episode 1 : The First Glimpse

Damien

The first time I saw her, I felt something shift inside me.

It was a late afternoon in September, the kind where the sky was painted in soft shades of gold and pink. Students crowded the courtyard, some heading home, others lingering to chat. I wasn’t paying attention to any of them—until I heard her.

A laugh.

Soft, airy, like a melody drifting through the warm breeze. It wasn’t forced or exaggerated, just natural and light, the kind of sound that stayed with you even after it faded.

My head turned before I even realized it, as if my body instinctively knew it had to find the source.

And then I saw her.

She was sitting on a wooden bench near the courtyard fountain, surrounded by two other girls. Her hair, a rich shade of chestnut brown, shimmered under the sunlight as she tilted her head back in laughter. Her smile—God, that smile—was bright, effortless, the kind that made you want to memorize every detail.

I barely noticed the people around her. To me, they didn’t exist.

She was the only one that mattered.

"Hey, Damien," Theo nudged me, breaking my trance. "You good?"

"Who is she?" I asked, my voice lower than I intended.

Theo followed my gaze, then smirked. "Celeste Evans. She’s in our year, but I don’t think you’ve ever talked to her. She’s quiet, kinda keeps to herself."

Celeste.

The name settled into my mind like it had always belonged there.

I turned my attention back to her, watching the way she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, the way her fingers absentmindedly traced the strap of her bag as she listened to her friends. She wasn’t loud or flashy. She didn’t demand attention.

And yet, she had all of mine.

"Not your type," Theo added, watching me curiously. "Too soft."

He didn’t get it.

I wasn’t just interested in her. I needed to know more.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, and students began packing up. Celeste stood, slinging her bag over her shoulder, her movements effortless, graceful.

Then, for the briefest moment, she turned her head.

And our eyes met.

A chill ran down my spine.

It lasted only a second, maybe even less, but in that fleeting moment, something inside me snapped into place.

She saw me.

She noticed me.

Did she feel it too? That strange pull, that unexplainable connection?

She turned away quickly and walked off with her friends, unaware of the way my pulse had begun to hammer in my chest.

As she disappeared through the school gates, I stayed frozen in place, gripping my bag tightly.

I had never felt like this before.

And I didn’t know if it was love.

But I knew one thing for certain.

I needed her.

Celeste

I felt it before I saw him.

A strange, heavy sensation—like someone was watching me.

I was sitting with Ava and Naomi, laughing over something ridiculous when the feeling crept up my spine. It wasn’t the usual kind of attention, the fleeting glances I was used to. This was different. It was intense. Overwhelming.

I forced myself to ignore it, to keep laughing, but the weight of the stare didn’t fade.

When the bell rang, I stood and swung my bag over my shoulder, my curiosity getting the best of me. I turned my head slightly, scanning the courtyard—

And my breath caught.

Damien Hale.

He was leaning against a tree, his dark eyes locked onto me with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine.

I had seen him around, of course. He wasn’t someone you didn’t notice. He had that kind of presence—tall, broad-shouldered, effortlessly confident. But he was quiet. He didn’t talk much in class, didn’t date, didn’t seem to care about anyone.

So why was he looking at me like that?

A strange unease settled in my stomach, but I forced myself to turn away and keep walking, my heart pounding louder than it should have.

It was probably nothing.

Right?

Damien

That night, I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying that single moment over and over again. The way her lips parted slightly when she saw me. The way she hesitated for just a fraction of a second before looking away.

She noticed me.

She felt it.

Did she feel that same pull? That same overwhelming urge to know everything about me?

I sat up, grabbed my phone, and typed her name into social media.

Celeste Evans.

Her profile was private.

I clenched my jaw.

But she was tagged in posts.

I clicked through them, scrolling back through months of pictures—school events, group outings, random candids. Some from years ago, some from just last week.

The more I found, the more I needed.

She liked iced coffee. She always ordered caramel-flavored drinks. She had a cat named Luna. Her favorite season was autumn.

Every piece of information felt like a puzzle piece clicking into place.

I needed to know more.

I clicked on a photo of her from last summer—a beach trip with friends. She was wearing a light dress, her hair slightly damp from the ocean breeze, her smile as bright as the sun.

My fingers twitched.

I saved it.

Then I kept scrolling.

An old post from a classmate mentioned her favorite bookstore.

I made a mental note.

I tapped her name again, staring at the small profile picture—the only image I could see of her up close.

A simple candid shot, her lips curled in a soft smile.

Beautiful.

Perfect.

Mine.

She just didn’t know it yet.

Would she look at me the same way if she knew?

Knew that from this moment forward, she would never be alone again?

Because I would always be there. Watching. Waiting.

End of Episode 1

This is just the beginning. I’ll make the next episodes longer and dive deeper into Damien’s obsession, Celeste’s growing unease, and the tension between them. Let me know if you want any specific elements included!

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