"Amara, I'm serious."
Tessa stood with her arms crossed, her expression firm as she stared at her roommate.
"You need to be careful."
⸻
Amara looked up from her book, slightly confused.
"About what?"
Tessa sighed, like she couldn't believe she even had to explain.
"About Kieran."
⸻
There it was again.
His name.
Everywhere.
⸻
Amara closed her book slowly.
"I'm not doing anything wrong," she said calmly.
"I didn't say you were," Tessa replied. "I'm just saying… don't get too close to him."
⸻
Amara leaned back against her chair.
"And why does everyone keep saying that like he's some kind of danger?"
Tessa hesitated for a moment.
Then she said quietly,
"Because he is."
⸻
Silence filled the room.
⸻
"He's not what you think," Tessa continued. "Yeah, he's nice sometimes, and yeah, he can be… charming. But that's how it starts."
Amara didn't interrupt.
"He gets close. He makes you feel like you're different. Like you matter more than everyone else."
Her voice softened.
"And then one day… he's gone."
⸻
Amara looked away.
For some reason, those words didn't sit well with her.
Not because she believed them…
But because part of her didn't want to.
⸻
"You're overthinking it," she said finally. "We just talk. That's all."
Tessa gave her a look.
"That's how it always begins."
⸻
Later that day, those words followed her.
Through lectures.
Through the quiet moments.
Even through her thoughts.
⸻
But when she saw him again…
Everything felt normal.
⸻
"Why do you look like you're thinking too hard?" Kieran asked as he sat beside her.
Amara sighed.
"Maybe because I am."
"About?"
She hesitated.
Then decided to be honest.
"You."
⸻
That caught his attention.
⸻
"Should I be worried?" he asked, a small smirk forming on his lips.
"People keep warning me about you," she said.
The smirk faded.
⸻
"Yeah?" he said quietly.
"Yeah."
"And what do they say?"
⸻
Amara looked at him carefully.
"That you're not someone to trust."
⸻
For a moment, his expression didn't change.
But something in his eyes did.
⸻
"And you believe them?" he asked.
She shook her head slightly.
"I don't know what to believe."
⸻
Kieran leaned back, looking away.
"That makes two of us."
⸻
That answer wasn't what she expected.
⸻
"You don't even try to defend yourself," she said.
"What's the point?" he replied. "People believe what they want anyway."
⸻
Amara studied him.
"Then tell me the truth."
⸻
He looked at her again.
This time… more seriously.
⸻
"The truth is…" he started.
Then paused.
⸻
"I'm not a good person, Amara."
⸻
Her heart skipped slightly.
⸻
"I hurt people," he continued. "Not always on purpose. But it happens."
He looked down briefly.
"And I don't stay."
⸻
There it was.
The truth.
Simple.
Honest.
Uncomfortable.
⸻
Amara swallowed softly.
"Why?"
⸻
He let out a quiet breath.
"Because it's easier."
⸻
That answer felt incomplete.
Like there was more he wasn't saying.
But she didn't push.
⸻
Instead, she said something she didn't plan.
"Maybe you just haven't found a reason to stay."
⸻
Kieran froze slightly.
⸻
That sentence hit deeper than she realized.
⸻
For a moment, he just looked at her.
Like he was seeing her differently.
⸻
"You shouldn't say things like that," he said quietly.
"Why?"
"Because you don't know what they can do."
⸻
"What do you mean?"
⸻
He stood up slowly, picking up his bag.
⸻
"Make someone want something they shouldn't," he replied.
⸻
And just like that…
He walked away.
⸻
Leaving her with more questions than answers.
⸻
That evening, the sky darkened earlier than usual.
Heavy clouds filled the air, and soon, rain began to fall.
⸻
Amara stood under a small shelter near the walkway, watching as students rushed past her, trying to avoid getting wet.
She didn't mind the rain.
In fact, she liked it.
It gave her time to think.
⸻
"You'll stand there all night?"
⸻
She turned.
And there he was.
⸻
Kieran.
Soaked from the rain.
Hair damp.
Shirt slightly clinging to him.
But his expression…
Calm as ever.
⸻
"You're already wet," she said.
"And you're still dry," he replied.
⸻
For a moment, neither of them moved.
⸻
Then he stepped closer, standing under the shelter beside her.
Close enough for her to feel his presence again.
⸻
Stronger this time.
⸻
"You should go," he said suddenly.
Amara frowned slightly.
"Why?"
⸻
He looked at her.
Really looked at her.
⸻
"Because I'm exactly what they said," he admitted quietly.
⸻
Her chest tightened.
⸻
"And if you stay…" he added, his voice softer now,
"You might not like how it ends."
⸻
But instead of stepping away…
Amara stayed right where she was.
⸻
And that…
Was the beginning of something neither of them could control.