Love Bounded Us

THE WELCOME PARTY

✨

The Welcome Party

Ayeesha’s POV

“I’m not going.”

“You are going.”

“I’m really not going.”

Hana turned dramatically toward Mina, who sat peacefully on her bed scrolling through her phone.

“Do you hear this girl?”

Mina barely looked up.

“She’s scared.”

“I am not scared!” I defended immediately.

Hana folded her arms proudly.

“Then prove it and come to the party.”

I stared helplessly at both of them.

Ever since morning, Hana had refused to let me breathe in peace after hearing about the university’s welcome party happening that night. Apparently, according to her, it was a “must attend event.”

“You don’t understand,” she explained dramatically while pacing around the room. “This party is important.”

“How?” I asked nervously.

“Because everybody goes.”

“That literally explains nothing.”

Mina laughed softly from her bed.

“It’s just a welcome party, Ayeesha. Nobody’s forcing you to dance or drink or anything.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” I muttered. “I don’t even know anyone there.”

“That’s literally the point,” Hana replied immediately. “You go there to meet people.”

“I can meet people tomorrow.”

“And hide inside this dorm again?” Hana gasped dramatically. “Absolutely not.”

I sighed quietly.

Back in Nigeria, I was never really the party type.

Loud music.

Crowds.

Dancing.

Flashing lights.

None of it appealed to me.

I preferred quiet places. Peaceful places.

But after nearly thirty minutes of endless convincing, begging, and emotional blackmail from Hana, I finally gave up.

“Fine,” I muttered weakly.

Hana screamed excitedly and jumped onto my bed dramatically.

“Yes! I knew I could fix you!”

“I don’t need fixing,” I complained while laughing softly.

“You absolutely do.”

Two hours later, I stood nervously in front of the mirror while Hana fixed the last part of my hair carefully.

“There,” she said proudly while stepping back. “Perfect.”

I looked quietly at my reflection.

Honestly… I barely recognized myself.

The soft makeup made my features look gentler while the simple black dress hugged my figure perfectly without revealing too much. My dark hair rested softly around my shoulders, and for once… I actually looked pretty.

Really pretty.

Hana suddenly grabbed my shoulders dramatically.

“If any man breaks your heart tonight, I’ll fight him personally.”

I nearly choked immediately.

“No one is breaking my heart!”

Mina laughed softly while grabbing her purse from the chair.

“Let’s leave before Hana starts planning your wedding too.”

“You people are so mean to me,” Hana complained dramatically.

—

The party was already crowded by the time we arrived.

Colorful lights flashed across the large hall while loud music echoed everywhere. Students laughed, danced, shouted, and sang over the noise excitedly.

Almost immediately, I regretted coming.

“There are too many people,” I whispered nervously.

Hana grabbed my wrist before I could even think about escaping.

“Nope. You’re staying.”

I sighed quietly.

The smell of expensive perfume mixed with alcohol filled the air while groups of students crowded around different corners of the hall.

Everything felt overwhelming.

“You okay?” Mina asked beside me after noticing my expression.

“Kind of.”

“Relax,” she said gently. “Nobody’s paying attention to you.”

Unfortunately…

She was wrong.

As we walked further inside, I could already feel several eyes turning toward us.

Or more specifically—

Toward me.

“See?” Hana whispered proudly beside me. “People are staring already.”

“I want to go home.”

“You literally just arrived!”

Before I could respond, Hana suddenly gasped loudly.

“Oh my God.”

“What?”

“Zain is here.”

The name instantly caught my attention.

Several girls nearby suddenly began whispering excitedly.

I followed their gaze instinctively.

And there he was.

The same tall guy from outside the dormitory.

Dressed completely in black again.

His dark hair rested carelessly across his forehead while one hand remained tucked inside his pocket. Unlike everyone else laughing and dancing around him, he looked completely uninterested in the party.

Cold.

Calm.

Untouchable.

For some strange reason, my heart skipped slightly.

Then suddenly—

His eyes lifted directly toward me.

I froze immediately.

It only lasted a second before someone interrupted him, but somehow it felt longer.

Way longer.

“Hana,” I whispered slowly, “who is he?”

Hana looked personally offended by my question.

“You seriously don’t know who Zain is?”

I shook my head quietly.

“That,” she announced dramatically, “is Zain Rahman. The most popular guy in this university.”

Mina rolled her eyes instantly.

“According to girls with no self-respect.”

Hana ignored her completely.

