Kim and her friend were exhausted after the orientation ceremony. Kim had been preparing for this day for months, but they never expected it to be so stressful. Kim had spent all night putting the finishing touches on her file, making sure everything was perfect. But when she got to the ceremony, she realized that she had forgotten one crucial document. She panicked, thinking that all her hard work had gone to waste.
Fortunately, she was able to submit the missing document later in the day, but the stress of the situation had taken its toll. As they walked home, both of them let out a deep sigh of relief. "Boy! What a day," Susan said, echoing Kim's thoughts exactly.
Kim couldn't help but feel a little bit proud of herself, though. She had pushed through the stress and come out the other side stronger. She knew that there would be more stressful days ahead, but she also knew that she could handle them.
"Who knew orientation ceremonies were this stressful?" Kim exclaimed as she and her friend left the university campus.
"I feel like I need a nap after all of that!" Susan said.
The two friends had spent the entire morning filling out forms, listening to presentations, and getting lost in the maze-like halls of the university. By the end of it all, they were both exhausted and ready to head back to their apartment. "But at least I'm officially students now," Kim said, trying to find a silver lining.
"Yeah, I guess that's something," she said with a chuckle. "Let's just hope the rest of the semester isn't as hectic as today was."
Kim looked at Susan and saw she was smiling at a business card she held. "Su? Whose is that? And why have you been smiling at it?" Kim asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Oh! This? It's the business card of someone I've liked for a long time." Susan answered smiling.
"Are you gonna call?" Kim asked.
"Of course," Susan replied confidently. She had been waiting for this moment for months and wasn't going to let fear hold her back any longer.
Susan smiled and slipped the business card back into her pocket. "You know me, I never pass up an opportunity," she replied with a grin.
Kim nodded and gave her a high-five. "That's the spirit! You never know where this could lead."
Susan couldn't help but feel a little nervous, but excitement was building as well. She knew that this could be the start of something amazing, and she was determined to make the most of it. "I think I'll give him a call tonight," she said, making a mental note to come up with a plan of what to say. "Wish me luck!"
"You don't need luck. You're totally likeable. He'll fall for you definitely."
"Speaking of liking," Susan said with a grin. "look over there. That's the boy who winked at you earlier and he's coming over here."
As soon as Susan uttered those words, Kim felt her heart jump into her throat. She turned around and saw the boy in question walking towards her with a big smile on his face.
She couldn't help but feel a little nervous, but the boy's easygoing demeanor quickly put her at ease. "Hey there," he said, "I couldn't help but notice you earlier. I'm glad I ran into you again."
Kim tried to maintain her composure even though she felt a strong attraction towards him. His captivating eyes and charming confidence had her heart racing, but she wasn't the type to wear her heart on her sleeve.
She knew that showing too much interest could make her seem desperate, so she played it cool. Even though she was dying to know more about him, she tried to keep her thoughts and feelings to herself. It was a struggle, but she was determined not to let him see how much he affected her.
"I'm Louis."
"I'm Kimberly and this is my friend, Susan."
"I don't want to keep you for long. Can I have your number? So we can talk?"
As he nervously offered his phone to Kim, she glanced at the time and let out a soft "hmm". She could see the exhaustion in his face, and to be honest, she was feeling it too. She knew she should give him her number and be done with it, but something inside her was hesitant.
"It's late and I see you're tired. Can I have your number so we can talk?" he asked again, almost pleadingly.
Kim shook her head slowly. "Maybe if we meet again," she said with a small smile, hoping to leave things on a positive note.
As she walked away from him, she couldn't help but wonder if she had made the right choice.
"Look who's got a boyfriend." Susan teased.
"He's not my boyfriend," replied Kim with a chuckle.
"But if he asks, will you say yes?" Susan inquired.
Kim blushed a little before responding, "Maybe?"
Susan couldn't help but grin at her friend's response. "I knew it! You totally have a crush on him."
Kim rolled her eyes and laughed, "Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say."
* * * *
Kim sat in the crowded cafeteria, her mind focused on nothing else but her assignment. The noise of students chatting and laughing around her was background noise, barely registering to her.
Suddenly, she felt a looming presence over her, and when she looked up, her eyes met Louis's. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him towering over her, and she felt a flush creep up her neck. For a moment, they simply gazed at each other, until Louis finally spoke, his voice low and husky.
"We meet again," Louis said, and Kim's heart skipped a beat.
She remembered the last time they met, and how she had promised him her number if they ever crossed paths again. Now here they were, face to face once more. She couldn't help but smile. "Yes, we do," she replied, feeling a little nervous but mostly excited.
Without hesitation, she took out her phone and handed it to him. "I guess I owe you my number, don't I?" she said, biting her lip playfully.
Louis grinned, feeling a rush of excitement. "I think you do," he replied, taking her phone and entering his number. "Now, let's make sure this isn't the last time we meet," he added, handing her phone back to her with a wink.
Kim blushed, feeling a flutter in her chest. "I'd like that," she said, tucking her phone back into her pocket.
"Mind if I sit down?"
Kim flushed with excitement as she stammered out a response. "Sure, go ahead."
As Louis took a seat across from her, Kim couldn't help but feel a surge of nervous energy. What did he want? Was he interested in her too? She tried to focus on her work, but her mind kept wandering back to Louis and the possibility of what might come next.
"What are you working on?"
Kim swallowed hard, trying to steady her nerves. She couldn't believe that Louis was talking to her, let alone touching her. But she managed to compose herself and replied, "Oh, just finishing up an assignment. Nothing exciting."
Louis grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Well, I'm sure it's better than anything I could come up with. Mind if I take a look?"
Kim nodded eagerly, pulling her laptop screen closer to him. As Louis leaned in to read, Kim couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in her chest. Maybe this was the beginning of something more with Louis.