The days after April 4 felt strange. I couldn't focus on anything. All I could think about was him—the boy I had seen just once, but whose face kept appearing in my mind. I kept remembering his eyes, his hands, and the way we looked at each other for that brief moment. It felt like something important had just happened, even though we had never spoken.
I kept hoping for another chance to see him. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't find him again. He was like a dream I couldn't fully hold on to. I didn't know his name, or anything about him, and that made me want to know more.
The next morning, I was sitting outside the college building with Lily on the bench. The sun was warm on my skin, but I still couldn't stop thinking about him.
"Did you figure out who he is yet?" Lily asked, raising an eyebrow.
I sighed, trying not to sound too frustrated. "No. I still don't know his name."
Lily looked at me like I was crazy. "Well, you can't just keep wondering. You should ask around. Find out who he is."
I felt a little nervous. Asking around seemed so forward, but Lily was right. If I didn't act, I would never find out. So I agreed to try.
Later that afternoon, I went to the campus café, hoping to find Arif. He was a guy in my political science class and also a junior. If anyone knew who Aiden was, it would be him.
I spotted Arif sitting by the window, reading through some notes. I walked over and sat down. He looked up and smiled when he saw me.
"Hey, Emilia! What's up?" he asked.
"I need your help," I said, my voice a little nervous. "Have you seen a guy around campus? He's a junior. Tall, dark hair, wearing a black hoodie. I think he's in political science."
Arif thought for a moment, then smiled. "I think I know who you're talking about. That sounds like Aiden."
I froze. Aiden. That was his name.
"You know him?" I asked, eager for more details.
Arif nodded. "Yeah, he's in political science, just like you. He's actually an immediate junior. He's a quiet guy, keeps to himself mostly. I see him around the student center or library sometimes."
My heart skipped a beat. Aiden. That was his name. I could finally put a name to the face that had been in my mind. It felt like something important, though I couldn't explain why it mattered so much.
"Thanks," I said, distracted as I thought about what to do next. "I guess I'll try to find him."
Arif laughed. "Just don't keep staring at him from far away! Go talk to him."
I blushed. "No, I'm not just going to stare. I'll... I'll talk to him."
"Good luck," Arif said with a grin.
After leaving the café, I felt both excited and nervous. Now that I knew his name, I didn't know what to do with the information. I kept thinking about how I might see him again, but I had no idea how to start a conversation with him.
For the next few days, I kept my eyes peeled for him around campus. I looked everywhere—the student center, the library, and even near the cafe where I had seen him before—but I didn't find him.
Then, one Tuesday afternoon, as I was leaving class, I saw him. Aiden.
He was standing near the student center, talking with some friends. They were laughing, and he looked completely at ease. He was just as I remembered—tall, with dark hair that fell slightly into his eyes, wearing the black hoodie. He looked so confident, and yet I felt nervous just watching him.
I stood frozen for a moment, watching him from a distance. But then our eyes met. My heart raced as I realized that he had noticed me. We stared at each other for a few seconds, and in that moment, I felt something pull me toward him.
Without thinking, I started walking toward him. My legs felt like they were moving on their own, but my mind was racing. What was I going to say?
When I reached him, he looked surprised to see me. I took a deep breath and forced myself to speak.
"Hi," I said, my voice shaking a little. "I'm Emilia. We... we saw each other the other day."
Aiden looked at me, his expression softening. "Oh, right. I remember you. You were sitting outside the building that day."
I smiled, relieved that he remembered me. "Yeah. That was me."
Aiden smiled back, and it made my heart skip a beat. "I didn't expect you to come over and say hi."
I blushed, feeling a little embarrassed. "I wasn't sure if you'd remember me. But I thought I should introduce myself."
There was a short pause, and then he said, "I'm Aiden. Nice to meet you, Emilia."
His smile felt genuine, and I couldn't help but smile back. There was a warmth in his eyes that made me feel more at ease, even though I was still nervous.
We stood there for a few moments, not sure what to say next. But for the first time in a long while, I felt like I was exactly where I was meant to be.