The library was almost empty.
Evening light filtered softly through the tall windows, stretching long shadows across the wooden tables. The quiet was deeper than usual, broken only by the faint turning of pages somewhere among the shelves.
Michael sat near the far end of the room with a book open in front of him.
The words blurred together.
He had read the same paragraph three times and still didn't fully understand what the philosopher was trying to say.
Michael rubbed his forehead slightly.
Maybe Samuel had been right earlier.
You think too much.
He exhaled and leaned back in his chair.
"Trouble already?"
Michael looked up.
Lucas was standing beside the table, holding a few books under his arm.
"I thought you had practice," Michael said.
Lucas pulled out the chair across from him and sat down.
"Finished early."
His eyes moved to the open book.
"Philosophy?"
Michael nodded.
Lucas leaned forward slightly to read the page.
"You're starting with the difficult ones."
Michael closed the book halfway.
"I've been reading this for twenty minutes and I'm still not sure what it means."
Lucas smiled faintly.
"Let me see."
He shifted his chair closer to the table, leaning in so he could see the text more clearly.
Michael noticed how easily Lucas read through the passage, his finger tracing a line of words.
"You're overthinking it," Lucas said after a moment.
"How?"
Lucas tapped the page lightly.
"The writer isn't trying to confuse you. He's just saying that people spend too much time searching for certainty when faith already asks for trust."
Michael listened carefully.
Lucas explained it again in simpler words.
This time it made sense.
Michael looked at him.
"You make it sound easy."
Lucas shrugged.
"I've been reading things like this since minor seminary."
For a moment they both sat quietly.
The silence between them felt comfortable.
Lucas leaned back slightly in his chair.
"So," he said after a moment, "why did you decide to come here?"
Michael hesitated.
No one had asked him that question so directly yet.
"My parents wanted it," he admitted quietly.
Lucas watched him.
"And you?"
Michael looked down at the table.
Lucas nodded slowly, as if he understood more than he said.
"I joined when I was thirteen," Lucas said after a moment.
Michael looked up.
"That young?"
"Minor seminary," Lucas said with a small smile. "At that age you don't really question things. You just follow the path in front of you."
"And now?"
Lucas looked toward the tall windows where the sky had begun to darken.
"Now I sometimes wonder what life outside these walls might be like."
Michael hadn't expected that answer.
Lucas noticed his surprise and chuckled softly.
"Don't look so shocked. Seminarians are still human."
Michael almost smiled.
A sudden sound of rain tapping against the windows interrupted the quiet room.
Within seconds the light drizzle turned heavier, the steady rhythm of rainfall filling the air.
Lucas stood up and glanced outside.
"That started quickly."
Michael gathered his books.
They left the library together.
The rain was already falling hard when they stepped outside.
Lucas laughed.
"Looks like we're running."
Before Michael could respond, Lucas grabbed his wrist lightly.
"Come on."
They ran across the courtyard as rain soaked the stone path beneath their feet.
Michael tried not to slip while Lucas pulled him along.
They finally stopped beneath the wide porch of the chapel, both slightly out of breath.
The rain poured down in thick silver lines just beyond the shelter.
Lucas brushed wet hair away from his forehead.
"Well," he said, breathing lightly, "that was unexpected."
Michael nodded.
He suddenly realized Lucas had only just released his wrist.
Neither of them mentioned it.
They stood quietly, watching the rain for a moment.
Something about the sound felt calming.
Lucas leaned back against one of the stone pillars.
"You're adjusting faster than I expected," he said.
"To the seminary?"
Lucas nodded.
Michael thought about it for a moment.
"It helps that someone keeps showing up to explain things."
Lucas smiled.
"Glad to be useful."
Eventually the rain softened.
They walked back toward the dormitory together, the ground still wet beneath their steps.
By the time Michael entered the room, Samuel was already lying on his bed reading.
He glanced up.
"You look like you got caught in the rain."
Michael set his books on the desk.
"We did."
Samuel tilted his head slightly.
"We?"
"Lucas and I were leaving the library."
Samuel's expression shifted into a small knowing smile.
"Of course you were."
Michael frowned slightly.
"What does that mean?"
Samuel turned a page casually.
"You and Lucas spend a lot of time together."
"It's only been a few days."
Samuel shrugged.
"Still."
Michael didn't respond.
Later that night the dormitory corridor was quiet.
Most of the lights had already been turned off.
Michael was about to close the door when he heard voices down the hallway.
He glanced out.
Lucas was standing near the stairwell talking quietly with another seminarian.
Michael couldn't see the other student clearly.
But he heard the voice.
"You're getting pretty close to the new student."
Lucas didn't answer immediately.
The silence stretched for a moment.
Then Lucas said quietly,
"He's just adjusting."
Michael slowly closed the door.
Back in the dim room, he lay down on his bed and stared at the ceiling.
The rain had started again outside, tapping softly against the windows.
For reasons he couldn't quite explain…
Lucas's voice stayed in his thoughts longer than the rain.