Chapter 1 — an Unexpected Spark

The city felt too big for me on my first day. Strange roads, strange faces, and now a college that felt like a universe of its own. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking as I walked into the classroom. I tried to look calm, tried not to let the nervousness creep onto my face. That’s something I’ve always been good at—hiding what I feel. Even if I were stuck in an elevator, I wouldn’t scream for help. I’d just freeze, waiting in silence.

So I sat there, quiet, eyes scanning the room, hoping—praying—to find someone whose energy matched mine.

In today’s generation, I often felt a gap with people my age. Too many seemed busy showing off, being loud, or acting rude to get noticed. I never really fit into that.

And then she walked in.

Her smile lit up the space, effortless and confident. She carried herself with a carefree vibe. But unlike others, there was no arrogance, no showing off—just a simple, natural confidence.

She turned to me.

 “What’s your name?” she asked, her voice warm, curious.

I introduced myself, steady as always, masking the nerves buzzing inside me.

Then she smiled brighter and said, in the most unforgettable way:

 “Hey, myself Kenly!”

 I knew, right then, she would be my very first friend in college.

She sat beside me, and we talked. To my surprise, our vibes matched. Suddenly, the city didn’t feel so strange anymore.

And then… a guy walked into the class.

 Not dramatically, not like in the movies with music playing in the background,

 but in a way only my heart seemed to notice—

 like time slowed down just for me.

The way his eyes met mine felt like a spark,

 the kind that doesn’t burn, but makes your chest tighten in the sweetest way.

And when he smiled…

 I wished I could stop time right there.

 I’ve never been the type who loves taking pictures of myself,

 but with him, in that moment,

 I wanted to capture everything—

 his smile, that spark, the way the world felt different all of a sudden.

But wait—whattt?!

 That’s when it hit me—

 I’d seen those eyes before.

Flashback — Three Months Ago

Three months ago, when I was still applying to different colleges, I went to the mall with my parents. I wasn’t really paying attention—eyes glued to my phone—when suddenly, I bumped into someone.

He seemed about my age. Manly, yet subtly pretty. His gaze locked onto mine, and in that instant, everything around me froze. His smell, the intensity of his eyes, the way he looked right into me—it made my mind go completely blank.

And then, before I could stop myself, words slipped out of my mouth.

 "You look so gorgeous it actually hurts. "

The second it left my lips, my brain screamed, WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST SAY?!

Heat rushed to my face. My heart thudded so loud I thought people around could hear it. Without giving him another glance, I shot to my feet, turned around, and ran.

I ran as fast as I could, wishing the ground would just swallow me whole.

 To this day, that moment holds first place on my personal list of Most Embarrassing Life Incidents.

Back to the Present

My eyes instantly avoided his. I tried my best not to look at him, praying he’d sit somewhere far away. But no—his steps kept coming closer. My heart raced faster with every one.

I tugged my head down, pretending to check something in my notebook, hoping he wouldn’t notice me. But curiosity betrayed me. I tilted my head up just a little, just enough to peek.

And there he was.

 Standing right next to my seat.

My heartbeat jumped into my throat. I could feel the heat flooding my face, turning me red, but I forced myself to stay still, my expression calm, as if nothing unusual was happening. Inside though, I was screaming— Nooo, stop, dude, just go away!

I slowly turned my head toward him, just slightly. And then he smiled.

That smile told me everything.

 He remembered.

My stomach flipped. My Most Embarrassing Life Incident was now standing alive in front of me, on the very first day of college.

He leaned down a little, voice calm, casual, but with that teasing glint in his eyes.

“Hi, myself Austin” he said with that mischievous smile.

I froze. The words hit me like a flash grenade. He was mocking me—I could feel it. Not directly, not cruelly, but in that subtle, teasing way that made my chest tighten even more.

I forced a polite smile, pretending not to understand what he meant. “Hi,” I replied, keeping my voice steady, casual. My face was calm, but inside, my brain was shouting: Oh god, he remembers, he definitely remembers. Please don’t bring it up. Please don’t say it out loud.

He slid into the seat behind me, still smirking. I could feel his gaze on the back of my head.

“So…” he leaned a little forward, his voice low enough for only me to hear, “do I look… what was it you said that day? Gorgeous?”

My heart stopped.

 Heat shot up my cheeks.

I whipped around just enough to glare at him. “I—I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said quickly, my words tumbling out faster than I intended.

He chuckled softly, leaning back in his seat, clearly enjoying my panic. “Relax, I’m just joking,” he said, raising his hands in mock innocence. But that smile—that smile said everything.

Kenly, who was sitting beside me, raised an eyebrow. “What’s going on?” she whispered, curious.

“Nothing,” I said too quickly, slamming my notebook shut as if that could erase the entire situation.

But the truth was clear:

 This was the same guy.

 The mall incident guy.

 And now, somehow, he was part of my college story.

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