Chapter 1 :The First day
The first day of college was loud.
Laughter filled the air, voices echoed through the corridors, and footsteps rushed past in excitement. Everyone seemed to belong somewhere—talking, smiling, finding their place.
Except Lisa.
She stood at the entrance for a moment, her fingers tightening around her bag. Students walked past her like waves, never stopping, never noticing.
A quiet ache settled in her chest.
She didn’t belong here.
Not really.
Slowly, she put her earphones in.
Music began to play—soft, familiar, calming.
Her world grew quieter.
With a small breath, she started walking toward the office, focusing only on the sound in her ears and the path ahead.
But suddenly—
She collided into someone.
Her body stumbled slightly as she bumped into a group of students.
“What the—” Catherine snapped, stepping back. “Watch where you’re going!”
Lisa froze.
Her lips parted instinctively…
But no words came out.
They never did.
Catherine frowned, irritation clear on her face. “Are you serious? At least say sorry—”
Lisa lowered her gaze, her fingers tightening around her bag.
She wanted to explain.
She wanted to say something.
But silence was all she had.
“Catherine, let it go.”
A calm voice interrupted.
Calix.
He stepped forward, his eyes moving from Catherine… to Lisa.
“But she just—” Catherine started.
“I said let it go,” he repeated, quieter this time.
Firm.
Catherine sighed but didn’t argue further.
Lisa slowly looked up.
And for a brief moment—
Their eyes met.
There was no anger in his gaze.
No mockery.
Just… curiosity.
As if he was trying to understand something no one else cared to notice.
Lisa quickly looked away, clutching her bag tighter.
The music in her ears suddenly felt louder.
Without another moment, she stepped aside and walked past them.
Calix watched her go.
Something about her silence felt different.
Not empty.
But full of something he couldn’t quite name.
“Come on,” Catherine said, pulling his attention back.
He nodded slightly.
But as they walked away—
His mind stayed behind.
With the girl who said nothing at all.
Lisa stood quietly outside the office door, her fingers lightly gripping the strap of her bag.
She took a small breath… then knocked.
“Come in, Lisa.”
The voice was calm.
She slowly opened the door and stepped inside.
Professor Louis sat behind his desk, flipping through some papers. He looked up briefly and gave a small nod.
“Sit.”
Lisa walked in and sat down quietly, her movements careful, almost hesitant.
“You’re joining from today, right?” he said, scanning the file. “Hmm… Lisa.”
She nodded softly.
“Your classes will start from tomorrow,” he continued. “Make sure you’re on time.”
Lisa nodded again.
Her silence didn’t surprise him.
He seemed used to it.
“You don’t need to worry about anything,” he added in a more relaxed tone. “You’re here for Mixed Media, correct?”
She nodded once more.
“Good. It’s a strong course.”
He picked up a pen and tapped it lightly on the desk.
“I’ll assign someone to help you settle in. His name is Justin.”
He paused, then added,
“He’s one of the best students. You’ll be fine.”
Lisa’s fingers tightened slightly over her bag.
Someone… to help her.
She wasn’t sure how to feel about that.
“Sign here,” Professor Louis said, sliding a paper toward her.
Lisa leaned forward, picking up the pen. Her handwriting was neat, careful—as if every letter mattered.
When she finished, she gently placed the pen back.
“That’s all,” he said. “You can go.”
Lisa stood up, giving a small nod of acknowledgment before turning toward the door.
As she stepped out of the office, the noise of the college returned again.
Loud.
Endless.
She paused for a moment in the corridor.
Then slowly…
She put her earphones back in.
Music filled the silence once more.
And without looking back—
She walked forward.
Lisa had barely stepped out of the office when Professor Louis’s phone rang.
He glanced at the screen and immediately picked it up.
“Hello?”
A worried voice came from the other side.
“Louis… did she meet you?”
It was Lisa’s mother.
Louis leaned back slightly in his chair, his tone softening.
“Yes, I met her,” he said calmly. “She’s not afraid… just a little nervous.”
He paused, a faint smile forming.
“But don’t worry. She’ll be fine. I’m here.”
There was a small silence before her mother spoke again, her voice filled with relief.
“Thank you… thank you so much.”
Louis shook his head gently, even though she couldn’t see him.
“You don’t need to thank me,” he replied. “You’ve helped me and my wife more than enough. We’re like family now.”
On the other side, her mother grew quiet.
“We’ll take care of her here,” he continued. “You don’t have to worry.”
“Yes… we just shifted to this town, so everything feels new,” she said softly.
“I understand,” Louis replied. “My wife will come to your house tonight and check on you.”
He glanced at the pile of files on his desk and sighed lightly.
“I won’t be able to come myself,” he added. “Admissions are going on… it’s a bit hectic.”
“That’s okay,” her mother said quickly. “You’ve already done so much.”
Louis nodded slightly.
“Take care,” he said gently. “And don’t worry about Lisa.”
After a brief goodbye, the call ended.
For a moment, Louis sat there in silence, looking at the closed door Lisa had just walked through.
“She’ll need time,” he murmured to himself.
Then, picking up the next file, he returned to work—
But his thoughts lingered on the quiet girl who spoke nothing… yet carried so much.
Later that day, the campus café buzzed with voices and laughter.
Catherine sat with her group of friends, her expression still slightly annoyed.
“Hey, do you remember that girl from earlier?” she said, leaning forward. “The one who bumped into me?”
Felix raised an eyebrow. “Which one?”
“The quiet one,” Catherine replied. “She was so rude. She didn’t even say sorry.”
Felix let out a small laugh, shaking his head.
“You bumped into her,” he said casually. “Why should she say sorry?”
Catherine frowned. “Excuse me? She literally walked into us.”
Felix shrugged. “Still looked like your fault.”
Then he turned his head slightly.
“Right, Calix?”
Calix had been quiet the whole time, leaning back in his chair, lost in thought.
For a moment, he didn’t respond.
His mind drifted back—
To the way she stood there.
Silent.
Not defensive. Not careless.
Just… quiet.
He remembered her lips parting slightly… and then stopping.
As if words were there—
But never came out.
“She didn’t seem rude,” he finally said.
Catherine blinked. “What?”
“She didn’t seem rude,” Calix repeated calmly. “Just… different.”
Felix nodded slightly, agreeing.
Catherine crossed her arms, unconvinced. “Or maybe she just has attitude.”
Calix didn’t argue.
But something about that moment still didn’t sit right with him.
He picked up his drink, his gaze distant.
For the first time—
He found himself thinking about someone he didn’t even know.
And a silence he couldn’t understand.
