First Chapter: First Encounter (1)

Romance. Love. 

Words. Feelings. 

Whatever it was; everyone was so gung-ho about those things. 

The youthful desire and wish to experience a burning, passionate love with their delusion of fated partners; intensified by unruly teenage hormones, was already ingrained in the head and heart of these naive young adults.

Even right now, a lovey-dovey couple on the left and shy, new love birds on the right. 

Everyone seemed to be at the spring of their life.

While I, at the age of 17, entering the stairs of adulthood, still yet to experience this so-called romance. 

.

.

.

But is that really weird?

Cough!

I coughed out loud, breaking my line of thought. I think my cold hasn't gotten any better since yesterday. 

Ugh, my head feels light …

Anyway, none of that matters, since I still have to attend the opening event of my first year in college.

And you know how lady luck helped me?

On the very first day of my college life, the sky decided it was a great day to rumble and cry, making the air, soil, and everything all humid, wet, and sticky. Ugh.

I could see people with umbrellas kindly sharing with people who didn't bring one … Sigh, maybe a couple would be born by this lucky (unlucky for me) event. 

Well, it's none of my concern since I always bring mine—so no chance of having a chance encounter. I sarcastically laughed at that thought while I pulled my hood down. 

More importantly, when will the mayor finish his speech?

All I could hear was blah blah blah do your best and all those cliche things you announce to students who clearly didn't even want to listen to you. 

"... I hope for a wonderful semester of your college life!" Mayor stated at the end of his speech.

Ah. Finally! Sigh, the rain has no sign of stopping just like the mayor's mouth or so I thought.

Oh, and you were probably wondering why the mayor was giving speeches at our campus. Well, that is because he is my grandfather. And he wants to supervise my actions so I'm gonna have a smooth-sailing college life from now on …

.

.

.

Of course not!

I'm kidding, obviously. Life is not that easy.

Currently, I'm in a state college because I'm not that well off to study at any of the well-known universities in The Capital. So I need to settle for a local college. Haha, life sucks.

Though at least I'm not eating noodles and eggs three times a day, I guess? 

Kidding aside, I've noticed students were moving towards the building. Probably to go inside and take shelter from the rain. 

I should go with the flow and try to avoid colliding with people because a lot of them were doing so. I rolled my eyes at such audacity. Tsk.

Nearing the stairs of the main entrance, I raised my head and looked in front. I couldn't help but sigh at the sight I witnessed.

Can't these people have patience and wait for people in front of them to move first? I thought as I kept seeing massive crowds of people getting stuck at the entrance trying to get inside first.

Sooner or later, an accident would probably happen … sigh.

At that moment, just as I unluckily thought of that … someone slipped! 

Most likely due to getting pushed back by the crowd and falling down the stairs towards me, who was in front of the said stairs!

"Ah!" 

"Oh my gosh!"

"Ha!"

Someone from the crowd screamed and others followed after.

Before I could even think, my body moved first! I quickly threw my umbrella to the side and put my arms out to try to catch them.

Although the stairs were not that high, merely five or seven steps, still with my weakened body, if we collided—hundred percent I'd be on the dirty, muddy ground with them!

"Watch out!" 

A shout rang out as I gritted my teeth and firmly grounded my feet for the impact!

Bang!

""Ah!""

The both of us cried out as we slammed to the ground. 

"Ugh …"

"Hmm …"

We stayed like that for a couple of seconds … 

As the rain fell on us, I was glad that I was wearing my hood, or else my hair would be a jumbled mess of mud and water. However, the uncomfortable soft, and sticky feel on my back reminded me again of what situation I was in. 

And it irritated me greatly, but I decided to push back that feeling and focus on the more important things.

Ugh, I think I hit my head. I'm getting dizzy and could this person above move out of the way, please. 

Just when I thought of that, the person above me jumped up suddenly, almost like a shot put, and tried to help me up. Emphasis on tried.

"I'm so, so, so sorry! I didn't mean to hit you!" she cried out while failing to pick me up from the ground. 

My eyes shut in defeat, still on the ground, thinking, judging from her feminine voice, the person who fell down was a girl. Thankfully, or else I might get crushed if a man fell down from above.

"Never mind that, aren't you dizzy from getting up suddenly after falling from such height?" I groggily mumbled as I clutched my head while finally trying to stand up after many failed attempts by the girl.

"Are you okay?" she worriedly asked, unintentionally ignoring my words, probably 'cause we almost spoke at the same time, and me, being a mumble rapper (not real).

"Yep, don't worry about it … Actually, I should be asking you that, are you okay?" I replied with my head still throbbing, but since I didn't want to make it a big deal, I simply glossed it over and asked her the same question.

Though, I must say, now, that I'm actually looking at her straight, this girl was so freaking beautiful. Like how the heck could you have those eyelashes so long and such big, innocent eyes? Hell, even her skin was so smooth and unblemished like, girl, could I have your skincare routine? 

It wasn't even far-fetched to say that she was one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen in my life.

"Um, yes! I'm fine. Thank you so much for helping me!" the girl's eyes glowed as she replied with energy opposite of someone who just fell from the stairs. 

"No worries. Anyway, I gotta get going, bye," I just casually accepted her gratitude and moved on. 

Hm? What? 

You probably thought that this was gonna be the start of a romantic comedy, right? Hell no, I told you I'm a freaking independent woman, I need no man, or in this case, a woman in my life. And mind you I'm a straight woman. 

