There was nothing special about that day.
It was just like any other day at work — noisy, hot, and exhausting. The kind of day that passes without leaving a mark, the kind you forget as soon as it ends.
"Ahh, this is so annoying… my load expired again," I complained to Gie as I checked my phone for the third time.
"Hey, do you know anyone here who sells load?"
"Yeah, I think seth does," she said casually. "You should ask her."
"Who's that? Is she new?"
"Yeah," she smiled. "Newly hired. And… she's pretty."
I don't know why, but the moment she said that, my eyes started searching on their own. I've always had a weakness for pretty girls, though I pretended not to.
After my conversation with Gie, I left my seat and tried to find the person she described. Pretty. Slim. Slightly tall — around 5'2, she said. It felt silly looking for someone I had never seen before, but somehow I was curious.
When I entered the canteen, I noticed a girl rummaging through her bag. Her back was facing me, strands of hair falling softly over her shoulders as she searched for something inside. I hesitated for a second, wondering if it was really her, but I walked toward her anyway.
"Hi," I said.
She turned immediately when she heard my voice, surprise flickering across her face before it softened into politeness.
"Are you Seth?" I asked, quietly checking if she really was as pretty as they said.
"Yes," she replied. "Why?"
"Do you sell load? I ran out," I said, feeling slightly awkward for disturbing her.
"Yes," she answered gently. "How much? What's your number?"
I gave her my number, watching as she typed it into her phone. It was such a small interaction, something ordinary people do every day. Nothing dramatic, nothing meaningful.
"My phone's loaded now. Thank you 😊" I said once the confirmation arrived.
"You're welcome," she replied with a small smile.
That was it..
A simple conversation. A tiny favor. A moment anyone else would forget.
But looking back now, I realize that was the first time our paths crossed.
The first time I heard her voice.
The first time I saw her face.
And somehow, even without knowing it yet,
my story had already begun to change.