Lina stood at the crowded bus stop, clutching her worn-out bag tightly. The morning air was chilly, and people hurried past, unaware of the little struggles happening around them. Life had never been easy for her, but she had learned to keep a smile, even when her heart ached. Every day felt like a test, and yet she moved forward, hoping that one day, things might finally get better.
Her family struggled to make ends meet, and Lina often wished she could disappear into a world far away from her worries. College was her only escape—a place where she could dream, study, and imagine a life better than this. She sometimes imagined herself living in a big house, wearing beautiful clothes, and walking freely without the constant weight of responsibility pressing on her shoulders. Yet, even here, she felt invisible at times, blending into the crowd as if no one really noticed her.
That day, as she entered the college gate, a sudden bump made her stumble. Papers slipped from her bag and scattered across the floor. "Oh no!" she whispered, kneeling quickly to gather them.
"I'm so sorry," a voice said softly behind her. Lina looked up and saw a tall boy with kind eyes, bending down to help her pick up the papers. "Are you okay?" he asked.
She nodded, slightly embarrassed. "Yes… I'm fine. Thank you."
He smiled, a gentle but curious look in his eyes. "I'm Ryan," he said, offering his hand.
Lina hesitated for a moment before shaking it. "Lina," she replied softly.
Something about that simple handshake felt different. For the first time in a long while, Lina felt a flicker of hope—a feeling she hadn't allowed herself to feel in years. She didn't know him, but there was something in his gaze that made her wonder if life could really change.
As she gathered the last of her papers, Ryan glanced at her bag and asked, "Do you always carry so many books?" Lina chuckled softly. "I guess I take my studies seriously," she admitted.
For a moment, they stood there in awkward silence, but it didn't feel uncomfortable. There was a strange sense of connection, as if fate had quietly nudged them into the same space. Lina's heart beat a little faster, a sensation she hadn't felt in years, and she wondered why a stranger could make her feel so seen.
Little did she know, this brief encounter would mark the beginning of a story that would challenge her heart, test her courage, and change everything she thought she knew about love.
As Lina walked to her first class, she couldn't stop thinking about Ryan. Who was he, really? And why did he make her heart beat faster, even though they had just met? For now, she tried to focus on her studies, but a small, unspoken curiosity tugged at her every thought. Fate had a strange way of bringing people together—and Lina's life was about to prove that in ways she could never imagine.