How do I know? Well… I just know and regardless of that, I have never been in love my whole life nor do I feel attracted to the same sex. In conclusion, I'm probably heterosexual?

Now, back to the topic, really ... I get sidetracked easily by these things, probably my ADHD brain thing acting up or not.

But seriously, things in the movies and mangas don't happen in real life. Just because it was the first day of school and some kind of accident happened, which would be the hero and heroine's first encounter and then they would have some kind of connection whatsoever to build their bond and fall in love over time. No, never in a million years. Grow up and study at school, kids.

Before I could continue this weird inner monologue of mine, the girl called out to me as I walked past her to the entrance, since it was still raining and I was feeling a little sick, more so due to the accident. 

"Wait!" she called out as she caught up and walked beside me.

I looked at her and raised my eyebrows saying a nonverbal 'what' to her. 

"I'm really sorry for earlier. Can I do something to make it up to you?" she uttered as she looked up and stared into my eyes with her big doe eyes. 

Sigh, I already said it was okay. You really don't have to do nothing. If anything, leaving me alone would be the best thing you can do for me now. Why couldn't you understand that, huh? Though, I could understand her situation. I would also feel bad if somebody got hurt because of me. 

And by the way, could you not look up at me like that, it's making my chest itchy for some reason, like seriously stop. I'm weak against beautiful things. Ah! My eyes!

"Really it's okay, it's just an accident. No need to think about it too much." 

Oops, I think my tone was too harsh. Haa … I really hate talking to people. I'm sorry, sis, I'm not angry I just look like I'm angry, huhu.

"Oh … I'm sorry to bother you …" she visibly deflated, looking like an aggravated puppy.

Oh no, she looked sad and misunderstood me. Argh! I don't want to deal with this! If I could find a rock, I would smash my head open and die just like that!

I scratched my head and said with a gentler tone. "Look, I'm fine and you said you're fine and that's what matters."

And … just like that, her mood improved and she looked kinda happy again. Like, girl, how were you changing your mood so fast, you on something?

She clasped her hands together and smilingly said: "Then can I treat you, after the event, for some food?"

I already said it was oka—wait a second. 

Did she just say she would compensate me with food? Wait a freaking second, who in their right mind would refuse that kind of offer? Hell yeah, you could treat me! Like we could even go now, not after! 

Before you say I'm overreacting and yes I am, but who cares, it was fun. Ahem, If you didn't know, I am a huge food lover, I could eat tons of food in one sitting. Like my family even called me the family dog because I'm always in charge of finishing their leftovers and successfully doing so. 

However …

"Thank you for the offer but it's fine. You don't have to do that for me." 

… I must refuse it. Keuk, cursed this ingrained sense of politeness and fear of being judged by accepting one's offer the first time, huhu. 

"Please, I insist!" she blocked my way and persisted in treating me with food.

She continued: "I felt really bad for what happened earlier, it's just an accident but still I have to make up for the inconvenience it did!" 

She said with such a resolute face I almost wanted to squish her cheeks due to looking so cu—okay, no. Nope. Not going in that direction. 

"..." 

I kept looking at her quietly and she did so in return. A few seconds pass in this standoff in which I gave in first.

"Sigh … Okay, if you say so …" I uttered defeatedly.

In reality, I was dancing with joy inside as I got to have free food!

She smiled brightly, her eyes almost disappearing. Her dimples even appeared making it so pleasing to the eyes … Ahhh, I think I'm going blind. Too bright … I really wanted to pinch those cheeks … 

"Okay! That's a promise!" she replied as she cutely giggled. 

Really, how could someone be this adorably cute? 

Smack!

I slapped my cheeks in my mind. Snap out of it, Alex! Do not be such a simp! This is merely a trial, a way to test your limits! Fight! Tatacaw!

Anyway then, that was done. I could now spend my first day with peace and quiet. Hoo …

***

As I languidly walked through the corridor, I saw that it was packed with students, and when I say packed I meant, like, suffocatingly. I'm feeling nauseous, I really, really hate crowded spaces. And the throbbing pain in my head kept getting worse. 

I need to find an open space. I need to breathe. 

Who even invented this cursed building called school. Like I could teach myself just fine … Okay, maybe not but still, aargh! 

Enough of these shenanigans! I might just hyperventilate and collapse right here, right now and I couldn't have that happening. I would die a social death! 

With that thought, I roamed the inside of the campus trying to find an open space to take a break from all these walking sardines and … kind of smell like one. 

You know it's the trend nowadays to use deodorants. I remarked sarcastically in my mind as I slithered through the corridor. 

And just like heaven finally graced upon me, I found utopia! The nirvana! The—let's stop. Even for me, that was too much. Anyway, I finally found a place to linger and breathe on a balcony on the third floor of the campus. 

***

I leaned slightly forward on the chest-height railing of the balcony as I took a deep breath in and out. I lightly rubbed my temple to soothe my throbbing head and continued to breathe in and out.

"It was so stuffy back there, wasn't it?" a somewhat familiar voice suddenly came from the back.

"Ah!" I lightly shouted as I literally jumped in shock at the sudden voice coming from the back.

I held my chest and tried to control my breathing …

As I calmed myself down, I angrily thought, who the hell would just suddenly talk from behind someone trying to get some peace and quiet?!

I could hear a laugh as I looked back and saw the culprit behind all this …