Chapter 1:Opening move
"Oh, damn!"
I rushed through the university gates, trying to catch my breath.
How was I already late? Not just late for class—late by an entire week since admission. Everyone else had already settled in, made friends, and figured out where everything was. Meanwhile, I still felt like an outsider trying to find my place.
Standing outside the lecture hall, I quickly texted my new friend, Zara.
Me: Where are you sitting?
A few seconds later, her reply came.
Zara: Second column, third row.
I took a deep breath.
"You can do this," I whispered to myself.
As soon as I entered the hall, dozens of eyes seemed to turn in my direction. My heart skipped a beat. Maybe they weren't really looking at me, but it certainly felt that way.
Trying to ignore the stares, I walked straight to Zara and sat beside her.
"Finally," she laughed.
I smiled awkwardly.
A few minutes later, Zara informed me that we had a mathematics test next week.
My smile disappeared instantly.
"Math?" I almost choked on the word.
Math and I had never been friends.
Ever since I was young, numbers seemed determined to make my life difficult. Somehow, though, I always survived. I never failed completely. Luck, patient teachers, and last-minute studying always managed to save me.
A D wasn't exactly something to celebrate, but at least it wasn't an F.
"We'll figure it out," I told myself.
After that, Zara and I spent most of the morning talking about my trip to attend my sister's graduation.
Honestly, I wasn't planning to make many friends at university.
Less friends meant less drama.
And Zara seemed different.
She was calm, thoughtful, and sometimes surprisingly quiet. She was also quite religious, which made her someone I felt comfortable around.
Out of all the people I'd met so far, she felt like the safest choice.
To my surprise, not a single lecturer showed up that day.
Most students celebrated the unexpected free time.
I didn't.
To me, university wasn't just another chapter.
It was a fresh start.
A chance to become the person I wanted to be.
I had already made a list of things to avoid:
Love triangles.
Negative energy.
Peer pressure.
Unnecessary drama.
This time, my focus was simple.
Peace. Knowledge. Success.Don't judge me, but I couldn't help looking around the classroom, searching for someone interesting.
The guy in the red jersey? Too social. He looked like the type who couldn't stay quiet for more than five minutes.
Next.
The one in jeans near the window? Not my type at all. Besides, he looked like he was already planning his next meal instead of paying attention in class.
Next.
The tall one in the black hoodie? Hmm... not bad. But he looked way too serious. Like he smiled twice a year and considered that enough.
I continued scanning the room, secretly rating everyone while pretending to listen to Zara.
Maybe university wouldn't be that boring after all.
Then my eyes landed on an empty seat at the back of the class.
Strange.
Everyone else was here.
"Who's supposed to sit there?" I asked Zara.
She followed my gaze and immediately looked away.
"Oh," she said quietly. "That's his seat."
"His?"
Before I could ask another question, Zara's expression changed.
For the first time all day, she looked nervous.
And somehow...
that made me even more curious.
End of Chapter One
