BEFORE WE BECAME STRANGERS

CHAPTER TWO-FIRTS IMPRESSIONS

The next morning, Ethan woke up to the sound of someone snoring.

He opened one eye.

Then the other.

Marcus was lying on the other bed with one leg hanging off the mattress and his mouth slightly open.

Ethan stared at him for a few seconds.

"How can one person make this much noise?"

Marcus didn't move.

Ethan picked up a pillow and threw it at him.

"Wake up."

Nothing.

He picked up another.

"Marcus."

A loud snore answered him.

Ethan sighed.

He grabbed his phone and checked the time.

6:41 a.m.

His first lecture wasn't until nine, but Marcus had insisted the night before that they needed to leave early because he wanted to "explore campus."

Apparently, exploring campus had become sleeping until the last possible minute.

Ethan got out of bed.

"Marcus."

"What?"

Marcus's eyes remained closed.

"You said we'd leave early."

"I changed my mind."

Ethan laughed.

"You've been awake for two seconds."

"I'm tired."

"You were sleeping."

"Exactly."

Ethan shook his head.

"Get up."

Marcus pulled the blanket over his head.

Ethan smiled.

"Fine."

He walked toward the bathroom.

"I'll leave without you."

The blanket immediately disappeared.

"Wait!"

Marcus sat up.

"You wouldn't."

"I would."

"Give me ten minutes."

"You said that yesterday."

"This time I mean it."

Ethan laughed.

"Ten minutes."

---

By 8:15, they were walking across campus.

Marcus had somehow managed to get ready in less than fifteen minutes.

Ethan wasn't surprised.

They passed several groups of students on their way to the lecture hall.

Marcus was talking nonstop.

"So I'm thinking of joining the football team."

"You can't play football."

"I can."

"You nearly broke your leg playing football in secondary school."

"That was strategy."

"You fell."

"Exactly. Strategic falling."

Ethan laughed.

"You're impossible."

They reached the lecture hall.

Ethan slowed down.

His eyes immediately searched the room.

He didn't know why.

Maybe he was looking for an empty seat.

Maybe he was looking for someone.

Then he saw her.

Amelia was sitting near the window.

She was talking to Sophia, laughing about something on her phone.

Ethan looked away quickly.

Marcus noticed.

"Ah."

Ethan frowned.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Why are you smiling?"

"I'm not."

"You are."

Marcus leaned closer.

"Seat Girl."

Ethan rolled his eyes.

"Shut up."

Marcus laughed.

"I knew it."

"There's nothing."

"Sure."

They walked inside.

There were several empty seats.

Ethan deliberately chose one far away from Amelia.

Marcus looked at him.

"You don't want to sit there?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want another argument."

Marcus laughed.

"You're scared of her."

"I'm not scared."

"Then sit beside her."

"No."

"Scared."

"Marcus."

"Scared."

Ethan pushed him into a seat.

"Sit down."

---

The lecturer arrived five minutes later.

The room became quiet.

Ethan opened his notebook.

He tried to focus.

But after a few minutes, he noticed something.

Someone was looking at him.

He raised his eyes.

Amelia.

Their eyes met.

She immediately looked away.

Ethan smiled to himself.

Maybe she wasn't as annoyed with him as she pretended.

At the end of the lecture, everyone stood up.

Ethan packed his books.

He was about to leave when someone spoke behind him.

"Wrong Seat."

He turned.

Amelia was standing there.

Ethan smiled.

"Seat Girl."

She folded her arms.

"You still remember?"

"How could I forget?"

She smiled.

"I wanted to apologize."

Ethan raised an eyebrow.

"For what?"

"For being rude yesterday."

"You were rude?"

She laughed.

"Okay. Maybe a little."

"A little?"

"Don't push it."

Ethan laughed.

"Apology accepted."

She nodded.

"Good."

There was an awkward silence.

Neither of them moved.

Finally, Amelia said, "You have another lecture?"

"Not until two."

"Same."

"Okay."

Another silence.

Amelia smiled.

"See you later, Wrong Seat."

"See you."

She walked away.

Ethan watched her for a second.

Then Marcus appeared beside him.

"You two are definitely going to date."

Ethan nearly choked.

"What?"

Marcus laughed.

"I'm telling you."

"Stop."

"You like her."

"I've known her for one day."

"Sometimes one day is enough."

Ethan shook his head.

"You're crazy."

---

At noon, Ethan sat alone under a large tree near the library.

He was reading through his notes when someone sat beside him.

