THE PERFECT GENTLEMAN
1620 Words
A new week began at Royal Crest University, and the campus was already alive before sunrise. Students hurried between lecture halls with notebooks tucked under their arms, while others gathered beneath the flowering trees to revise before their morning classes.
Clara adjusted the strap of her backpack as she walked toward the Faculty of Medical Sciences with Sophia by her side.
"I still can't believe our first anatomy test is tomorrow," Sophia groaned.
Clara laughed softly.
"We'll survive."
"You sound far too confident."
"I'm not confident," Clara admitted. "I just prepared early."
Sophia sighed dramatically.
"I should have been your roommate years ago. Maybe your study habits would have rubbed off on me."
The two friends burst into laughter as they entered the lecture hall.
---
Across campus, Ethan sat through his Engineering Mathematics lecture, but his mind kept drifting elsewhere.
"Mr. Williams."
The lecturer's voice echoed through the classroom.
Ethan quickly stood.
"Yes, sir?"
"I asked you to solve the equation on the board."
Embarrassed, Ethan rubbed the back of his neck.
"I'm sorry, sir."
His classmates laughed quietly while Daniel shook his head from the next seat.
After class, Daniel caught up with him outside.
"You're distracted."
"I know."
"You're thinking about Clara again."
Ethan smiled sheepishly.
"I can't help it."
Daniel sighed.
"My friend, liking someone isn't the problem. Just don't lose yourself in the process."
"I won't."
But Daniel wasn't convinced.
---
Later that afternoon, Ethan spotted Clara leaving the library with several heavy textbooks.
Without hesitation, he hurried over.
"Those look heavy."
Clara smiled.
"I've carried worse."
"Let me help."
Before she could protest, Ethan gently took half of the books from her arms.
"Thank you."
"It's the least I can do."
As they walked together, they talked about classes, lecturers, and campus life.
"You always seem so cheerful," Ethan observed.
Clara smiled.
"I believe every day is a gift."
"Even when you're stressed?"
"Especially then."
Ethan admired the calmness in her voice.
"So, how do you manage it?"
"I pray."
He looked at her curiously.
"Really?"
She nodded.
"My parents taught me that peace doesn't come from having an easy life. It comes from trusting God through difficult moments."
Ethan smiled.
"I like that."
When they reached the entrance to her hostel, Clara accepted her books.
"Thanks again."
"Anytime."
She waved before disappearing inside.
Ethan remained standing for a few seconds, smiling to himself.
He didn't notice Daniel watching from a distance.
---
Over the next few days, Ethan found little ways to brighten Clara's day.
Sometimes he brought her favorite meat pie before lectures.
Other times he saved her a seat in the library or shared useful study materials from senior students.
Clara appreciated every gesture.
"He's really thoughtful," Sophia remarked one evening.
"He is," Clara agreed.
"But?"
Clara hesitated.
"I hope he understands that my feelings haven't changed."
"You should remind him if necessary."
"I will."
---
One Friday afternoon, the university organized a welcome picnic for first-year students.
Music echoed across the sports field as students laughed, danced, and played games together.
Sophia pulled Clara toward a group preparing for a quiz competition.
"Come on! It'll be fun."
Clara laughed.
"All right."
Meanwhile, Ethan arrived with Daniel.
"There she is," Ethan said quietly, spotting Clara across the field.
Daniel followed his gaze.
"I had a feeling you'd find her within five minutes."
Ethan grinned.
"I wasn't looking."
"No," Daniel teased. "Your heart was."
As the afternoon progressed, Clara's team won the quiz competition.
Everyone applauded while she accepted a small trophy on behalf of her group.
Watching from a distance, Ethan couldn't hide the pride on his face.
"She's incredible," he murmured.
Daniel smiled.
"She certainly is."
But he also noticed something else.
Whenever another male student congratulated Clara, Ethan's smile faded just a little.
It was only for a second.
Almost impossible to notice.
Yet it was there.
A feeling he couldn't quite explain.
A feeling that had nothing to do wit
The days following the welcome picnic passed quickly, and the campus settled into its usual rhythm of lectures, assignments, and late-night study sessions. Clara devoted most of her time to her coursework, while Ethan found more and more reasons to be wherever she was.
At first, Clara thought it was nothing more than coincidence.
Whenever she entered the library, Ethan would arrive a few minutes later.
If she stopped at the campus café, he somehow appeared there too.
When she attended fellowship on Wednesday evenings, Ethan was always seated a few rows behind her.
One afternoon, as Clara and Sophia walked out of their physiology lecture, Sophia leaned closer and whispered, "Don't look now... but I think your friend is behind us."
Clara turned slightly and smiled when she saw Ethan approaching.
"Good afternoon," he greeted.
