THE BOY I WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO WANT

COLLISIONS

The days passed slowly, and Maya began getting used to the apartment. She learned where everything was, which cupboards Noah used, and the times he usually left for practice. Living with him was still strange, but it was becoming normal.

They rarely spoke. Sometimes they passed each other in the kitchen. Sometimes they sat in the same living room without saying anything. The silence between them no longer felt uncomfortable.

Maya spent most of her time attending classes and studying. She wanted to focus on her future and avoid unnecessary distractions. Still, she found herself noticing Noah more than she wanted to.

She noticed that many students knew him. Girls smiled whenever he walked by. His teammates greeted him everywhere. Yet Noah never seemed interested in the attention. He always looked distant, as if he carried thoughts he never shared with anyone.

One afternoon, Maya was studying alone in the library. She had finally found a quiet corner where she could focus. A few minutes later, Noah appeared and sat across from her.He opened his notebook and began working. Neither of them spoke.Students passing by looked surprised to see them together. Some whispered among themselves, while others stared openly. Maya ignored them and continued studying.For the first time, sharing silence with Noah felt easy.

When evening arrived, dark clouds covered the campus. Rain began falling heavily outside the library. Students rushed across the grounds while Maya remained under the entrance, waiting for the weather to improve.Noah appeared beside her with an umbrella.Without saying much, he started walking back toward the apartment. Maya followed him through the rain.

The campus looked different in the storm. The usual noise had disappeared, leaving only the sound of rain and footsteps. The cold wind made the walk difficult, and the umbrella did little to protect them.As they crossed a wet path, Maya slipped.

Noah reached out immediately and caught her arm before she fell. His grip was firm and steady. For a moment, neither of them moved. Maya could hear the rain around them and feel the warmth of his hand against her skin. When she looked up, Noah was watching her quietly. His expression was softer than usual, and his eyes no longer carried their usual distance.He slowly let go.

The rest of the walk passed quietly.Back at the apartment, Maya went to her room, but she could not stop thinking about what had happened. She had spent months building walls around herself after her past heartbreak. She had promised never to trust anyone too quickly again.Noah Carter was exactly the kind of person she wanted to avoid.

Popular,Confident, and Complicated.

Yet every day he became harder to ignore.Across the hallway, Noah sat alone in the living room. The rain continued outside while the apartment remained quiet. For the first time in a long time, someone had entered his thoughts without permission.He had spent years keeping people at a distance.

But Maya Thompson was slowly becoming the exception.Neither of them realized it yet, but something between them had already begun to change.

The following morning, the rain had stopped, but the cold weather remained. The apartment was quiet when Maya entered the kitchen. Noah was already there, drinking coffee before leaving for practice.Neither of them mentioned the previous night.Maya prepared breakfast while Noah gathered his things. The silence between them felt different now. It was no longer uncomfortable, but neither of them knew what to say.When Noah left, Maya found herself watching the door for a few seconds before returning to her room.

The day passed normally. She attended classes, took notes, and spent time with Emily. However, her mind kept returning to the walk in the rain. She tried convincing herself that it meant nothing, but the memory stayed with her.Later that afternoon, Maya entered the campus café to buy coffee. While waiting in line, she noticed several girls talking nearby.They were talking about Noah.

Some described him as the most popular athlete on campus. Others mentioned the girls he had dated. One of them said that Noah never stayed with anyone for long and never allowed people to get close to him.Maya listened quietly.She reminded herself that Noah's life was none of her business.Still, the conversation stayed with her.

When she returned to the apartment that evening, Noah was sitting alone in the living room. His phone rested beside him, and the television played quietly in the background.For the first time, Maya sat down instead of going directly to her room.

The silence lasted only a few minutes before Noah asked how her classes had gone. Maya answered briefly, and the conversation slowly continued. They spoke about professors, assignments, and the campus.The discussion was simple.

Neither of them noticed how unusual it felt.

AtThe following morning, the rain had stopped, but the cold weather remained. The apartment was quiet when Maya entered the kitchen. Noah was already there, drinking coffee before leaving for practice.

Neither of them mentioned the previous night.

Maya prepared breakfast while Noah gathered his things. The silence between them felt different now. It was no longer uncomfortable, but neither of them knew what to say.

When Noah left, Maya found herself watching the door for a few seconds before returning to her room.

The day passed normally. She attended classes, took notes, and spent time with Emily. However, her mind kept returning to the walk in the rain. She tried convincing herself that it meant nothing, but the memory stayed with her.

Later that afternoon, Maya entered the campus café to buy coffee. While waiting in line, she noticed several girls talking nearby.

They were talking about Noah.

Some described him as the most popular athlete on campus. Others mentioned the girls he had dated. One of them said that Noah never stayed with anyone for long and never allowed people to get close to him.

Maya listened quietly.

She reminded herself that Noah's life was none of her business.

Still, the conversation stayed with her.

When she returned to the apartment that evening, Noah was sitting alone in the living room. His phone rested beside him, and the television played quietly in the background.

For the first time, Maya sat down instead of going directly to her room.

The silence lasted only a few minutes before Noah asked how her classes had gone. Maya answered briefly, and the conversation slowly continued. They spoke about professors, assignments, and the campus.

The discussion was simple.

Normal.

Neither of them noticed how unusual it felt.

At one point, Noah laughed at one of Maya's complaints about a lecturer. It was the first time she had heard him laugh properly. The sound surprised her.

He looked younger.

Less guarded.

For a moment, the distance between them seemed smaller.

Later that night, Maya returned to her room. She sat by the window and looked outside at the empty campus. The past few days had changed something inside her.

She no longer saw Noah only as the popular athlete everyone talked about.

She was beginning to see the person behind the reputation.

At the same time, Noah remained in the living room longer than usual. He found himself replaying their conversation and realizing that talking to Maya felt easy.

He had spent years avoiding emotional connections. Keeping people away had become a habit.

But Maya was slowly entering spaces inside him that no one had reached for a long time.

Neither of them admitted it.

Neither of them understood it completely.

But the walls between them were beginning to crack.And sometimes, the smallest changes become the beginning of everything. At one point, Noah laughed at one of Maya's complaints about a lecturer. It was the first time she had heard him laugh properly. The sound surprised her.

For a moment, the distance between them seemed smaller.Later that night, Maya returned to her room. She sat by the window and looked outside at the empty campus. The past few days had changed something inside her.She no longer saw Noah only as the popular athlete everyone talked about.

She was beginning to see the person behind the reputation.At the same time, Noah remained in the living room longer than usual. He found himself replaying their conversation and realizing that talking to Maya felt easy.He had spent years avoiding emotional connections. Keeping people away has become a habit.But Maya was slowly entering spaces inside him that no one had reached for a long time.

Neither of them admitted it.But the walls between them were beginning to crack.And sometimes, the smallest changes become the beginning of everything.