Ariana hurried into the courtyard café of Silvercrest University, looking for a quiet corner to read through her notes. The café smelled like warm cinnamon and freshly brewed coffee, and sunlight streamed through the crystal-glass ceiling above. 💡
She finally spotted an empty table near the window and walked toward it.
But just as she lowered her books—
BUMP.
Her elbow brushed against something solid.
Her coffee cup tipped.
Dark liquid splashed across the table and onto someone's book.
Ariana froze. "I am SO sorry—!"
The person turned.
It was him.
The boy from the bus.
Kian.
He blinked at the spilled coffee for a moment, then looked up at her.
His calm expression didn't change.
"It's okay," he said gently. "It's just a page."
Ariana's heart nearly escaped her chest. "I didn't see you there! I—I wasn't paying attention—"
Kian took a napkin from the counter and began blotting the spill, completely unbothered.
"You move fast," he said quietly.
"You… you sit silently," she replied without thinking.
He paused—then gave the smallest smile she had ever seen.
"Fair enough."
She felt her cheeks heat up.
"Can I buy you another coffee?" she offered.
"No need," he shook his head. "But you can sit, if you want."
Ariana swallowed. "Here? With you?"
He shrugged lightly. "It's a free world."
She sat across from him, trying not to stare at his calm eyes, his delicate fingers turning the damp book page, the way his hair fell slightly over his forehead.
They didn't talk much.
But the silence wasn't strange.
It was warm.
Peaceful.
Like they were already familiar with each other's presence.
Ariana didn't know why, but for the first time at Silvercrest, she didn't feel alone. ☕