Before we knew...

Lucky Encounter.

The first week of campus life was harder than I expected.

Everything was new.. new faces, new rules, new classrooms. I was still trying to figure out which building was which, which professors were strict, and which students were friendly. Every day felt like walking through a maze I wasn’t ready for.

I was late for my second lecture that morning. My bag felt heavier than it should, and my shoes made that awkward squeak on the polished floor. I hurried down the corridor, hoping no one noticed me struggling to keep up.

Then I bumped into him.

Literally.

He was standing in the hallway, looking like he belonged to the place in a way I didn’t yet. Older, confident, calm. He didn’t just notice me, he looked at me. Really looked, and for a moment, I froze. My bag slipped a little from my shoulder, and I felt my cheeks heat up.

“I’m sorry,” I said quickly, moving my bag back.

He smiled, just a little, not enough to tease, but enough to make my stomach flutter. “It’s fine,” he said. His voice was calm, low, and somehow… steady. Like nothing could shake him.

I nodded, too aware of my own hands and the way I was suddenly conscious of every little thing about myself. Then I tried to walk away, but my feet felt heavier than before.

“New here, aren’t you?” he asked

I turned, surprised. The question wasn’t mean or mocking—it was curious, simple.

“Yes,” I admitted. “Just started.”

“Then let me give you a tip,” he said, leaning slightly so he didn’t block my way. “Don’t worry too much about fitting in. Campus life has a way of sorting itself out. You’ll find your place.”

I wanted to say something clever. Something that would make me sound confident. But all I could do was nod again, feeling suddenly clumsy.

“I’m… I’m Mara,” I said.

He smiled again, slightly wider this time. “I’m Elias.”

That was it. Just two names. Nothing more. But it felt like the start of something I didn’t understand yet. Something quiet and strange that made my heart beat faster than it should have.

I walked to my lecture hall thinking about him. About his calm confidence. About the way his eyes seemed to notice everything but not judge. About the brief warmth of that smile.

I didn’t know it then, but this was only the beginning.

Before we knew it, this simple, accidental meeting would pull us into something neither of us expected.

Something that wouldn’t stop growing, no matter how hard we tried.