THE ACQUAINTANCE
It was a regular evening. I was sitting in the Institute of Mechanics, trying to concentrate on the exercise I had to solve.
- I don’t understand it.
- Me too, - Ariana replied. - Maybe we should put it in Desmos?
I felt relieved that someone else was struggling too, though I wasn’t sure Desmos could save us. Anyone who has prepared for the SAT Math exam knows that Desmos can be either your greatest ally or your worst enemy. We were stuck, circling through different approaches. Ariana was one of the girls my age who attended the Institute with me. I liked her—she was friendly, beautiful, and had those big dark eyes that gave her the look of an angel. Her long brown hair and warm skin tone made her even more striking. She was much shorter than me, but that only made her look cuter.
I wasn’t the type of girl who envied others’ looks. I was confident, aware that I was… different. I just hadn’t figured out what that difference was yet.
Going to university was the best decision of my sixteen years. I always knew what I wanted and worked hard until I achieved it. At that moment, my mind was consumed by one exam—the one I believed could change my life. Solving problems and finding the right answer gave me deep satisfaction, though I knew much of my progress was thanks to my tutor. She wasn’t the most beautiful woman in the world, but to me she was the kindest—intelligent, balanced, and wise.
I didn’t waste time thinking about boys. I hadn’t liked anyone in a long while. But that evening, something felt different. My pulse quickened for no reason. Have you ever felt that? When your blood rushes faster, your heart races, yet nothing explains it? I wasn’t searching for relationships—maybe even avoiding them—but I always believed I’d meet someone special. Not “special” in general, but special for me.
That day, I met someone strange. Someone who forced me to look deeper into myself, to notice flaws I had ignored, but also to recognize my uniqueness.
It was late—around 8 PM. I sat in a small classroom filled with people focused only on themselves. Still, I liked the atmosphere. The building had a mysterious vibe, though it was dilapidated, with white, cracked walls. I watched the clock hands crawl slower and slower. A headache began, and my vision blurred, waves swimming before my eyes though I wasn’t in water. Everything slowed—the people, the clock. I closed my eyes and rested my head on the desk.
I don’t know how much time passed. Time itself slipped away. It felt like I slept forever. When I opened my eyes, the classroom was empty.
(What the…?)
The clock was frozen at 8:15 PM—the exact moment everything had gone black. My headache worsened as thoughts raced through my mind. I stood and wandered the white halls, searching for answers. Finally, I pushed open the entry door, not expecting anything unusual.
But then I froze. I couldn’t breathe.
I saw him—the most gorgeous man I had ever seen.
I’m not sure words can capture him, because adjectives simply don’t exist for someone like that. He was tall, perfectly built, with the most striking face I had ever laid eyes on. His optic glasses framed his beautiful eyes, adding a quiet elegance to his presence. He sat casually on the stone fence near the stairs of the Institute, positioned so I could see him clearly. His nose, sharp and perfectly shaped, gave him the aura of a god from Greek mythology. And that gaze—aimed at nothing, lost in thought—was devastating. For the first time in my life, I wanted to reach out and touch someone, just to confirm he was real.
I stood frozen, afraid to breathe, like a hunter terrified of scaring away her prey. Then, suddenly, he saw me. His pupils widened, as if he too was questioning my existence. He studied me, waiting for my move, but I waited for his. Slowly, he rose and turned toward me, face-to-face.
I thought he would speak, but he only looked. His expression didn’t change, and the silence pressed against me. My brows furrowed in discomfort. He tilted his head, examining me from another angle, and I raised my right eyebrow in defiance. A faint noise echoed behind me, and when I turned to look, nothing was there. But when I glanced back—he was gone. Vanished.
It felt as though he had dissolved into the air, transparent yet still watching me from somewhere unseen. I wanted to scream, but no sound came. My body was motionless, the world utterly silent. Then my vision blurred again, waves swimming before my eyes, and I collapsed—yet I felt no pain when I hit the ground.
(Is someone carrying me?..)
I forced my eyes open, and there he was again—closer this time. His face hovered above mine, impossibly beautiful. And though I didn’t know him, I felt calm in his arms. Safe.
Why did I trust a stranger? I had no answer. I only knew that, in that moment, I did.
