Chapter two
1607 Words
Amara's POV
By the time the first lecture ended, I was already exhausted.
Not because the lecturer had taught us anything difficult.
Actually, he hadn't.
He had spent almost the entire lecture explaining the university's rules, attendance policy, grading system, and the consequences of missing classes.
But somehow, listening to all of it had made me tired.
I leaned back in my chair and sighed.
“I'm hungry.”
Ava turned to me.
“You're always hungry.”
“That's because I'm always hungry.”
“That doesn't even make sense.”
“It makes perfect sense to me.”
She shook her head and began packing her books.
“So, what's our next class?”
I pulled out my timetable.
“Hmm…”
I scanned the page.
“Two hours from now.”
Ava's eyes widened.
“Two hours?”
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“Food.”
I laughed.
“Exactly what I was thinking.”
We left the lecture hall and walked toward the cafeteria.
The campus was much busier now than it had been earlier.
Students were everywhere.
Some were walking in groups, laughing loudly.
Others were sitting beneath trees, talking.
A few were already rushing to their next classes.
Everything felt so new.
So alive.
“So,” Ava said, bumping my shoulder.
“So what?”
“Did you see him?”
“Who?”
She gave me a look.
“You know who.”
“I genuinely don't.”
“The guy sitting two rows behind us.”
I rolled my eyes.
“You've been watching him since the lecture started.”
“I was not watching him.”
“You were.”
“I was observing.”
“Observing what?”
“His face.”
I laughed.
“That's called watching someone.”
“Whatever.”
I shook my head.
“You're impossible.”
“And you're blind.”
“Blind?”
“Yes.”
She lowered her voice dramatically.
“He's cute.”
I glanced behind us.
“Where is he?”
Ava immediately grabbed my arm.
“Don't turn around!”
I burst out laughing.
“You just told me to look at him!”
“Not while he's looking at us!”
I looked at her.
“You're embarrassing.”
“I'm protecting you.”
“From what?”
“Embarrassment.”
I shook my head, laughing.
We continued walking.
Then someone suddenly bumped into me.
My books fell from my hands and landed on the ground.
“Oh!”
“I'm so sorry!”
I looked up.
A girl was standing in front of me, looking genuinely horrified.
“I didn't see you.”
“It's okay.”
She immediately bent down to help me pick up my books.
“I'm really sorry.”
“No, it's fine.”
She handed me the last notebook.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
She smiled nervously.
“Okay.”
There was an awkward silence.
Then Ava spoke.
“Don't worry. She's dramatic, but she won't sue you.”
I turned to her.
“Ava!”
The girl laughed.
“I can see that.”
Ava smiled.
“I'm Ava.”
“I'm Nina.”
She looked at me.
“And you?”
“Amara.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“You too.”
Nina adjusted the strap of her bag.
“Are you guys new students too?”
“Yes,” Ava answered immediately.
“Same.”
“Really?”
Nina nodded.
“I'm still trying to figure out where everything is.”
“Us too,” I admitted.
She smiled.
“Well, at least I'm not the only one.”
We all laughed.
A few seconds later, she asked, “Are you heading to the cafeteria?”
“Yes.”
“Can I come with you?”
“Of course.”
And just like that, the three of us started walking together.
I didn't know it then, but that small moment would become the beginning of one of the friendships I would remember for the rest of my life.
The cafeteria was packed.
“Wow,” Nina said.
“Exactly,” Ava replied.
We stood near the entrance, looking around for somewhere to sit.
“I see an empty table,” I said.
“Where?”
“Over there.”
We hurried toward it before someone else could take it.
A few minutes later, we were sitting together with plates of food in front of us.
Nina looked at Ava.
“So, what course are you studying?”
Biotechnology ……….Ava told her.
Then she looked at me.
“And you?”
Nursing ………. I answered.
Nina smiled.
“That's nice.”
“What about you?” I asked.
Radiography …..She told us.
We spent the next few minutes talking about our courses, where we were from, our High schools, and how nervous we'd all been about starting university.
