Episode 3 Rumors and Questions
806 Words
The following morning, Zara arrived early for class. The air was cool, and the campus felt calmer than usual. She liked mornings like this quiet and peaceful before the rush of students filled the walkways.
She walked into the lecture hall and chose her usual seat near the window.
As she arranged her books on the desk, she couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened the day before. Daniel’s words kept repeating in her mind.
“Maybe someday I’ll tell you the truth.”
Zara sighed softly.
“What truth?” she whispered to herself.
A few minutes later, Maya entered the classroom and dropped into the seat beside her.
“You look like someone who didn’t sleep well,” Maya said.
Zara forced a small smile. “I slept.”
Maya raised an eyebrow. “Sure you did.”
Before Zara could respond, the classroom door opened.
Daniel walked in.
As usual, several students turned to look at him. Some whispered quietly among themselves.
Zara noticed it immediately.
Daniel walked calmly to the back of the room and sat down, completely ignoring the attention.
Maya leaned closer to Zara.
“See what I mean?” she whispered. “People are still talking about him.”
Zara glanced back briefly before facing the front again.
“People always talk,” she said.
“Yes,” Maya replied, “but not like this.”
The lecturer soon arrived, and the class began.
Zara tried to focus on the lesson, but her mind kept drifting.
She kept wondering about Daniel’s past.
What kind of trouble could make someone transfer universities in the middle of a semester?
After the lecture ended, students began leaving the room.
Daniel approached Zara’s desk.
“Are you free this afternoon?” he asked.
Zara nodded. “Yes.”
“We should continue working on the project.”
“That’s fine,” she said.
Maya watched the conversation carefully.
After Daniel walked away, Maya turned to Zara with a serious expression.
“Be careful.”
Zara frowned. “Why do you keep saying that?”
Maya lowered her voice.
“I heard something yesterday.”
Zara looked at her. “What did you hear?”
Maya hesitated.
“They said Daniel got into a serious fight at his previous university.”
Zara blinked in surprise.
“A fight?”
“That’s not all,” Maya continued. “Some people say someone got hurt.”
Zara felt a strange uneasiness in her chest.
“That could just be a rumor.”
“Maybe,” Maya said. “But rumors don’t come from nowhere.”
Later that afternoon, Zara walked toward the library.
Daniel was already waiting outside.
“You’re early,” he said.
“So are you,” she replied.
They walked into the library together and found their usual table.
For a while, they focused only on their project.
Daniel explained several ideas while Zara wrote down important points.
After nearly an hour of working, Zara closed her notebook.
“Can I ask you something again?” she said.
Daniel looked at her.
“You’re very curious,” he replied.
Zara smiled slightly. “Maybe.”
Daniel leaned back in his chair.
“Go ahead.”
Zara hesitated before speaking.
“Why did you really transfer here?”
Daniel’s expression changed slightly.
For a moment, he didn’t answer.
The quiet library suddenly felt tense.
Finally, he spoke.
“Let’s just say… things became complicated at my old university.”
Zara watched him carefully.
“That doesn’t sound like the whole story.”
Daniel gave a faint smile.
“You’re very observant.”
“People are talking about you,” Zara said gently. “I just want to understand.”
Daniel looked down at the table for a moment.
Then he said quietly,
“Sometimes people judge situations without knowing the truth.”
Zara waited for him to continue.
But he didn’t.
Instead, he stood up and picked up his bag.
“We should continue the project tomorrow,” he said.
Zara looked confused.
“But we just started”
“I have somewhere to be,” Daniel interrupted softly.
Before Zara could respond, he walked away.
She watched him leave the library, feeling more confused than before.
Across campus, Daniel walked toward the quiet garden again.
Ethan was sitting on one of the benches.
“You look troubled,” Ethan said as Daniel approached.
Daniel sat beside him.
“She keeps asking questions.”
Ethan sighed.
“You knew that would happen eventually.”
Daniel leaned forward slightly.
“I don’t want to drag her into my problems.”
Ethan looked at him seriously.
“Then you should keep your distance.”
Daniel stared at the ground.
But somehow, he already knew that keeping his distance from Zara might be harder than he expected.
- Writer
