My Impossible Love

The first day of university was supposed to be special.

For Cris, it was supposed to be the beginning of a new life.

A scholarship.

A new campus.

A new chance.

And, most importantly, a chance to prove that being poor didn't mean he couldn't build a good future.

Unfortunately, none of that survived the first ten minutes.

Cris came running through the university gates with a backpack hanging from one shoulder, a folder pressed against his chest, and a piece of toast between his teeth.

He was late.

Very late.

"Excuse me! Sorry! Move, please!"

Students turned to look at him.

Cris didn't care.

He had spent the morning working at a small café near his apartment. His manager had asked him to stay an extra twenty minutes because another employee hadn't shown up.

Those twenty minutes had become thirty-five.

And now he was late for his first lecture.

"Room 304..." Cris muttered, looking at his phone. "Building C..."

He looked up.

Three identical buildings stood in front of him.

"Of course."

He sighed.

"Why would a university need three buildings that look exactly the same?"

He took a step backward while staring at his phone.

That was his mistake.

A loud engine suddenly roared behind him.

**HONK!**

Cris turned.

A black sports car was speeding toward him.

"What the—?!"

He jumped aside.

The car stopped sharply.

Only a few inches separated the front bumper from his legs.

Cris stood frozen.

His heart pounded.

His toast fell onto the ground.

For several seconds, nobody moved.

Then the driver's window slowly rolled down.

A pair of expensive sunglasses appeared first.

Then came a handsome face.

Messy black hair.

Sharp jaw.

Perfect skin.

A lazy expression.

The boy looked at Cris as though Cris had personally offended him by existing.

"Are you blind?"

Cris stared.

"Excuse me?"

The boy removed his sunglasses.

"I asked if you're blind."

Cris looked at the car.

Then at the boy.

Then at the distance between the bumper and his knees.

"You almost hit me."

The boy shrugged.

"But I didn't."

Cris's mouth dropped open.

"Are you serious?"

"Very."

Before Cris could answer, three boys and a girl walked toward the car.

One of the boys had a permanent smirk on his face.

Another looked like he was trying not to laugh.

The girl was already covering her mouth.

The first boy looked at Cris.

Then at the car.

Then at his friend.

"Rayan," he said slowly, "I think you almost killed someone."

Rayan rolled his eyes.

"He walked in front of my car."

"He was standing on the sidewalk," the girl pointed out.

Rayan looked at her.

"Whose side are you on, Diya?"

"The side of common sense."

The other boy burst out laughing.

Rayan glared at him.

"Saran."

Saran immediately stopped laughing.

"Yes, boss."

The calm-looking boy beside him shook his head.

"Just apologize."

Rayan looked at him.

"Win, don't start."

Cris stared between them.

There was something strange about this group.

Everyone seemed to know them.

Students passing by whispered.

"That's Rayan."

"He's here."

"He's so handsome."

"Isn't he the third-year business student?"

"Every girl on campus likes him."

Cris frowned.

*Why are they acting like he's some celebrity?*

Rayan stepped out of the car.

And Cris hated to admit it—

The guy really was handsome.

Very handsome.

The kind of handsome that probably caused unnecessary problems.

He was tall, confident, and dressed like he had never seen a cheap shirt in his life.

Rayan walked toward Cris.

"What's your problem?"

Cris blinked.

"My problem?"

"You're making a scene."

"You nearly ran me over!"

"And you're still standing."

Cris stared at him.

"Wow."

"What?"

"You're an idiot."

Silence.

The entire group froze.

Saran's mouth fell open.

Diya's eyes widened.

Win slowly turned his head toward Rayan.

Nobody had ever spoken to Rayan like that.

Rayan stared at Cris.

Then he laughed.

A short, disbelieving laugh.

"You're funny."

"Thanks."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"I'll take it anyway."

Saran turned away because he was about to laugh again.

Diya elbowed him.

Rayan stepped closer.

"What's your name?"

Cris raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"So I know who to avoid."

"Cris."

"Fine, Cris."

Rayan put his sunglasses back on.

"Stay out of my way."

Cris picked up his backpack.

"Gladly."

He took two steps.

Then stopped.

He turned around.

"Actually."

Rayan looked back.

"You owe me an apology."

Rayan stared at him.

"For what?"

"For almost killing me."

"You weren't killed."

"That's not the point."

Rayan smirked.

"You talk too much."

"And you drive too fast."

Their eyes met.

For some reason, neither looked away.

Cris felt something strange in his chest.

He immediately ignored it.

Rayan felt it too.

He ignored it even faster.

Cris turned away.

"Whatever."

He walked toward the university building.

Rayan watched him disappear into the crowd.

Diya folded her arms.

"Interesting."

Rayan looked at her.

"What?"

"You found someone who doesn't like you."

"Lots of people don't like me."

"Not like that."

Saran grinned.

"I like him."

Rayan gave him a look.

"Why?"

"Because he insulted you in under five minutes."

Win laughed.

"Maybe someone finally needs to put you in your place."

Rayan scoffed.

"He's a freshman."

"So?"

"So he's annoying."

Diya smiled.

"You noticed."

Rayan frowned.

"Of course I noticed. He almost got in front of my car."

Win raised an eyebrow.

"He was already in front of your car."

Rayan glared.

"Whose side are you on?"

"The truth's."

