Chapter six: First encounter and lingering expressions

In front of the Faculty of Science, three imposing halls loomed ahead of me. I hesitated, scanning the area, trying to decipher which one I was supposed to enter. Just then, I spotted a guy standing a few feet away, his expression mirroring my own confusion. He was tall, white, and dressed with effortless elegance.

“This guy would definitely get a lot of ladies, that’s for sure,” I murmured to myself before approaching him.

“Hello,” I greeted.

“Hi?” he responded, his eyes narrowing slightly as if trying to place me.

“Are you a freshman too?” I asked.

“Yeah, I am. How’d you figure?”

“Just a wild guess,” I said, flashing a small smile.

“I guess you’re looking for the lecture hall, yeah?” he asked.

“Yes,” I replied, relieved.

“I don’t know where it is, but my friend does. She went to grab some snacks.”

“She?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, she,” he confirmed.

“You’ve already made a female friend?” I asked, surprised.

“Not really. She was my classmate in high school. We just happened to get admitted into the same university.”

“Ohh,” I said, nodding.

We waited in silence for a few minutes before I broke it. “How long is she going to take? Maybe you should call her.”

“I don’t know why she’s taking this long—oh, there she is.” He pointed toward a girl making her way towards us, her hands filled with snacks.

She was breathtaking. Short, dark-skinned, and radiant. She wore a hijab, paired with a t-shirt and baggy pants, yet there was an undeniable grace in her stride. As she walked, it was as if the world around me slowed down.

It was her. It had to be. The same girl I had seen at the arena. Same height, same hijabi. What were the odds?

I was so lost in thought that I didn’t realize she was already standing before us.

“Who’s this?” she asked, her voice pulling me back to reality.

“Someone I just met. He’s a freshman too,” the white guy responded.

“My name’s Collins,” I said, extending my hand for a handshake.

“I don’t shake guys, I’m sorry,” she said casually.

Embarrassment surged through me, but before I could react, she handed me a smoothie and a cupcake. Then she extended her arm slightly.

I hesitated, confused. Hadn’t she just said she doesn’t shake hands with guys?

“Shake me,” she said with a small smirk. “I was only joking. My hands were just full, that’s why I couldn’t shake you earlier.”

I took her hand, and an inexplicable sensation ran through me, Her skin was impossibly soft, like silk spun from the heavens. I found myself holding on a fraction too long before she gently withdrew her hand, a knowing glint in her eyes.

“I’m Aalia,” she introduced herself.

“I’m Jeffrey,” the white guy added.

“What am I supposed to do with these?” I asked, motioning to the smoothie and cupcake.

“Oh, you can eat it,” she replied nonchalantly. “I got it for me and Jeffrey, but he said he wasn’t hungry, so I figured I’d give it to our new friend here. He looks famished.”

Jeffrey didn’t seem too thrilled about it, but he merely nodded.

“Let’s go to class,” Aalia said, shifting the focus. “We’re a bit late.”

Following her lead, we entered one of the halls. The atmosphere inside was buzzing with energy—students chatting, moving in and out of the lecture hall, while the lecturer was yet to arrive.

We found empty seats in the third row and settled in. As I took a sip of the smoothie, I couldn’t help but steal a glance at Aalia. Something about her intrigued me. Something about her made me want to know more.

Little did I know, this was only the beginning.