"Hi, Ethan," Clara replied warmly.
"I was just heading to the library," he said. "Would you like to join me?"
Clara hesitated before answering.
"I'm actually going back to the hostel first. I need to rest."
"No problem," Ethan replied with a smile. "Maybe another time."
"Sure."
As Clara and Sophia continued walking, Sophia glanced at her friend.
"He's nice."
"He is."
"But don't you think he's around a little too often?"
Clara frowned thoughtfully.
"I've noticed it too."
"Does it bother you?"
Clara was silent for a moment.
"Not yet... but I hope he isn't forgetting that we're just friends."
---
Meanwhile, Daniel had begun noticing changes in Ethan.
His once-balanced routine had disappeared.
Instead of spending evenings with his engineering classmates, Ethan now spent hours trying to find opportunities to see Clara.
One evening, Daniel found him sitting alone outside the medical faculty.
"What are you doing here?" Daniel asked.
"I'm waiting."
"For who?"
Ethan smiled.
"Clara finishes her practical class in ten minutes."
Daniel sighed deeply.
"You've been here for almost an hour."
"I don't mind."
"Ethan, she's not your girlfriend."
"I know."
"Then why are you planning your whole day around her schedule?"
Ethan looked away.
"I just want to make sure she's okay."
Daniel folded his arms.
"I'm saying this because you're my friend. Caring about someone is good. Losing yourself because of someone isn't."
Ethan forced a smile.
"You're worrying over nothing."
Daniel hoped he was right.
---
A week later, the university held a group research project for first-year medical students.
Each student was assigned teammates at random.
When Clara received her group list, she smiled politely.
One of her teammates was David Lawson, a quiet but brilliant student known for his academic excellence.
David approached her after class.
"Hi, Clara."
"Hello."
"It looks like we're working together."
She smiled.
"I guess we are."
"When would you like us to meet?"
"Tomorrow afternoon in the library?"
"Perfect."
They exchanged phone numbers strictly for the project before going their separate ways.
Unfortunately, someone else had witnessed the conversation.
Ethan.
From across the courtyard, he watched David smiling as he spoke with Clara.
Something tightened inside his chest.
He had never seen her give another young man her phone number.
Daniel noticed Ethan's expression immediately.
"What happened?"
"Who's that guy?"
"David? He's one of the top students in Medicine."
Ethan's eyes remained fixed on the pair.
"They looked comfortable together."
Daniel looked at him carefully.
"They're classmates."
"I know."
"So don't create problems where there aren't any."
Ethan nodded, but the uneasy feeling refused to leave.
---
The following afternoon, Clara and David met in the university library exactly as planned.
They spread their textbooks across a table and began discussing their assignment.
David smiled.
"I've heard you're one of the smartest students in your class."
Clara laughed softly.
"People exaggerate."
"I don't think so."
For over two hours, they worked diligently, comparing notes and dividing sections of the research.
As they packed their books to leave, David said, "Thanks for today."
"It was productive."
"We'll finish the rest next week."
"Sounds good."
Neither of them noticed Ethan standing outside the library entrance.
He had come hoping to surprise Clara with lunch.
Instead, he watched as David walked beside her, carrying some of her books.
Clara thanked David before heading toward the hostel.
David waved goodbye and walked in the opposite direction.
To anyone else, it was an ordinary interaction between classmates.
But to Ethan, it felt different.
Questions flooded his mind.
Why was David carrying her books?
Why was she smiling at him?
Had she started liking someone else?
That evening, Ethan barely touched his dinner.
Daniel watched him push food around his plate.
"You've been quiet all day."
"I'm fine."
"No, you're not."
After several moments of silence, Ethan finally spoke.
"I saw Clara with David."
Daniel sighed.
"They're working on a class project."
"How do you know?"
"Because everyone in Medicine is talking about it."
Ethan lowered his head.
"What if she falls for him?"
Daniel leaned forward.
"Ethan, listen to yourself."
"I love her."
"You like her."
"No... I love her."
Daniel spoke firmly.
"If you truly love someone, you trust them. You don't become suspicious because they spoke to another person."
Ethan remained silent.
Deep down, he knew Daniel's words made sense.
Yet another voice inside him whispered something much darker.
"Don't lose her."
That night, Ethan lay awake staring at the ceiling of his hostel room.
Sleep refused to come.
The image of Clara smiling at David replayed over and over in his mind.
Without realizing it, he had crossed an invisible line.
His admiration was slowly becoming possessiveness.
And possessiveness, if left unchecked, had the power to destroy everything.
And everything to do with wanting Clara's attention all to himself.
Neither Ethan nor Daniel realized it, but that tiny spark of jealousy would soon grow into something much more dangerous.
- Writer