Saran laughed again.

Rayan walked toward the cafeteria.

"Forget him."

But he couldn't.

Not completely.

---

### **An Hour Later**

Cris finally found Building C.

Unfortunately, he had missed half the lecture.

He slipped through the classroom door.

Every head turned.

The professor looked at him.

Cris bowed slightly.

"Sorry, sir."

"First day and already late?"

Cris smiled awkwardly.

"Traffic."

The professor looked at him.

"You walked here."

A few students laughed.

Cris lowered his head.

"Yes, sir."

"Sit down."

Cris quickly found an empty seat.

His phone vibrated.

**Jay:** *WHERE ARE YOU?*

Cris typed back.

**Cris:** *Class.*

Three dots appeared.

**Jay:** *Which class?*

**Cris:** *First-year business.*

**Jay:** *You mean the one you were supposed to attend forty minutes ago?*

Cris frowned.

**Cris:** *I was working.*

**Jay:** *Of course you were.*

Another message arrived.

**Neon:** *Did you survive?*

Cris smiled.

**Cris:** *Barely.*

**Neon:** *WHY?*

Cris hesitated.

Then typed:

**Cris:** *I met an idiot.*

Neon replied instantly.

**Neon:** *Handsome idiot?*

Cris stared at the screen.

He thought of Rayan's face.

His annoying smile.

His arrogant voice.

Cris immediately typed:

**Cris:** *No.*

Then deleted it.

Typed again:

**Cris:** *Extremely annoying idiot.*

He put his phone away.

Unfortunately, the professor had noticed.

"Cris."

He looked up.

"Yes, sir?"

"Since you're so interested in your phone, perhaps you'd like to answer the question?"

Cris swallowed.

The professor repeated the question.

Cris answered correctly.

The classroom went quiet.

The professor nodded.

"Good."

Cris smiled.

Maybe his day wasn't completely ruined.

---

### **Meanwhile...**

Rayan was sitting in the cafeteria with his friends.

He wasn't listening to Saran.

He wasn't listening to Diya.

He wasn't even listening to the girl sitting beside him who was desperately trying to get his attention.

His eyes were fixed on the cafeteria entrance.

Win noticed.

"You're doing it again."

Rayan looked at him.

"Doing what?"

"Looking for him."

"I'm not."

Diya followed his gaze.

At that exact moment, Cris walked into the cafeteria.

Rayan immediately looked away.

Diya smiled.

"Oh."

Rayan frowned.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Saran looked over.

"Oh!"

Rayan sighed.

"Can all of you stop?"

Cris walked toward an empty table.

Unfortunately, the chair he wanted had Rayan's backpack sitting on it.

Cris stopped.

He looked at the backpack.

Then at Rayan.

Rayan looked back.

Cris pointed at the chair.

"Move it."

Rayan leaned back.

"No."

"There are other chairs."

"I want this one."

Cris stared.

"So do I."

Rayan smiled.

"Then stand."

Cris's eyebrow twitched.

"You're seriously doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Being annoying."

"Maybe I enjoy it."

Cris reached for the backpack.

Rayan immediately sat upright.

"Don't touch that."

Cris paused.

Then slowly picked up the backpack.

Rayan stared at him.

Cris placed it on another chair.

"There."

Rayan looked offended.

"You touched my bag."

"Congratulations. You survived."

Saran burst out laughing.

Diya covered her face.

Win shook his head.

Rayan stood.

Cris stood too.

For a moment, they were face-to-face.

Rayan was taller.

Cris didn't care.

"You really don't know who I am, do you?" Rayan asked.

"No."

Rayan blinked.

"You've never heard of me?"

"No."

"Everyone knows me."

Cris shrugged.

"Then congratulations."

Rayan stared.

Cris sat down.

"And now, if you're finished?"

Rayan stood there, completely speechless.

Diya whispered to Win,

"I think he's broken him."

Win smiled.

"Definitely."

Rayan finally turned away.

"Whatever."

He walked back to his table.

Cris opened his lunch.

Then noticed something.

His wallet wasn't in his pocket.

He searched his bag.

Nothing.

His face fell.

He must have left it at the café.

He silently sighed.

He couldn't afford to buy lunch.

Before he could close his bag, something landed on the table.

A sandwich.

Cris looked up.

Rayan was already walking away.

Cris frowned.

"Hey."

Rayan stopped.

"You forgot this."

Rayan glanced back.

"I didn't."

"Then why did you give it to me?"

Rayan shrugged.

"You look hungry."

Cris stared at him.

For the first time, Rayan's expression wasn't arrogant.

It was almost... gentle.

But then he smirked.

"Don't misunderstand. I just don't want you fainting and blaming my car."

Cris rolled his eyes.

"You're still an idiot."

Rayan smiled.

"And you're still annoying."

He walked away.

Cris looked down at the sandwich.

A small smile appeared on his face.

He didn't know why.

He didn't know what Rayan wanted.

And he definitely didn't know that the boy he'd just decided to hate would soon become the most important person in his life.

Across the cafeteria, Rayan looked back.

Cris was eating the sandwich.

And smiling.

Rayan smiled too.

Then immediately frowned at himself.

*"Why am I smiling?"*

Win heard him.

"That's what I'd like to know."

Rayan threw a napkin at him.

"Shut up."

And just like that—

To be continued.....