Everything I gave you

Kendra was walking as fast as her legs could carry her toward the

restaurant where she worked.

Rain poured heavily from the dark sky, soaking her clothes and

making the road slippery beneath her feet. Cars sped past, splashing

muddy water onto the pavement, but Kendra barely noticed.

She couldn't afford to stop.

She needed to get to work.

Her job at the restaurant was more than just a way to earn extra

money. It was what helped her pay for food, transportation, and the

small amount she needed to keep herself going.

She couldn't afford to lose it.

Yet, despite the heavy rain, Kendra didn't even look for shelter.

She kept running.

Tears rolled down her cheeks, mixing with the rain.

She was terrified that her boss would fire her for arriving late.

"Please, just let me get there," she whispered breathlessly.

Kendra was a student at the University of Cambridge, studying under

a scholarship. She was intelligent and hardworking, but her life had

never been easy.

She had no family member she could depend on.

Her parents had died in a terrible accident earlier that year. Kendra

had survived, but the loss had left a deep emptiness in her heart.

Her parents had left her a small house and some money. It wasn't

much, but it was enough to give her a place to live and a small

beginning.

Unfortunately, even that little inheritance hadn't remained

untouched.

Her uncles had taken most of the remaining family property, leaving

Kendra with very little.

She had tried to fight it, but she was alone.

So she learned to survive on her own.

She studied during the day, worked whenever she could, and tried

not to think too much about how different her life had become.

Today, however, everything seemed to be going wrong.

Kendra reached the bus stop, breathing heavily.

She looked toward the road.

Nothing.

She turned to the woman sitting under the shelter.

"Excuse me, has the bus already left?"

The woman looked at her sympathetically.

"Yes, dear. It left not too long ago."

Kendra's heart sank.

She checked her phone.

She didn't have enough money to order a taxi.

Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag.

"What am I going to do?"

She couldn't miss another opportunity to get to work.

Without wasting another second, Kendra turned around and started

running toward the restaurant.

Her heart pounded in her chest.

She was already imagining her boss standing at the entrance, waiting

to tell her that she was no longer needed.

Please don't fire me.

She ran faster.

Then-

Crash!

Kendra collided with someone.

She lost her balance and fell to the ground.

A sharp pain shot through her leg.

"Ouch!"

She looked down and saw a small injury on her leg.

The stranger immediately bent down.

"I'm so sorry," Kendra cried out, embarrassed and still trying to catch

her breath.

"It's okay," the man replied.

He reached out his hand.

"Let me help you."

Kendra hesitated for only a moment before taking his hand.

He helped her stand.

"Are you hurt badly?"

"I don't think so."

The stranger looked at her leg.

"You should clean that."

Before Kendra could respond, he reached into his bag and brought

out a small packet containing a plaster.

He carefully placed it over the injured area.

"There."

Kendra looked at the plaster, then at him.

"Thank you."

Just then, her phone rang.

Kendra quickly pulled it from her pocket.

She looked at the screen.

Her boss.

Her heart dropped.

She answered immediately.

"Hello?"

"No work today," her boss said sternly.

Kendra froze.

"What?"

"The rain is getting worse. We are closing early. You don't need to

come in."

For a second, Kendra couldn't believe what she had heard.

She had been running through the rain for nothing.

But instead of feeling disappointed, relief flooded through her.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Her boss ended the call.

Kendra smiled widely.

She was so relieved that she almost forgot the stranger was still

standing in front of her.

She turned toward him.

"I'm really sorry about what happened. And thank you for this."

She pointed at the plaster.

The man smiled.

"No problem."

Kendra lowered her eyes shyly.

"My name is Ben."

He stretched out his hand.

"Kendra."

She shook his hand.

For a moment, neither of them said anything.

Then Ben glanced at the rain.

"You shouldn't be walking around in this weather."

"I know."

"Have you eaten?"

Kendra hesitated.

Ben noticed.

"Come on. Let me buy you something."

