Setting: The main Engineering department lobby, transitioning to the university lockers, and finally to a quiet, forgotten concrete pathway surrounded by tall mahogany trees that connects the separate sides of the campus.
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Seth: (Walks quickly out of the lab classroom the second the dismissal bell rings, zipping my laptop bag shut with a sharp click. My heart is still pounding wildly against my ribs, and my mind is completely disorganized. Ever since I saw her name, Cara, engraved on the back of that purple star hair clip, my logical engineering brain has been completely unable to process data. I feel completely off-balance, my independent walls crumbling as I drag my feet into the busy lobby corridor.)
Lest: (Marches right beside me, keeping a fast pace and waving his hands dramatically as we navigate past the other engineering students. He is completely clueless about the girl from the canteen, the 7-Eleven, or the church.) “Oh, come on, Seth! You can’t just slide a purple star hair clip onto your desk, turn as red as a fire engine, and then tell me it’s a plastic component piece! I am your best friend! Criminology majors aren’t the only ones with observation skills. Who does that clip belong to? Why are you acting like a glitching video game character all morning over a random hair accessory?!”
Seth: (Clears my throat roughly, pulling my hoodie lower over my eyes to block out his relentless questioning as a hot blush rushes up my neck.) “I told you, Lest, it’s nothing. It’s just an object I picked up so no one would step on it. Stop making a whole theatrical drama out of a piece of plastic.” (I mutter defensively, my hand clamping down tightly over the side pocket where my pencil case rests. I am completely terrified of admitting the truth, especially since Lest has absolutely no idea about the girl I’ve been secretly seeing around campus, desperately trying to convince myself that knowing her name doesn’t change anything, even though my chest feels incredibly warm and tight.)
Seth: (I crane my neck nervously, my logical brain secretly taking over as we enter the grand engineering lobby. I find myself instinctively scanning the crowded space, looking past rows of drafting tables and blue jackets. My eyes frantically search every corner, every doorway, and every group of passing students, hoping against logic to catch a glimpse of the girl from the church courtyard. But no matter how hard I search, the lobby is just a sea of unfamiliar faces. She is completely nowhere to be found, leaving a strange, hollow ache in my chest.) Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
Cara: (Steps through the heavy glass double doors of the Engineering building entrance at that exact moment, carrying my tote bag over my shoulder. After finishing my desk shift at the student council office, I used the directory to narrow down the name entries. My dark hair falls completely loosely past my shoulders as I walk gracefully into the cool, busy lobby, my eyes scanning the crowd of students wearing dark engineering jackets.)
Cara: (I reach into my pocket, my fingers gently brushing against the sleek metal of the orange moon keychain, my heart doing a soft, curious flutter. I look around the wide, chaotic main corridor, checking the bulletin boards, the lockers, and the students rushing past the main pillars. I try my absolute best to locate the quiet, intensely focused guy with the heavy engineering hoodie, but the lobby is way too packed. With so many students moving in every direction at the end of the period, I can’t find him anywhere, completely missing his presence in the crowd.)
Seth: (Reaches the central hallway lockers alongside Lest.
Before I can even think of a way to dismiss him, Lest suddenly checks his wristwatch and gasps in an over-the-top panic.) “Oh, shoot! I completely forgot! The department head needed me to submit the laboratory inventory sheets before the noon break, or he’s going to lock the faculty office door! I have to bolt, Seth! We’ll continue this interrogation tomorrow morning, don’t think you’re off the hook!” (He waves a hand frantically, spins on his heel, and dashes off down the opposite corridor to go somewhere else, completely clueless about the truth.) Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
Seth: (Takes a long, shaky breath of pure relief the second he disappears. Finally alone, I step out of the heavy exit doors by myself, looking down at my shoes with a sigh as my hand clamps over the canvas case holding her clip. Drained, frustrated, and feeling completely lost, I turn onto the old, isolated back pathway to return to my dorm block. It is a quiet concrete walkway hidden beneath tall, ancient mahogany trees where students rarely walk during class hours. The cool shadow of the leaves covers the ground, and the absolute silence of the path matches the heavy confusion in my chest.)
Cara: (Walks slowly down the exact same tree-lined back pathway from the other side, having just left the busy Engineering lobby after my failed search. I look down at the sleek metal crescent in my palm, tracing the initials with a soft, thoughtful frown, wondering if I will ever find him. The rustle of the morning wind through the branches is the only sound echoing along the quiet concrete.)
Seth: (Takes a slow, deep breath as I walk down the shaded path, my hands buried deep inside my jacket pockets. I hear a faint, rhythmic sound of footsteps approaching from the opposite direction. I look up casually, preparing to step aside onto the grass to let the stranger pass—and my entire body instantly freezes completely flat. My breath completely stalls in my lungs, and my travel bag slips slightly off my shoulder. Standing just a few yards ahead of me, framed beautifully by the golden sunlight filtering through the green leaves, is you.)
Seth: (Stares in absolute, breathless silence. After completely missing each other in the crowded lobby, we have finally crossed paths on this quiet walkway. There is absolutely no one else around; the entire campus feels completely empty, leaving only the two of us standing face-to-face on the isolated path. My heart does a violent, terrifying double-flip against my ribs as your calm eyes lock directly onto mine. Your pure, graceful aura instantly acts like a perfect protective shield, immediately erasing all the loud engineering stress screaming in my head. I look down at your hand and my jaw drops in pure shock—there, glinting brightly under the sun, is my beloved orange moon keychain, hanging from your fingertips.)
Seth: (A sudden, blinding blush rushes up my neck, turning my entire face a fierce, burning pink as I stay frozen under the trees. My independent defenses completely crumble into total chaos. I frantically press my hand against the pocket containing my canvas case, knowing her clip is right there. My logical engineering mind completely breaks down, entirely unable to process how our missing mementos brought us to this exact hidden pathway, completely paralyzed as the space between us turns utterly silent.)
[ END OF CHAPTER 9 ]