Web of Obsession

Chapter 1: The First Collision

The first time Eliza met Noah, it was the kind of moment that would be replayed over and over in her mind, a scene burned into her memory like the start of a story that had always been waiting to be told.

It was the first day of high school.

The hallways buzzed with excitement, new students filing through the doors, each one trying to find their way in the chaos. Eliza was late. Her heart pounded in her chest as she rushed down the crowded corridor, her arms full of books, schedules, and papers—everything she needed to navigate this unfamiliar world.

She was so focused on the time, on getting to class before the bell rang, that she didn't notice the tall figure moving just as quickly toward her. In the blink of an eye, they collided, her books scattering across the floor like fallen leaves.

Eliza gasped, stumbling back a step, wide-eyed. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry—"

"No, it's my fault," came a low, steady voice. The boy—dark-haired, sharp features—was already crouching down, collecting her books with an ease that made the situation feel almost natural, like it was supposed to happen this way.

For a moment, she could only stare. His hands moved with a calm efficiency, and when he handed the books back to her, their eyes met. His were a shade of deep brown, almost black, and there was something about the way they lingered on hers that sent a spark through her.

"Here," he said, a small smile tugging at his lips. "You okay?"

Eliza nodded, feeling her cheeks flush. "Yeah. Thank you."

"No problem," he replied, standing up. There was a brief, charged silence between them, the noise of the hallway fading into the background. Then, with a casual wave, he added, "See you around."

And just like that, he was gone, disappearing into the flow of students, leaving Eliza standing there, clutching her books to her chest, her heart still racing.

It was such a simple interaction, over in seconds, but it stayed with her. For the rest of the day, she kept thinking about him—his quiet confidence, the warmth in his eyes. She didn't even know his name.

But from that moment on, she couldn't stop looking for him.

Weeks passed, and Eliza learned his name: Noah. He was in the grade above her, always surrounded by friends but never seeming to be part of the noise. He was different. Eliza watched him from a distance, just as she had in that first encounter, feeling something grow inside her that she couldn't quite explain.

They never spoke again—not like they had that first day. Sometimes, their eyes would meet across the hallway, and that same spark would flash between them. But nothing more. She didn't know if he remembered her or if she was just another face in the sea of students.

But she remembered him. Always.

Years later, when Eliza saw him again, sitting in that restaurant on a blind date, the memories rushed back like a flood. That first collision, the way he had helped her so effortlessly, the connection that had flickered and died before it had a chance to spark into something real.

Now, watching him laugh with another girl, Eliza felt a strange twist of fate pulling her back to that moment. This wasn't high school anymore, and she wasn't that shy, nervous girl clutching her books like a shield.

This time, things would be different.