Chapter 2: Unseen Currents

Chapter 2: Unseen Currents

Ethan's first day at the university passed in a blur. The overwhelming sense of unfamiliarity never really left him, and despite the bustling campus life, he found himself withdrawing more into his thoughts. It wasn't that he didn't try to engage with the people around him. It was just that they felt so distant, as though he were an observer in a world that wasn't quite his own.

After registration, he and Jacob attended their first lecture together—a general introduction to philosophy. Jacob had settled in quickly, chatting with classmates and discussing course material, while Ethan found himself unable to fully focus. His mind kept drifting back to the brief encounter with Lily Chan on the basketball court earlier.

The strange intensity of her gaze hadn't left him. It was as though she had seen right through him, like there was something she knew that he didn't. Ethan tried to push the thought away, but it lingered, gnawing at the back of his mind.

As the lecture ended, Jacob clapped him on the back. "So, what do you think? Philosophy major?" he joked, grinning.

Ethan gave a half-smile, feeling a little out of place. "I don't know… it's too early to tell."

"Well, either way, you'll be fine," Jacob said. "Let's grab some lunch and meet some new people, yeah? We'll head to the student union."

Ethan nodded, though he wasn't particularly enthusiastic. He appreciated Jacob's attempt to get him involved, but he wasn't sure if he was ready to dive into the whirlwind of university social life. As they walked to the student union, Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that something was drawing him elsewhere.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Lily again. This time, she was sitting on a bench near the fountain, reading a book. Her presence seemed… deliberate, as if she were waiting for something or someone. Ethan couldn't explain why, but he felt compelled to walk in her direction.

"Hey, I'll meet you inside," Ethan said to Jacob, his voice casual but his mind focused on something entirely different.

Jacob raised an eyebrow but shrugged. "Sure. Don't take too long."

Ethan made his way across the courtyard, the sound of chatter and footsteps fading into the background. He wasn't sure why he was heading toward Lily, but his feet seemed to move on their own accord. When he reached the bench, he hesitated for a moment.

Lily looked up from her book, her eyes meeting his again. This time, there was no challenge in her gaze, just a quiet recognition. She closed the book slowly and placed it beside her.

"Didn't think I'd see you again so soon," she said, her tone calm, almost as if she had expected this meeting.

Ethan stood there, unsure of what to say. "I… I didn't expect to see you either. Are you always here?"

Lily shrugged, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Sometimes. Just trying to find some peace, you know?"

Ethan nodded, unsure if she was being entirely honest or if there was more to her words than met the eye. He sat down next to her, though a part of him felt uneasy.

"You've got a lot on your mind, don't you?" she asked, her voice soft but piercing.

Ethan blinked. "What do you mean?"

Lily turned to face him fully now, her eyes studying him intently. "You're not like the others. You're trying to figure something out, but you haven't quite put it together yet."

Her words struck him deeply, more so than he cared to admit. He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came. Instead, the weight of her statement hung in the air between them, thick with an unsettling truth he didn't know how to confront.

Before he could gather his thoughts, she stood up, gathering her things. "Maybe we'll talk more another time," she said with a small, enigmatic smile. "Just remember—some questions don't need answers. At least not yet."

Ethan watched as she walked away, his mind racing with questions he didn't know how to ask. What was she trying to tell him? And why did it feel like she knew something he didn't?

As he stood there, alone by the fountain, a strange sensation washed over him. It was as if something had shifted within him, as if the world had subtly realigned, and Ethan was no longer just an observer.

Something was changing. And he couldn't shake the feeling that Lily Chan, in some inexplicable way, was at the heart of it all.