Unexpected meetings

Chapter 2: Unexpected Meetings

The following morning, Ethan woke up with Maya on his mind.

Not that he wanted to admit it.

He tried convincing himself that she was simply a friend. A nice person he enjoyed talking to. Nothing more.

Yet the moment he stepped onto campus, his eyes automatically searched the crowd.

He immediately groaned.

“This is getting ridiculous.”

His best friend, Ryan, noticed.

“What is?”

Ethan quickly looked away.

“Nothing.”

Ryan raised an eyebrow.

“You’re acting weird.”

“I’m not.”

“You absolutely are.”

Ethan ignored him and continued walking.

The last thing he needed was Ryan discovering there was a girl involved. His friend would never let him hear the end of it.

They reached their lecture hall and took their usual seats.

Students slowly filled the room.

The professor had not arrived yet.

Ethan pulled out his notebook and tried focusing on his work.

Then the seat beside him moved.

Someone sat down.

A familiar voice spoke.

“Looks like we’re in the same class.”

Ethan turned.

His heart nearly stopped.

Maya.

She smiled casually as though she hadn’t completely ruined his ability to think.

“Oh.”

Brilliant response, Ethan.

Maya laughed.

“Good morning to you too.”

“Sorry.”

He cleared his throat.

“I didn’t know you were taking this course.”

“I switched classes last week.”

Ryan glanced between them.

Then a mischievous smile appeared on his face.

Uh-oh.

Ethan knew that smile.

“Hi,” Ryan said.

“I’m Ryan.”

“Maya.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Ryan looked directly at Ethan.

“So you’re Maya.”

Ethan nearly choked.

Maya frowned.

“What do you mean?”

Ryan opened his mouth.

Ethan immediately kicked him under the desk.

Hard.

Ryan winced.

“Nothing.”

Maya looked suspicious but let it go.

The professor arrived moments later, saving Ethan from what would have been an embarrassing conversation.

Throughout the lecture, Ethan struggled to concentrate.

Not because the lesson was difficult.

Because Maya sat right beside him.

Every now and then she would whisper a question.

Or make a comment.

Or laugh quietly at something funny.

Each interaction made it harder for Ethan to focus on anything else.

When class finally ended, Maya gathered her books.

“You heading to the library later?” she asked.

Ethan blinked.

“Yeah.”

“Good.”

She smiled.

“I’ll see you there.”

Then she walked away.

Ryan immediately grabbed Ethan’s shoulder.

“You like her.”

“I do not.”

“You absolutely do.”

“No.”

Ryan stared at him.

“Ethan.”

“No.”

“Ethan.”

“Okay, maybe a little.”

Ryan burst out laughing.

“A little? You looked at her like she personally invented happiness.”

“Shut up.”

Ryan laughed even harder.

⸻

The library was unusually quiet that afternoon.

Sunlight streamed through the tall windows while students worked at scattered tables.

Ethan arrived first.

He found a seat near the back and opened his laptop.

A few minutes later, Maya appeared.

Her hair was tied into a loose ponytail, and she carried several books in her arms.

She dropped into the chair opposite him.

“Save me.”

Ethan blinked.

“From what?”

She placed a thick textbook on the table.

“Three hundred pages.”

He looked at the book.

Then at her.

Then back at the book.

“Yeah. You’re doomed.”

She gasped dramatically.

“I thought you were my friend.”

“I was.”

“What changed?”

“You showed me the textbook.”

Maya laughed.

The sound made several nearby students glance in their direction.

One student even shushed them.

Maya immediately covered her mouth.

Ethan couldn’t stop smiling.

The next few hours passed surprisingly quickly.

They studied.

Shared notes.

Complained about assignments.

Argued over the correct answer to practice questions.

And somehow enjoyed every minute of it.

Around evening, Maya closed her notebook.

“I’m starving.”

“You’ve been saying that for an hour.”

“Because I’ve been starving for an hour.”

Ethan packed his things.

“Come on.”

“Where are we going?”

“Food.”

Her eyes lit up.

“You’re my favorite person today.”

For some reason, those words stayed with Ethan long after she said them.

⸻

They walked to a small café just outside campus.

The evening air was cool and refreshing.

Streetlights were beginning to flicker on.

The café wasn’t crowded.

They found a table near the window.

Maya immediately opened the menu.

Five minutes later she was still reading it.

Ethan shook his head.

“It’s a menu, not a novel.”

“This is an important decision.”

“It really isn’t.”

“It is.”

She pointed dramatically.

“What if I order something terrible?”

“Then don’t.”

“That’s not helpful.”

Ethan laughed.

Eventually they ordered.

As they waited for their food, the conversation drifted naturally.

Family.

Childhood memories.

Dreams.

Future plans.

Things neither of them usually shared with people.

Ethan learned that Maya had grown up with her mother.

Life hadn’t always been easy.

Money had often been tight.

Yet she never complained.

Instead, she worked hard for everything she achieved.

“I want to make my mom proud,” she said quietly.

Ethan looked at her.

Something about the way she said it touched him.

“You already do.”

Maya looked surprised.

“You think so?”

“I know so.”

For a moment, she didn’t speak.

Then she smiled.

A genuine smile.

Not the playful one she usually wore.

This one felt different.

Warmer.

More vulnerable.

And somehow, Ethan found himself unable to look away.

⸻

Over the next several weeks, their friendship grew stronger.

Soon it became normal for them to spend time together.

People on campus started noticing.

Whenever someone saw Ethan, they would ask where Maya was.

Whenever someone saw Maya, they would ask where Ethan was.

Neither of them realized how obvious their closeness had become.

One Friday afternoon, Maya rushed into the library looking flustered.

“Ethan!”

He looked up.

“What happened?”

She dropped into the chair beside him.

“I overslept.”

“Okay.”

“I missed my class.”

“Okay.”

“I submitted the wrong assignment.”

Ethan tried not to laugh.

“This isn’t funny.”

“It kind of is.”

She crossed her arms.

“I hate you.”

“No, you don’t.”

She sighed.

“No, I don’t.”

Their eyes met.

Neither spoke.

For a second, the world seemed quieter.

Smaller.

As though only the two of them existed.

Then Maya quickly looked away.

And Ethan’s heart beat just a little faster.

⸻

That evening, Ethan walked home alone.

The city glowed beneath the setting sun.

People filled the sidewalks.

Cars passed by.

Yet his thoughts remained fixed on one person.

Maya.

When had she become so important?

When had talking to her become the best part of his day?

When had seeing her smile become enough to brighten his mood?

He didn’t know.

All he knew was that the feeling was growing stronger.

Day by day.

Conversation by conversation.

Smile by smile.

And for the first time in his life, Ethan found himself hoping for something he had never wanted before.

He hoped Maya would always remain by his side.

Even if he wasn’t brave enough to tell her why.

To Be Continued

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