Chapter 1
Before I tell you anything else, you should know this about me—I overthink almost everything. And honestly, this new world around me has only made that habit worse.
My name is Shane. Well… not my full name, obviously. Some things should remain confidential—ha-h! I’m kidding. Maybe.
It was my first day at university. I had come from a small town carrying two suitcases, a hundred expectations, and emotions I was still learning how to handle. Papa had left the day before, and even though I smiled while waving goodbye, something about watching him leave made the hostel room feel unfamiliar and painfully quiet.
The university was exactly how I had imagined it to be—huge buildings, crowded hallways, beautiful gardens, students walking around confidently with headphones on, coffee cups in their hands, and conversations that sounded important even from far away. Everyone looked so cool and comfortable there, like they belonged naturally in that world.
And then there was me.
A hostelite who was too nervous to even look around properly. Honestly, during the first few days, I barely noticed the campus carefully because my mind was busy surviving every new feeling at once.
That morning, I got ready carefully, trying to look calmer than I actually felt. While walking towards my classroom, a crow pooped on my sleeve. And I just stood there staring at it for a few seconds thinking, Man… this cannot be a good sign.
Not exactly the cinematic university beginning I had imagined.
When I entered the classroom, I didn’t look at anyone properly. I was too nervous for eye contact. I only searched for an empty seat and quietly sat in the corner, placing my water bottle beside my chair like it somehow belonged there more confidently than I did.
The classroom slowly filled with unfamiliar faces, soft conversations, and the sound of chairs moving across the floor. Everyone looked like they already knew how to exist there. Meanwhile, I was still trying to figure out where to keep my hands.
That was the day I met Idavi.
She pointed at the bottle beside me and asked, “Is this your water bottle?”
And somehow, that one small question turned into a conversation that made my first day feel a little less lonely.
Her course was different from mine, but we still talked for a long time as if we had known each other before this place found us. By evening, I had made more friends too—more than I expected, honestly.
For a while, everything felt almost dreamy. Maybe because I had spent so long imagining university life that finally living it felt unreal. Slowly, classes became regular, days became busier, and I started learning how to manage things on my own.
I was actually happy there.
That’s when I became friends with Zuby and Jary. They had already known each other since graduation, and somewhere between classrooms, shared lunches, and random conversations, the three of us became unexpectedly close.
Everything was going smoothly. Or maybe… I was just too busy enjoying the beginning to notice what was waiting for me ahead.
To be continued in the next chapter…