It felt strangely easy.
Like we'd known each other longer than a few hours.
Then Ava suddenly leaned closer.
“So…”
I already knew that tone.
“What?”
“Do you have a boyfriend?”
Nina nearly choked on her drink.
I burst out laughing.
“Ava!”
“What? It's a normal question.”
“It's not a question you ask someone you just met!”
“Why not?”
Nina laughed.
“I don't have one.”
Ava nodded seriously.
“Good.”
I stared at her.
“Good?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She shrugged.
“Just checking.”
Nina laughed again.
“You two are funny.”
“We're not,” I said.
“We are,” Ava corrected.
I shook my head.
Then I noticed someone walking toward our table.
A guy.
Tall.
Dark hair.
Black shirt.
He was holding a phone in one hand and a tray in the other.
He stopped beside us.
“Is anyone sitting here?”
I looked at the empty chair.
“No.”
He nodded.
“Thanks.”
He sat down.
Ava immediately looked at me.
I knew that look.
Don't.
I mouthed.
She smiled innocently.
I rolled my eyes.
The guy seemed completely unaware of our silent conversation.
He picked up his food and began eating.
For some reason, I suddenly became very aware of everything.
The noise around us.
The sound of cutlery.
The conversations happening at nearby tables.
Even the way Ava was staring at me.
I kicked her lightly under the table.
She kicked me back.
I frowned.
She smiled.
Nina noticed.
“Are you two okay?”
“Perfect,” I said.
“Absolutely,” Ava added.
The guy sitting beside us glanced up.
“You guys are always this chaotic?”
I froze.
Ava answered before I could.
“Unfortunately.”
He smiled.
“I can tell.”
There was something about his smile.
It was brief.
Almost nothing.
But I noticed it.
“What about you?” Ava asked him.
He looked at her.
“What about me?”
“What's your name?”
He laughed softly.
“Daniel.”
“Nice to meet you, Daniel.”
“You too.”
His eyes briefly met mine.
“I'm Amara.”
“I know.”
I blinked.
“You know?”
He pointed toward my notebook.
“Your name is written there.”
I looked down.
My name was written across the front of my notebook in big letters.
“Oh.”
Ava burst out laughing.
I wanted the ground to swallow me.
Daniel smiled.
“Nice to meet you, Amara.”
“You too.”
He returned his attention to his food.
I looked down at my plate.
Why was I suddenly feeling awkward?
I didn't know.
Maybe it was because I'd barely been at university for a day and already felt like everyone was watching me.
Or maybe…
No.
I wasn't going there.
This was just a guy.
A normal guy.
Nothing more.
At least, that's what I told myself.
After lunch, we said goodbye to Nina and headed toward our next lecture.
“So,” Ava said.
“No.”
“I haven't even said anything.”
“I know what you're going to say.”
She grinned.
“You noticed him.”
“I did not.”
“You did.”
“I noticed that he was sitting at our table.”
“Exactly.”
“That doesn't mean anything.”
“Sure.”
I sighed.
“Ava.”
“Yes?”
“Please stop.”
She laughed.
“Okay, okay.”
We walked in silence for a few moments.
Then she suddenly said, “You know what's funny?”
“What?”
“I have a feeling this year is going to be interesting.”
I smiled.
“Why?”
She shrugged.
“I don't know.”
She looked around the campus.
“Just a feeling.”
I looked ahead.
Maybe she was right.
Maybe this year really would be different.
Maybe university would give us everything we'd dreamed about.
Friends.
Freedom.
Love.
Memories.
I didn't know.
I couldn't have known.
Because sometimes, the people who enter your life quietly are the same people who leave the loudest memories behind.
And sometimes, you don't realize you're living through the beginning of something until it's already over.
For now, though, I was just a nineteen-year-old girl walking across campus with her best friend, excited about the future.
I have no idea of what this place has in store for me ,and I don't want to worry about that now .
Cause for now…
University had only just begun.
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