That night, after returning from their moment together in the rain, Vio lay on his bed, still feeling the lingering cold on his skin. But there was something else—a warmth he couldn't understand. His thoughts kept drifting toward Sheren—her smile, her soft laughter, and the way she enjoyed the rain as if it were a simple miracle not to be missed.
"Why do I keep thinking about her?" he muttered, staring at the ceiling.
Arnold, who was lying on the bed next to him, glanced over lazily. "Who are you talking to? Got an imaginary friend now?"
Vio scoffed. "No, just thinking."
Arnold chuckled. "I know you, Vi. You're thinking about a girl, aren’t you? Don't tell me... Sheren?"
Vio didn’t answer right away, but his silence was enough of a response. Arnold laughed at his reaction. "I knew it! So, do you like her?"
"I don't know..." Vio covered his face with his hands. "It feels weird. I've never felt like this before."
Arnold shrugged. "Well, if you start caring about someone more than usual, maybe you really do like them."
Vio let out a deep sigh. What Arnold said made sense. But was this really love? Or just curiosity because Sheren was so different from anyone he had ever met?
The next day, during lunch break, Vio returned to the cafeteria. This time, not because he was hungry, but because he hoped to see Sheren again. And his wish came true. Sheren was sitting at the same table, sipping a cup of black coffee while reading a book.
Vio gathered his courage and walked up to her. "Mind if I join?"
Sheren looked up and smiled. "Of course. Have a seat."
Vio sat across from her and glanced at the book she was reading. "What are you reading?"
"A book about artificial intelligence," Sheren replied, closing it briefly. "I’ve been interested in AI and its impact on the future."
Vio nodded. "Interesting. You always like complex things, huh?"
Sheren chuckled softly. "Maybe. I like things that challenge my mind. Besides, technology is a vast world full of surprises."
Their conversation flowed naturally. Vio began to realize that he truly felt comfortable talking to Sheren. Not just because she was attractive, but because she made him see the world from a different perspective.
As they were engrossed in their conversation, one of Sheren’s friends approached. "Sher, don’t forget we have a meeting later."
Sheren nodded. "Yeah, I remember. Thanks, Anya."
Her friend glanced at Vio briefly before walking away. Vio looked at Sheren curiously. "You're active in organizations too?"
Sheren nodded. "Yeah, I joined the campus tech community. It keeps me busy sometimes, but it's fun."
Vio smiled. "You're amazing, Sheren. I admire you."
Sheren laughed softly. "Ah, don’t exaggerate. You probably have strengths I don’t know about yet."
Vio couldn’t help but smile. Maybe it was true—the more he got to know Sheren, the more he wanted to learn about her.
The days that followed felt different for Vio. Every time he went to the cafeteria, he hoped to see Sheren. Even in class, he found himself daydreaming about her. Arnold and his friends noticed the change and often teased him, but Vio kept denying that he was falling in love.
However, everything changed one afternoon when Vio unexpectedly saw Sheren sitting alone in the campus garden. Normally, she was always surrounded by friends, but this time, she looked deep in thought.
"Hey, why are you sitting here alone?" Vio asked as he approached.
Sheren looked up and gave a small smile. "I just felt like being alone for a bit. Sometimes, I need time to think."
Vio sat beside her. "Thinking about what? If you don’t mind sharing."
Sheren was silent for a moment before sighing. "Sometimes I feel like people expect too much from me. I love technology, I love learning, but sometimes I get tired. I'm afraid of disappointing the people who believe in me."
Vio looked at her seriously. "Sheren, you don’t have to be perfect for everyone. What matters is that you're happy with what you're doing."
Sheren gazed at Vio with slightly teary eyes. "Thank you, Vio. You don’t know how much those words mean to me."
At that moment, Vio felt something stronger than mere attraction. He wanted to always be there for Sheren, to be someone who could make her smile.
And for the first time, he began to accept that maybe, just maybe, he was truly falling in love.
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