”
“What do they usually say?”
His smile widened.
“I don’t know. I never ask.”
I stared at him for a moment—
then laughed despite myself.
Great.
Now he was funny.
That seemed unfair.
Beside me, Lori watched the scene unfold with the excitement of someone watching her favorite show.
I wanted to leave her behind.
Immediately.
“So,” Mason said, adjusting his backpack strap, “first day?”
“Unfortunately.”
He laughed.
“I think you’re supposed to sound excited.”
“I’ll get there eventually.”
“Good answer.”
Before I could respond, a voice called his name from down the hall.
Mason glanced over his shoulder.
“I should go.”
I nodded.
“Okay.”
For a brief moment, neither of us moved.
Then he smiled.
“I’ll see you around, Evelyn.”
And just like that, he disappeared into the crowd.
Lori waited exactly three seconds before grabbing my arm.
“Oh my God.”
“What?”
“He likes you.”
I nearly choked.
“No, he doesn’t.”
“He absolutely does.”
“We spoke for less than five minutes.”
“And?”
“And that’s not enough time to like someone.”
Lori raised an eyebrow.
“Tell that to every romance movie ever made.”
I groaned.
This was going to be a very long year.
What I didn’t know yet was that things were about to get even more complicated.
Because when I got home that evening, I would discover something completely unexpected.
The guy who had somehow managed to become the highlight of my first day at Westbridge University—
had just moved into the house across the street.
- Writer
