The beginning

We first met when I was in college in China. I had transferred from the Netherlands, and everything was so new and overwhelming. Enzo, on the other hand, was a natural. An honor student, confident, always surrounded by people, he had a way of standing out without trying.

One day, I was walking through the campus, carrying a huge pile of textbooks. I had no idea where I was going and, of course, I was late for my first class. The books were heavy and awkward, but I didn’t want to make another trip to my dorm, so I carried them all at once.

Then, it happened. I didn’t see him coming. I turned a corner, and before I could react, we collided. The stack of books I was holding tumbled from my arms, and one of the heaviest books landed right on his foot.

“Ahhhh! Ow! What kind of book even is that? How is it so heavy?” he exclaimed, his face twisting in pain.

“I’m really, really sorry!” I said, panic rising in my chest. “I didn’t mean to—”

“No, it’s okay,” he said, trying to wave it off, but I could tell he was still grimacing. “It’s my fault for bumping into you.” He paused and then added, “But, uh… could you help me to the school nurse? I don’t think I can attend class like this.”

I felt a rush of guilt, mixed with an odd sense of responsibility. “Sure, sure. Just lead the way while I assist you. I’m a transfer student, so I don’t know where the nurse is yet.”

He gave me a half smile, and, without thinking, I placed my arm around his waist to help him walk. His arm draped over my shoulder for support as he limped. I felt the heat of his body close to mine, and despite the situation, I was strangely aware of the closeness.

As he guided me through the hallways, he gave me directions, telling me where to go. We made small talk along the way, and I learned that his name was Enzo. He was the president of Class AC3, and though I had never seen him before, it was clear that he was popular.

When we finally reached the nurse’s office, I felt a mix of relief and anxiety. I had already missed half of my class.

“Thank you for bringing me here,” Enzo said, his voice sincere. “I don’t think I could’ve made it without your help.”

“No problem,” I replied, shrugging it off, though I couldn’t shake the sense that this was my fault in the first place. “Are you sure you’ll be okay here? I need to head to my next class. I think the nurse will be here any minute now.”

“I’ll be fine,” he assured me, giving me a soft smile. “But before you go… could I get your name?”

I blinked, surprised by the request. “Oh, how thoughtless of me!” I said, realizing I hadn’t even introduced myself. “Hi, I’m Yanie. I’m a transfer student from the Netherlands .”

“Yanie…” He said my name slowly, as if testing it on his tongue. “Yanie. Hmm, that’s a lovely name.” He smiled, and I felt my cheeks flush.

While he was talking, my mind was racing. I was already late for class, and I couldn’t afford to waste more time. I knew I had to leave, but something about him made it hard to walk away.

“It’s nice to meet you, Enzo,” I said, forcing myself to sound casual. “But I really need to go now. If there’s a chance, I’d love to talk to you more later.”

Just as I turned to leave, I heard him call my name.

“Yanie! Could I get your number?”

I paused, hesitating for a moment before pulling my phone out of my pocket. “Sure, but quickly! I’m in a hurry. It’s 1618343375. I really need to go. See you around!”

I ran off, waving goodbye to him over my shoulder, my heart racing. Secretly, I wished I could see him again.

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