chapter 2 -The Encounter

I walked beside Eva for a while, feeling safe in her company. But as we continued our conversation, my mind wandered, thinking about all she'd said. The school was a maze, and the rules weren't written anywhere, but they were clear: stay out of the right wing, avoid trouble, and definitely steer clear of people like Zayn.

But as luck would have it, I somehow managed to lose track of her.

"Eva?" I called out, turning around in the dark, realizing that she wasn't behind me anymore. Panic rose in my chest as I glanced at the dimly lit pathways around me. Everything looked the same, and I had no idea where I was.

I had managed to enter the hostel, but the confusion of left versus right left me at a standstill. I turned right, hoping to find some clue or marker to guide me.

The corridor ahead was dimly lit, and the silence around me was oppressive. The lights flickered intermittently, casting long, wavering shadows on the walls. My heart beat a little faster with each step I took, a mix of anxiety and anticipation swirling within me. I walked straight for what felt like an eternity until I reached a bend in the corridor.

As I rounded the corner, I was met with a sight that stopped me dead in my tracks.

I saw them.

At first, I wasn't sure what I was looking at. A girl, dressed in an impossibly short, skin-tight dress, was pressed up against the wall, her body melded to that of a tall, broad-shouldered man. They were kissing—no, they were devouring each other. The intensity of the kiss was raw, unrestrained. His hands were gripping her waist tightly, pulling her against him, while she moaned softly against his lips, her fingers tangled in his dark hair.

I should have looked away. I should have turned and left quietly before they noticed me. But something about the scene rooted me to the spot, as if I were witnessing something I shouldn't, something forbidden, yet utterly mesmerizing.

The man shifted slightly, and for the first time, I caught a glimpse of his face. Strong jawline, dark stubble, and eyes that seemed to burn with a wild intensity even in the low light. He was devastatingly handsome in a way that was almost dangerous, and as I stared at him, my breath caught in my throat.

That's when he saw me.

His gaze locked onto mine, sharp and penetrating, and I felt a jolt of electricity course through me. I froze, unable to move, my legs refusing to obey my brain's commands to run. His lips never left the girl's, but something in his eyes shifted. It was like he was challenging me, daring me to keep watching. There was a glint in his eyes, a barely-there smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as if to say, Are you enjoying the show?

My stomach twisted in knots as I watched him, my heartbeat thundering in my ears. My mind screamed at me to leave, to turn and run back to where I had come from, but I couldn't. My feet were glued to the floor, my eyes locked on his as he kissed the girl even more ferociously, more passionately than before. It was like he was showing off, putting on a performance just for me. His hands slid lower, gripping the girl's hips as he deepened the kiss, his lips moving against hers with a heat that made my skin flush.

I let out a shaky breath, my chest tight with a mix of fear and something else—something I couldn't quite identify but felt all too intensely. He was dangerous. That much I knew. The look in his eyes told me everything I needed to know. This wasn't someone to get involved with, someone to cross paths with.

Suddenly, I felt a strong tug on my arm.

"Amira!" Eva's voice snapped me out of my trance. My body jerked in response, and I stumbled slightly as she pulled me away from the scene, dragging me back toward the left wing. I turned to look over my shoulder one last time, but the couple was already gone, swallowed by the shadows of the corridor.

"Eva, I—"

"Where the hell were you?!" Eva hissed, stopping just outside the left wing entrance. She looked both relieved and furious at the same time. "I've been searching for you everywhere. How did you get lost?"

"I—" I stammered, still trying to process what had just happened. "I took a wrong turn, and then I saw—"

Her eyes widened, and she cut me off, her face paling. "Why did you go to the right wing?"

I hesitated, the memory of what I had just seen flashing in my mind. "I was confused "

Eva groaned, running a hand through her hair. "Amira, I told you not to go there!"

My face flushed as I recalled the scene. "There was… a guy. And a girl. They were… kissing."

"Don't get shocked. There's more than that?" Eva's eyes narrowed, and her tone shifted, becoming more serious.

"What?" I asked, my heart sinking at her reaction.

"Amira," she said slowly, her voice barely above a whisper. "That guy you saw… that was Zayn."

The name hit me like a slap to the face.

My pulse quickened as Eva continued, her voice filled with urgency. "Zayn's not someone you want to get involved with. He's dangerous. Really dangerous. I've heard stories… things he's done to people who crossed him."

Dangerous. The word repeated itself in my mind, sending chills down my spine. The way he had looked at me—the way he had kissed that girl—it all made sense now. Zayn wasn't just any guy. He was someone I needed to stay far away from.

But even though I knew that, the memory of his gaze, that barely-there smile, lingered in my mind, making me feel things I didn't want to admit. I had crossed paths with him, and even though every part of me knew I should be afraid, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was already drawn to him in some inexplicable way.

Eva's voice broke through my thoughts. "Promise me you'll stay away from him, Amira. Don't go near the right wing again. Don't get involved with Zayn."

I nodded quickly, swallowing the lump in my throat. "I won't."

But deep down, I wasn't sure if it was a promise I could keep.