I never expected that the everyday rhythms of college life could begin to feel so… intimate. Yet, as the days passed, casual encounters with Ethan evolved into moments that lingered long after the conversation ended. It started with small, unplanned meetings: a shared smile in the hallway, a coincidental run to the campus café, and even finding him waiting at a secluded corner of the library where I’d sneak in a few moments of quiet study. At first, I chalked it up to coincidence. But the more I observed, the more I began to sense an underlying purpose in his presence a gentle persistence that made me question the walls I’d built around myself.
One crisp autumn afternoon, I found myself heading out for an early coffee run. The campus was quiet in the morning light, and I was determined to
