Chapter 1: The new beginning

The first day at university always looked beautiful in movies.

Bright smiles. New friendships. Excited students walking through huge hallways with books in their hands.

For Elena, it felt exactly like that.

She stood near the entrance gate of Westbridge University with shining eyes and a nervous smile.

The campus was even more beautiful than she had imagined.

Tall buildings stood proudly under the morning sun. Trees lined the pathways, flowers bloomed near the sidewalks, and groups of students were already laughing together.

Elena held the strap of her bag tightly and looked around with excitement.

She had just finished her 12th standard a few months ago, and now she was standing at the beginning of a completely new life.

Elena came from a simple middle-class family.

Her parents had worked hard to give her this chance, and she knew how important this day was.

She carried not only her books in her bag, but also all her dreams.

She wanted to study well, make her parents proud, build a good future, and become someone important.

Elena was the kind of girl people noticed without her trying.

She had soft fair skin, long dark hair, and deep brown eyes filled with kindness.

She was smart, gentle, polite, and sensitive.

Even the smallest things touched her heart deeply.

As she walked through the campus, she could not stop smiling.

Everything felt exciting.

Everything felt possible.

At the same time, on the other side of the campus, Adrian stepped out of a black car.

Unlike Elena, Adrian did not look excited.

For him, university was just another part of life.

He came from a family that was more financially comfortable than most.

He had grown up with things coming easily to him.

He wore a simple black shirt, jeans, and a calm expression that made him look distant.

He was handsome in a quiet way.

His dark hair fell slightly over his forehead, and his sharp eyes carried a strange coldness, as if he had already seen too much of life.

For him, it's just another part of his life. He is not that much excited.

He simply wanted to finish his studies and move on.

As Elena continued walking, she looked up at the huge university building with a bright smile.

She was so lost in her excitement that she did not notice the small stone lying on the pathway.

Her foot hit it.

Before she could stop herself, Elena lost her balance.

She closed her eyes tightly, waiting to fall.

But instead of hitting the ground, she felt a strong hand catch her.

Her eyes slowly opened.

For a moment, the world around her seemed to disappear.

A boy was standing in front of her, holding her arm carefully.

Adrian.

His face was calm, but his eyes looked straight into hers.

Elena's heart skipped a beat.

Neither of them said anything for a few seconds.

They simply looked at each other.

It was the first time their eyes met.

And without knowing it, it was the beginning of everything.

“Careful,” the boy said softly as he held her arm.

Elena looked up at him with wide eyes.

“I… I’m sorry,” she said quickly, pulling a few strands of hair behind her ear. “I didn’t see the stone.”

“You should look where you’re going,” he said calmly.

Elena looked down, embarrassed.

“Right… sorry.”

For a second, neither of them said anything.

“First day?” he asked.

Elena nodded slowly. “Is it that obvious?”

“A little.”

She gave a small awkward smile.

“I’m Elena.”

“Adrian.”

For some reason, hearing his name made her heart beat faster.

“Thank you… for saving me,” she said softly.

Adrian let go of her arm and stepped back.

“You should be more careful next time.”

And with that, he walked away.

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