The days on campus started blending into one another, the routine of lectures, assignments, and dorm life becoming second nature. Yet, something had shifted. Or rather, someone had shifted into my life in a way I hadn't quite anticipated. Ethan. Despite my best efforts to keep my distance, he had managed to insert himself into my everyday routine. It wasn't that I minded, exactly. It was just... different. Unfamiliar. And if I was being honest, slightly unsettling. It started with small things. He'd sit near me in lectures, passing me notes when he thought I wasn't paying attention or when he sensed I had zoned out. He'd casually greet me whenever we crossed paths on campus, and somehow, he always seemed to show up at the right time.
One afternoon, I was walking back to my dorm, adjusting