"Oh, no. You don't have to."

"I insist."

Kendra wanted to refuse again, but her stomach betrayed her with a

quiet growl.

Ben smiled.

"That sounds like a yes."

Kendra laughed softly.

"Fine."

They walked into the nearby restaurant.

Ben insisted that she sit down while he found a table.

A waiter soon approached them with a menu.

"What would you like?"

Ben looked at Kendra.

"I'll have a burger and ice cream."

He looked at her, waiting for her answer.

"Same," she said.

The waiter nodded and walked away.

Kendra sat quietly for a moment.

She finally lifted her head and looked at Ben properly.

It was the first time she had really seen his face.

He was charming, with a calm expression that made him seem

comfortable even in complete silence.

Kendra quickly looked away.

She could feel warmth spreading across her cheeks.

Why am I staring at him?

Ben noticed her reaction but said nothing.

Instead, he smiled.

"Let me introduce myself properly."

Kendra looked at him again.

"My name is Ben. I graduated from university last year."

He paused.

"I'm an orphan, so I live alone."

His smile faded slightly as he said the last sentence.

Kendra noticed.

"I'm sorry."

Ben shrugged gently.

"It's okay. I've gotten used to it."

He looked at her.

"So, what about you?"

Kendra nearly choked on the water she had just taken.

"Me?"

Ben laughed.

"Yes. You."

She shifted awkwardly in her chair.

"My name is Kendra. I'm a student at Cambridge University."

Ben looked impressed.

"Cambridge?"

She nodded.

"Yes."

"That's amazing."

Kendra smiled faintly.

"I lost my parents this year."

Ben's expression immediately changed.

"I'm so sorry."

"Thank you."

Kendra looked down at the table.

She didn't want to talk about her parents anymore. If she continued,

she knew she might cry.

Ben seemed to understand.

"So, what have you been doing lately?"

Kendra looked up.

Ben was giving her an opportunity to change the subject.

"What about you?" she asked.

Ben's face brightened slightly.

"I'm working on a drone."

"A drone?"

He nodded proudly.

"Yes. I want to build my own. I've been working on the design and

trying to figure out how to find the right contractor."

Kendra smiled.

"You're really ambitious."

"I have to be."

His voice was confident, but there was a hint of sadness behind it.

Kendra noticed but didn't question him.

Their food arrived.

They ate while continuing their conversation.

For the first time in a long while, Kendra found herself laughing

without forcing it.

She had forgotten about the rain.

She had forgotten about her worries.

For a little while, she was simply Kendra.

After they finished eating, she checked the time.

"Oh, I need to go."

She picked up her bag and stood.

Ben nodded.

"Of course."

Kendra thanked him again.

As she turned to leave, Ben called after her.

"Wait."

She turned around.

"Can I at least get your phone number?"

Kendra hesitated.

Then she smiled.

She took a piece of paper from her bag, wrote down her number, and

handed it to him.

"Here."

Ben looked at the paper and smiled.

"Thank you."

He paid for the food before following her outside.

They walked together toward the bus stop.

When they reached it, Kendra stood beneath the shelter and waited.

Ben stood beside her.

Neither seemed eager to say goodbye.

Finally, Ben looked at her.

"Can we meet again?"

Kendra looked at him.

She wasn't sure.

They had only met that day, and she knew very little about him.

But something about him felt strangely familiar.

"Yes," she answered.

A bus appeared in the distance.

Kendra stepped closer to the road.

"That's my bus."

The bus stopped.

She climbed aboard, then turned around and waved at Ben through

the window.

He waved back.

"I'll call you!" he shouted.

Kendra smiled.

The bus pulled away.

She watched Ben disappear behind her.

She didn't know it yet, but that rainy evening would become one of

the most important moments of her life.

Because sometimes, the people who enter our lives by accident end

up changing everything.

And sometimes, the smallest meeting can be the beginning of a love

story that will cost more than either person ever imagined.