Amara slowly woke up, her head still feeling heavy from the night before. Nia was already sitting on her bed, scrolling through her phone, a wide grin on her face.
"Good morning, sleepyhead," Nia teased. "How are you feeling today? You fainted in front of a guy! That's wild!"
Amara winced at the memory. It was hard to believe that just hours ago, she'd been unconscious and carried to the hospital by a stranger. A handsome stranger. The more she thought about it, the more embarrassed she felt.
"I'm fine," Amara said softly, not meeting Nia's gaze. "It's just my wrist. It's nothing serious."
Nia leaned forward, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Come on, spill! How did you end up helping him? You didn't even tell me last night what happened."
Amara sighed, rubbing her temples. "I was just walking home from my part-time job when I saw a guy being attacked in the alley. I tried to help, but I got shoved and fell. I was knocked out, I guess."
Nia's face lit up with excitement. "Wait, who was it? Was it someone important?"
Amara shifted uncomfortably. "I think it was Kieran Hale."
Nia's eyes grew even wider. "Kieran Hale? The Kieran Hale? The one who rejects all the girls around here?"
Amara nodded, feeling the warmth spread across her cheeks. "Yeah, it was him. He took me to the hospital after I passed out."
"Wait a minute... you were carried by Kieran Hale? Oh my god!" Nia's voice shot up in pitch, her hands flying to her face in disbelief. "Amara, do you know how many girls would die for a chance like that?"
Amara shrugged, trying to play it cool. "It wasn't like that, Nia. He was just being kind."
"Well, that's still amazing!" Nia beamed. "I can't believe you helped him. Who knows, maybe he'll start paying attention to you now."
Amara laughed nervously, brushing off the comment. "I don't think that's going to happen. He probably doesn't even remember my name."
The next day, after class, Amara was walking down the hall when she heard her name being called.
"Amara."
She froze, her heart skipping a beat. She turned and saw Kieran standing in the hallway, leaning casually against the wall. The murmurs of other students grew louder, and she felt the weight of their attention. Was he... talking to her?
"How's your hand?" Kieran asked, his tone quiet but loud enough for everyone around them to hear.
Amara blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "I'm fine," she replied quickly, her face turning pink. "It's just a sprain."
Kieran gave a small nod, but there was no particular warmth in his gaze. "Good," he said simply. And then, as if nothing had happened, he turned and walked away, leaving Amara standing there, her heart still racing.
The rest of the day was just like any other. Amara had work to focus on and didn't think much about the brief interaction with Kieran. She had other things on her mind, like the endless list of books she had to organize for her part-time job at the library.
Later that afternoon, she arrived at the library, already feeling the weight of the task ahead of her. She started sorting through the books, getting lost in the quiet rhythm of her work. The library was peaceful, just the way she liked it.
Then, out of nowhere, Kieran appeared.
He didn't say anything at first, just stood there, quietly observing her as she struggled to organize a stack of heavy books.
Amara continued working, not paying him much attention. She didn't need to, and she certainly didn't want to make any fuss. She wasn't the type to draw attention, especially not when it came to someone like Kieran Hale.
"I can manage," she said quickly, her voice calm and matter-of-fact.
Kieran raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. He simply moved over to the shelf beside her and started quietly pulling books down, helping her without saying a word.
Amara glanced at him but didn't say anything further. She could handle this on her own, and she didn't need his help. But Kieran didn't seem to mind, continuing his work without trying to talk her into accepting his help.
After a few minutes, Amara sighed, her frustration building. "I don't need you to help me," she muttered under her breath. "I don't want people thinking... you know..." Her voice trailed off, but Kieran caught the meaning.
He didn't respond immediately, but after a moment, he continued helping her, his movements efficient and quiet.
Amara felt a knot in her stomach. He probably thought she was just trying to get his attention, like all the other girls. She didn't want to be like them. "I'm serious. I don't want you to help me," she said, a little more forcefully this time.
Kieran paused for a moment, before glancing at her. "I know," he said simply, his voice calm.
Amara's heart skipped a beat. Was he... understanding? Did he not think she was trying to get attention? She couldn't be sure, but before she could think further, Kieran stepped back, finishing his task.
"There. All done," he said, his voice as calm and quiet as always.
Amara nodded, her throat tight. "Thanks," she replied, keeping her tone neutral. She didn't need to make a big deal out of it. He had helped, but it wasn't anything special. She wasn't the kind of person who would read into it.
Kieran turned and walked away, just as silently as he had arrived. Amara went back to her work, undisturbed, not dwelling on the encounter. It was just another day.
However, the rumors had already started to spread. It didn't take long for students to notice that Kieran had helped her and didn't seem to mind the attention. And for Amara, the whispers started to follow her wherever she went.
Later that evening, Amara sat in her dorm room, going through her phone. She had just received a message from Nia, who was apparently too excited to wait.
Nia's message popped up with an image attached: a photo of Kieran and Amara in the library, captured while Kieran was helping her.
"Amara! What is this?! You and Kieran Hale? This is insane! I just saw it on campus gossip. Is this real?!" Nia's message bubbled with enthusiasm.
Amara's heart dropped as she stared at the photo. She hadn't even realized anyone had been watching. The photo wasn't anything special, but the angle and timing made it look like they were... something more. Her hand was still on the stack of books, and Kieran was standing close by, hands busy with the task but not too far from her. And the worst part? The way they were standing was already enough to fuel the gossip.
Amara quickly typed back: "It's not what it looks like, Nia. We were just working. I don't know how that picture even got out there."
But Nia was already replying, her excitement uncontainable. "No matter what, Amara, people are talking. Maybe something good will come of it. Who knows?"
Amara sighed, staring at the screen. She didn't care about rumors. She didn't want this attention, but it seemed like it was already too late.