Chapter 5: Your name?

"Hey!"

The moment the word left Saira's mouth; the corridor seemed to fall into an eerie silence. Conversations halted; footsteps slowed—almost as if the entire hallway had turned its attention to her.

Ryan, who had been walking with his friends, instinctively turned around at the loud call. His brows furrowed slightly as he scanned the crowd, making sure the voice had really been meant for him. When his eyes landed on Saira, she was already looking at him—nervous, uncertain.

He pointed to himself, his expression unreadable. "Me?"

Saira swallowed hard and gave a small nod before quickly looking down, her confidence crumbling under the weight of so many eyes. Now what? She had been so determined a moment ago, but now that she stood before him, her mind was a complete blank.

Ryan, meanwhile, had already noticed the way students were slowing down to watch the interaction. Whispers were beginning to spread. Not wanting to attract any more attention, he made a quick decision.

"Let's go somewhere quieter," he said, his voice calm but firm. Without waiting for a response, he turned and started walking toward the far end of the corridor, near the backdoors where fewer people lingered.

Saira hesitated for only a second before following, her thoughts were a mess. She had planned this moment—yet now that it was happening, she had no idea what to say next.

Saira took a deep breath, gathering her confidence before speaking.

"Actually, I saw you during the school tour."

Ryan's expression remained neutral, but there was a hint of confusion in his eyes. "Yes… what about it?"

"I wanted to thank you—for that day. When you saved me."

A flicker of recognition crossed Ryan's face as memories of that early morning surfaced—the moment he had unknowingly crossed paths with this girl, the way he had helped her.

"Oh… so that was you," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

Saira leaned in slightly. "You said something?" she asked, thinking he might have muttered something important.

"Nothing," Ryan replied, shaking his head.

Saira stared at him, mesmerized. So, it really was him. The one she had been searching for all this time. Now that she finally had the chance to speak to him, she couldn't take her eyes off him. A smile tugged at her lips, barely concealed.

A brief silence settled between them before Ryan finally spoke again.

"If that's all you wanted to say… I'll be heading back to class."

Saira snapped out of her trance. No, not yet! She wasn't ready to let him go. She was too curious—she wanted to know more.

Right! His name!

Just as Ryan turned to leave, she instinctively reached out, grabbing the sleeve of his uniform and pulling him back. Ryan stumbled slightly, eyes widening in surprise.

"What now?" he muttered, turning to face her. His gaze was cold, but a faint, unreadable smile played on his lips.

"Your name… What's your name?" Saira asked, her voice filled with anticipation.

Ryan hesitated. There was something in her eyes—something sincere, something determined. He couldn't ignore it.

"Ryan," he finally said. "That's my name."

Saira's face lit up instantly. A cheerful smile spread across her lips, and yet, she was still holding onto his sleeve.

Ryan followed her gaze before glancing down at the fabric in her grip. "Can I leave now?"

Saira's eyes widened in realization. "Oh—yes, yes!" She quickly let go, laughing nervously before turning on her heel and rushing toward her friends. Her mission for the day was complete.

From a distance, Zoya and Kaia waved her over. "Saira! Hurry up, the teacher's already in class!"

Ryan watched her retreating figure. Saira.

The name stuck in his mind, lingering longer than it should. Why did it sound so familiar? It was as if he had heard it before—somewhere, sometime. But where?

Now that he thought about it, she felt familiar too. The way she spoke, the way she looked at him—it stirred something in him.

Lately, everything had been strange. Ever since the school tour, things hadn't felt quite real. Like déjà vu, or a memory just out of reach.

Maybe he was just tired.

Shaking off the feeling, Ryan decided to let it go—for now. He turned and walked back toward his classroom, knowing he was already running late.

But something told him—this wouldn't be the last time their paths crossed.