Sarah woke after a deep, exhausting sleep. When she opened her eyes, she looked startled for a moment, unsure of where she was. It took her a few seconds to regain full awareness and remember that she was no longer in her parents' home but in the house of the taxi driver's family.
Soft whispers drifted to her ears from the kitchen—the father and mother speaking quietly.
"Have you prepared breakfast?" the father asked in a low voice. "The girl should wake up, eat, and get ready. She has a lot to take care of today."
"Yes, everything is ready," the mother replied. "I'm just waiting for Lina to finish her shower so she can wake Sarah up before she goes in."
The father was about to leave for work, yet his mind was far from calm. One thought kept repeating inside him: I didn't like the sudden presence of the security officers in front of my house yesterday. Why were they asking so many questions? And why did I feel like they suspected me?
The question that had haunted him since the previous night returned once more: Who is the thief who stole the taxi and is using it to commit crimes against women arriving in the city?
Sarah finally got up, washed, changed her clothes, and joined the mother and Lina at the breakfast table.
The mother smiled warmly. "Did you sleep well, my dear? Did you get some rest?"
"Yes, thank God," Sarah answered shyly. "Thank you for your kindness."
Lina spoke enthusiastically, "As soon as we finish, we're heading to the university. My friends are waiting for me there."
Sarah hesitated for a moment, then smiled softly. "Yes… let's go."
They headed to the bus station and boarded a crowded bus filled with students. Sarah sat by the window, observing everything around her. Young men and women chatted and laughed freely. Their clothes were completely different from what she was used to—bold colors, modern hairstyles, and oversized bags hanging from their shoulders.
I've never seen anything like this before… she thought.
She was still absorbed in watching the faces around her when Lina interrupted her thoughts.
"Sarah, we're here."
They stepped off the bus, crossed the street carefully, and stood before the university gates. It looked massive and imposing, buzzing with movement. Students flowed in and out continuously—some rushing to catch a lecture, others gathered in circles, deep in discussion.
Sarah paused. A mix of emotions overwhelmed her. She didn't know whether to feel happy for finally approaching one of her dreams or afraid of the unknown waiting for her here. How would she adapt? How would she prove herself? Would she truly be able to focus on her studies amid the chaos of the city?
She walked into the campus with hesitant steps.
The university was spacious, with a large tiled courtyard at its center, surrounded by multi-story buildings. Carefully planted trees shaded stone benches where students sat discussing lessons or revising notes. In one corner, a group debated literature passionately, while others sat silently staring at their phones.
The lecture halls were wide, with tiered seating rising toward the back and a platform at the front for the professor. Some professors walked through the corridors with dignity, holding files and books, their faces reflecting years of experience. Others smiled gently as they spoke with students, trying to bridge the distance between authority and youth.
Long hallways echoed with hurried footsteps. Posters on the walls advertised cultural activities, seminars, and competitions. A large library stood to the right, its glass doors reflecting the students entering and leaving—like a silent guardian of knowledge.
Sarah felt the place was too vast to absorb in a single glance. Everything was new. Different. Overwhelming.
She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.
While she was still standing in the courtyard, lost in awe before this new world, Lina suddenly grabbed her hand with lively energy.
"Come on, let's go see my friends!"
Without giving her time to think, Lina pulled her quickly through the corridors. Sarah followed hesitantly, glancing from side to side, trying to take everything in.
They entered the campus café. The moment Sarah stepped inside, her eyes widened in genuine surprise. She had never imagined a university would have a restaurant and café where students sat so freely, laughing and talking as if this were a space for life itself, not just study.
Lina scanned the room, searching among the faces. Suddenly, someone called her name from afar.
She turned instantly and waved excitedly.
A group of girls sat around a round table—along with several male students.
Lina released Sarah's hand and rushed toward them, hugging one girl, kissing another on the cheek, even warmly shaking hands with some of the young men, laughing with effortless familiarity.
Sarah froze in place.
She stood a few steps away, watching with wide eyes, struggling to process what she was seeing. The shock deepened as she saw Lina sit comfortably among them—young men and women laughing and joking without restraint.
She felt the ground shift slightly beneath her.
In her village, such mixing between boys and girls had always been limited and bound by strict customs. Here, it seemed normal. Daily. Unquestioned.
She stood in the middle, uncertain.
One step forward meant entering a world unlike her own. One step back meant retreating from the very first moment.
At that instant, Lina finally turned to her.
"Sarah! Come on, don't just stand there!" she called out cheerfully.
Sarah felt all eyes turn toward her.
She approached slowly, heavily, as though walking toward an exam whose outcome she didn't know. Her gaze remained lowered, her hands clasped tightly in front of her.
When she reached them, Lina announced proudly, "Everyone, this is my new friend, Sarah. She'll be joining us this year."
Some of the girls exchanged quick glances. A few of the young men smiled faintly, whispering words Sarah couldn't quite catch. Heat rose to her cheeks, as if a spotlight had been placed directly on her.
But soon they welcomed her kindly and made space for her at the table.
Yet as Sarah sat among them, she noticed something small—something she couldn't fully understand. Not all of the conversation felt as spontaneous as it first seemed. Silent glances passed between two of them whenever she mentioned that she was new to the city.
One of the young men asked, in a tone slightly too friendly, where she was staying and whether the city had been difficult for her so far. Another girl laughed lightly and said,
"Don't worry… the city always finds a solution for those who know how to ask."
A brief glance passed among the group—quick, almost invisible—before they returned to laughter as if nothing had happened.
Sarah felt a faint tightening in her chest. A vague sensation that she hadn't merely sat at a café table… but stepped into a circle whose rules she did not yet understand.
She remained reserved, keeping a slight distance between herself and the young men, trying to control her expression so her unease wouldn't show. In only a few hours, she felt she had moved from a closed world ruled by strict traditions into an open space that did not recognize those same boundaries.
And yet, deep inside, she knew she would have to learn —
Not only the lessons of the university,
But the lessons of this new world as well.
This was not just a university.
It was the beginning of a path.
And she did not yet realize that her first step into that circle had already begun to change her life.