“He’s rich, handsome, smart, mysterious, and impossible to approach.”

“Sounds exhausting,” Mina muttered.

I quietly looked toward him again.

Girls surrounded him constantly, yet he barely reacted to any of them. Almost like he genuinely didn’t care.

And strangely…

That made him even more attractive.

No.

What was I even thinking?

I quickly looked away.

A few minutes later, Hana dragged Mina toward the dance floor, leaving me standing awkwardly alone near the drinks table.

Honestly, I preferred it that way.

The quieter corner helped me breathe easier.

I reached absentmindedly for a cup of juice when suddenly someone stepped beside me.

“You’re new here, right?”

I turned slightly.

A tall boy smiled confidently down at me.

“Oh… yeah.”

“I knew it,” he said proudly. “I would’ve remembered someone this pretty.”

I forced a small awkward smile.

“Thanks.”

My name’s Daniel.”

“Ayeesha.”

“Well, Ayeesha,” he said while moving slightly closer, “you shouldn’t be standing alone at a party.”

“I’m okay, really.”

But instead of understanding the hint, he moved even closer.

Too close.

The uncomfortable feeling returned immediately.

His hand suddenly brushed lightly against my waist.

I stiffened instantly.

“I said I’m fine.”

“Aww, relax,” he chuckled carelessly. “I’m just trying to be friendly.”

I stepped back quickly, but he only moved closer again.

The loud music around us suddenly felt suffocating.

“I think you should leave me alone.”

“Why?” he asked carelessly. “You came to a party, didn’t you?”

Before I could answer, his fingers suddenly wrapped around my wrist gently.

Fear shot through me immediately.

“Let go.”

“Relax, sweetheart—”

Another hand suddenly grabbed his wrist firmly.

The atmosphere changed instantly.

Slowly, Daniel turned around.

And so did I.

Zain stood there calmly beside us.

His expression remained unreadable, but there was something cold in his eyes that immediately made Daniel release my wrist.

“Don’t touch her again,” Zain said quietly.

Daniel forced an awkward laugh.

“Man, I was only talking to her.”

Zain said nothing.

He simply stared at him silently.

And somehow… that was enough.

Daniel scoffed awkwardly before disappearing quickly into the crowd.

My heart still pounded nervously inside my chest.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then I finally gathered enough courage to whisper softly,

"thank you".

But instead of replying—

He walked away.

Just like that.

I blinked in disbelief while staring at his retreating figure.

“Hmph. How rude,” I scoffed quietly under my breath.

“Who’s rude?”

I nearly jumped as Hana suddenly appeared beside me holding two drinks dramatically.

I pointed toward Zain immediately.

“Him!”

Hana’s mouth fell open completely.

“WAIT—Zain talked to you?!”

“Not really,” I muttered. “He just saved me from that annoying guy then walked away like some movie character.”

Mina arrived moments later and looked between us suspiciously.

“What happened?”

Before I could answer properly, Hana grabbed both my shoulders dramatically.

“Zain noticed our Ayeesha!”

Hana, calm down!”

“No! Do you know how many girls would sell their souls for this moment?!” she whispered while shaking me slightly.

Mina rolled her eyes.

“Please ignore her before she embarrasses all of us.”

But honestly… I barely heard them anymore.

My heart was still racing from what just happened.

Zain had stepped in.

Saved me.

And then walked away like it meant absolutely nothing.

I glanced down quietly at my hands.

“I just thanked him and he left,” I muttered.

“Hmph. How rude,” I added softly again.

Mina raised an eyebrow thoughtfully.

“Or maybe he just doesn’t like attention.”

I frowned slightly.

That actually made sense.

But somehow… it still felt strange.

After a while, Mina finally stood up tiredly.

“I’m leaving.”

Hana gasped dramatically.

“Already?!”

“Yes. And both of you should come too.”

I nodded immediately.

“Yes please.”

Once we stepped outside, the cool night air hit my face softly.

I inhaled deeply.

Better.

“So?” Hana asked excitedly while linking her arm with mine. “How was your first party experience?”

I thought carefully for a second before answering honestly.

“Too much.”

Mina laughed softly beside us.

“That’s normal.”

“But,” Hana added proudly, “you survived.”

I smiled slightly.

“Barely.”

As we walked back toward the dorms, the loud music slowly faded behind us.

And for the first time that night…

My mind finally became quiet again.

But somewhere back inside that crowded hall—

Zain had already returned to acting like nothing had happened at all.