He looked up.

Amelia.

"Hi."

"Hi."

She looked at his notebook.

"Studying already?"

"I'm trying."

She laughed.

"You're serious."

"I have to be."

"Why?"

Ethan shrugged.

"I want good grades."

"So does everyone."

"Not everyone."

Amelia studied him.

"You're different."

Ethan looked at her.

"Is that a compliment?"

"I haven't decided yet."

He laughed.

She smiled.

For the next hour, they talked.

Not about anything important.

Their courses.

Their lecturers.

The university.

Music.

Movies.

Food.

Amelia discovered that Ethan hated coffee.

Ethan discovered that Amelia loved it.

She made fun of him for it.

He made fun of her obsession with expensive coffee.

It felt easy.

Natural.

Neither of them noticed how quickly the hour passed.

Then a black car pulled up near the road.

Amelia's expression changed.

Ethan noticed.

A young man stepped out.

He was tall, well dressed and confident.

He walked toward them.

"Amelia."

She looked up.

"Daniel."

The smile on her face disappeared slightly.

Daniel looked at Ethan.

Then at Amelia.

"Who's this?"

Amelia hesitated.

"My friend."

Daniel smiled.

"Friend?"

Ethan noticed the slight tension in Amelia's voice.

"Daniel, this is Ethan."

Daniel extended his hand.

"Ethan."

Ethan shook it.

"Daniel."

The handshake lasted a little longer than necessary.

Daniel released his hand.

"I've heard about you."

Ethan frowned.

"You have?"

Daniel smiled.

"Not much."

Amelia stood.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you."

"I told you I had lectures."

"I know."

"Then why did you come?"

Daniel shrugged.

"I missed you."

Amelia looked uncomfortable.

Ethan noticed.

Daniel turned toward him.

"You've just started here?"

"Yes."

"What course?"

Ethan told him.

Daniel nodded.

"Interesting."

There was something about the way he said it that Ethan didn't like.

Not curiosity.

Judgment.

Daniel looked at Amelia.

"Are you coming?"

"Where?"

"Lunch."

"I'm already eating."

Daniel looked at the small bottle of water beside her.

"You call that lunch?"

She smiled awkwardly.

"I'm fine."

Daniel sighed.

"Amelia."

She looked at him.

"Please."

Daniel stared at her for a moment.

Then he smiled.

"Fine."

He turned to Ethan.

"Nice meeting you."

Ethan nodded.

"You too."

Daniel walked away.

Amelia remained standing.

She looked at Ethan.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"That."

"It's okay."

She picked up her bag.

"I'll see you later."

"Sure."

She walked away.

Ethan watched her join Daniel.

Something about the situation bothered him.

Not because he was jealous.

At least, he didn't think he was.

He barely knew her.

But Daniel's presence had changed everything.

The relaxed Amelia Ethan had been talking to was gone.

And Ethan couldn't stop wondering why.

---

That evening, Ethan sat on his bed scrolling through his phone.

A message appeared.

Amelia: You awake?

He smiled.

Ethan: No. I'm sleeping.

Three dots appeared.

Amelia: Very funny.

Ethan: What's up?

She took a while to reply.

Amelia: Nothing. Just wanted to say goodnight.

Ethan stared at the message.

Something felt strange.

Ethan: Goodnight, Seat Girl.

A few seconds later:

Amelia: Goodnight, Wrong Seat ❤️

Ethan smiled.

He didn't know why that little heart made him feel warm.

He placed his phone down.

Then picked it up again.

He opened the conversation.

Read the message.

Smiled.

Locked the phone.

For the first time since arriving at Westbridge, Ethan felt like maybe university wouldn't be so bad after all.

Across campus, Amelia sat alone in her bedroom.

Her phone was still in her hand.

She stared at Ethan's name.

Then at the message she'd just sent.

A small smile appeared on her face.

But it disappeared when another message arrived.

From Daniel.

Daniel: Who is Ethan?

Amelia didn't respond.

Another message came.

Daniel: I don't like him.

She stared at the screen.

Then another.

Daniel: Stay away from him.

Amelia frowned.

She typed:

You don't get to tell me who I can be friends with.

She hit send.

The reply came almost immediately.

We'll see about that.

Amelia's smile disappeared completely.

She put the phone down.

Outside her window, the campus lights flickered across the darkness.

Neither she nor Ethan knew it yet.

But Daniel wasn't simply a jealous boy who didn't like another guy.

He was the first obstacle standing between them.

And he wouldn't be the last.