Chapter 3

I pushed open the cafeteria doors and immediately got hit by the smell of fried rice and steamed buns, and honestly, it felt like a literal miracle after a morning full of lectures. My stomach growled so loud I hoped no one else heard it. Probably did. Whatever. I was done pretending I was not hungry. Lunch was sacred.

I spotted Ruxin and Haoran first, waiting near the entrance. Ruxin waved me over with that stupid grin he always had, the one that said he was five seconds away from some kind of dumb joke. Haoran rolled his eyes, smiling anyway, clearly amused at whatever Ruxin was planning.

“Finally, you’re here,” Ruxin said, slinging an arm over my shoulder as we walked. “We were about to start without you, man. Risky move.”

“I was busy living through literature,” I replied, trying not to sound as dramatic as I felt. Mrs. Zhang’s class was surprisingly relaxing, but my brain was officially fried. “My brain needs at least ten minutes to reboot.”

Haoran smirked. “Yeah, yeah, I saw you scribbling like a maniac. Notes, notes, notes. Did you finish the whole poem or just steal half the lines from your brain?”

I laughed, shaking my head. “I copied it like a pro. Don’t even doubt me.” I could feel my cheeks warming, probably from the combination of walking fast and the mild embarrassment of having friends tease me, but also from… well, my brain being slightly preoccupied by someone else.

As we moved further into the cafeteria, navigating around clusters of students, trays clattering and voices bouncing everywhere, I tried to focus on the conversation. We joked about math exams, snarky comments about the biology teacher’s weird energy, and Haoran’s constant low-key moans about how life was unfair.

And then I noticed him.

Zeyan.

He was leaning casually against the corner of one of the long cafeteria tables, that same nonchalant posture he always had. One hand in his pocket, the other idly brushing a loose strand of hair from his face. Around him was a small group of girls, three or four, maybe more— laughing at something he said. Not loud, just enough that it drew attention.

And of course, they were leaning in, subtle touches here and there, playful nudges. One girl flicked her hair across her shoulder, glancing at him with wide, sparkling eyes. Another laughed at something he muttered and rested her hand lightly on his arm for just a second. The kind of touches that are almost invisible if you’re not looking but definitely meant to be noticed.

And Zeyan? Like he didn’t even notice. Or maybe he did. Hard to tell. He just stood there, completely relaxed, exuding this effortless air of “I literally cannot be bothered by anything.” He wasn’t smiling much, and somehow that made the entire group orbiting him seem even more chaotic in comparison to how calm he was.

I froze for a second, taking it in. My friends didn’t notice at first, too caught up in our own little bubble of conversation, but I couldn’t stop my gaze from lingering on him.

I finally got my tray, a bowl of noodles, a few steamed dumplings, and a carton of juice, and let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. Ruxin and Haoran were already balancing their trays, joking about who could pile the most food without tipping over, and I couldn’t help but laugh at their ridiculous competitiveness.

“Man, you’re taking forever,” Ruxin said, nudging me with his elbow. “You gonna eat or just admire your food all day?”

I grinned. “Chill. Noodles are worth savoring.”

Haoran smirked. “Savor it too long and we’ll be fighting over the last bun.”

We started making our way through the crowded cafeteria, trays clattering against elbows and knees, dodging friends and strangers alike. I kept chatting with them, throwing back jokes about how brutal Math was and how Mrs. Zhang somehow made Literature feel… okay. My stomach was finally starting to settle, and I felt myself relaxing into the rhythm of the lunchtime chaos.

As we turned toward the empty tables near the windows, I glanced up just in time to catch a familiar shape. Zeyan.

I grabbed my tray tighter and started moving again, walking towards our table. My friends were talking and laughing ahead of me, not noticing the little pause in my pace. I didn’t want to think about him right now.

Then something weird happened. Zeyan, he turned his head just slightly, and our eyes met for a moment. I felt my stomach do that weird twist it always did whenever I was nervous. My heartbeat started to rise, and without really thinking, I did the only thing that seemed sane at the moment.

I handed my tray to Ruxin, muttering something like, “Hold this for me,” and ran. Full on sprinting, dodging students between tables, my stomach was empty and my brain was screaming at me for acting like a maniac.

I didn’t look back at first, just ran, needing to put space between me and the whole… him-being-there thing. My friends yelled after me, but I ignored them, my focus entirely on escape.

Finally, I slowed down, breathing hard, trying to get my heart to stop thudding so loudly. I was trying to act casual even though my chest was still racing. Somewhere behind me, I knew Zeyan had been about to get up, probably noticed me, but I didn’t care. I wasn’t ready to deal with that calm, nonchalant stare just yet. I took a shaky breath and told myself I was fine. Totally fine. Just lunch. Totally fine.

I kept walking until the cafeteria chaos was a distant hum behind me. My legs carried me instinctively toward the forest path that cut through the school property, the one place I could breathe without being watched or whispered about.

I’ve had this spot for years. Found it back in grade eight, totally by accident, while wandering the forest during a free period. It’s a tiny wooden cottage tucked inside a forest full of trees, two floors, completely handmade. Whoever built it must have spent forever making it just right. The wood smelled faintly of pine and varnish, worn smooth in places by years of use. Inside, it was tiny, but cozy, two small rooms, furniture that looked handmade, a little stove in the corner, and enough shelves to hold stacks of books and notebooks.

It was my sanctuary. My little escape from the noise of school, the gossip, the chaos. No one ever found it. Not even the teachers, probably. Definitely not the other students.

I pushed the creaky wooden door open and slipped inside. The familiar scent hit me, the slight tang of wood and old paper, and I exhaled, letting my shoulders drop. The morning’s literature class, the lunchroom spectacle, all of it melted away as I set my tray down on the small table near the window.

I opened my notebook, the rough pages waiting for my pen, and pulled out my textbooks. Math first, like always. I loved the focus here, the quiet, the calmness, the way numbers could make sense when everything else felt messy.

The cottage was tiny, but it had all I needed. The sunlight spilling through the windows warmed the little wooden floor, dust particles drifting lazily in the air. The small staircase in the corner led to the loft above, which I sometimes used to spread out all my materials when I needed space. Today, the lower floor was enough.

I could hear the faint rustle of trees outside, the occasional bird, but that was it. No whispers, no glances, no chaos. Just me, the books, and the quiet.

I lost track of time there. Studying, writing notes, solving maths problems, searching materials. Even when I glanced at my phone, it wasn’t to check social media or gossip, it was just a timer, a way to measure how long I’d been absorbed in the silence.

I didn’t see Zeyan once. Didn’t hear his voice. Didn’t even think about him. And yet, strangely, I felt… lighter, safe and free. This little cottage, tiny as it was, somehow made the rest of the world shrink down to nothing except me and myself.

I leaned back in my chair, letting the sunset warm my shoulders, and let my mind wander just for a second before diving back into the notes. This was mine. My sanctuary. My tiny wooden world in the middle of the forest. And for now, that was enough.

The cottage door creaked as I pushed it open, and the forest hit me with its familiar mix of earthy smells and fading sunlight. I paused for a second on the little path, taking it all in, the way the light filtered through the leaves, the soft rustle of branches, the distant call of a bird heading home too. For a moment, I let myself linger, enjoying the silence. But reality hit: it was getting late, and I needed to get back to campus. Home wasn’t going to wait.

~ Min

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