Where We Begin Again...

Chapter 1: The First Meeting

Nathan

Cornell's campus buzzed with a mixture of excitement and anxiety as the semester approached. The air was fresh, carrying the crispness of early fall, and the trees lining the pathways were just beginning to hint at autumn's colours. I walked along the quad, scanning the sea of unfamiliar faces. New place, new people-my kind of challenge. I had always been confident, maybe a little too much sometimes, but when you've got two doctor parents who drilled success into your DNA, it's hard not to be. This bridging course was designed to ease freshmen into college life, but really, it was a chance to scope out the crowd, make a few friends, and maybe meet someone interesting. That's when I saw her-Aurora. She stood near the library steps, her long, dark hair catching the sunlight, her eyes scanning the horizon as if she were trying to find something more. She was different from everyone else. Calm, almost serene, like she didn't care about the chaos around her. I remember thinking, she's out of my league. Not that I would ever admit that to anyone, but it was true. There was an aura around her, something almost untouchable. That only made me more intrigued. I approached her, offering what I hoped was my signature smile. "Hey, I'm Nathan," I said, a little more confidently than I felt. "You look lost. Need some help?" Her eyes flicked to mine, and for a second, I thought I saw something-curiosity maybe? But just as quickly, her expression closed off. "I'm fine, thanks," she said, polite but distant. She turned back to the view, clearly uninterested. Okay, that didn't go as planned. But I wasn't the type to give up easily. "Are you here for the bridging course too?" I asked, pretending not to notice the brush-off. "Yes," she replied, still not looking at me. Then, after a pause, she glanced over. "Are you always this persistent?" I grinned. "Only when I see someone worth the effort." She let out a small, almost imperceptible sigh, then started walking away, leaving me standing there like an idiot. My confidence took a hit, but it wasn't enough to stop me. I wasn't going to let one failed attempt define the outcome. ---

Aurora

Cornell was everything I expected it to be-busy, prestigious, and full of energy. People walked around as if they were already on their way to becoming world-changers. I wasn't here to make friends or get caught up in the social frenzy. I had my path laid out for me since I could remember, courtesy of my family. Law school after graduation, then a place in the family firm. Romance wasn't in the plan. But then, there was Nathan. I saw him walking towards me before he even said a word. Tall, confident, and probably used to getting his way. His voice was smooth when he introduced himself, and for a second, I almost fell for that easy charm. Almost. I wasn't like the other girls he probably flirted with on a daily basis. So, I gave him the brush-off. I didn't need distractions, especially ones that looked like him. But he didn't give up easily. I had to admire that- though I'd never admit it. His persistence was unexpected, and it caught me off guard. Most people took no for an answer, but not Nathan. He tried again. This time, there was something in his eyes, a glimmer of sincerity, that made me hesitate before walking away. Still, I wasn't interested. Or at least that's what I told myself. ---

Nathan

Over the next few days, I kept seeing her around campus, always alone, always absorbed in her own world. I tried a second time, bumping into her "accidentally" at the student centre. This time, I kept it casual, mentioning a class we both had on the syllabus. She was polite again, but distant, like she had a wall up that I wasn't getting through. By the third attempt, I was starting to wonder if I was just wasting my time. We ran into each other outside the library one evening, the sky just starting to turn pink as the sun set behind the clock tower. I was about to make some joke about fate when she surprised me. "You don't give up, do you?" she said, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Not really," I replied, meeting her gaze. "But I'll stop if you want me to." She tilted her head slightly, studying me as if trying to f igure me out. Then, to my surprise, she shook her head. "No, don't stop." That was it. It wasn't a grand confession or a sweeping romantic moment, but it was enough. Enough for me to know there was more to this girl than the cold front she put up. And I was going to find out what that was. ---

Aurora

It was stupid, really, how a few words could change everything. But when Nathan said he'd stop if I wanted him to, it threw me. Most guys didn't care what I wanted, not really. They just wanted to be the one who broke through, like it was some kind of game. But Nathan was different. He wasn't trying to win. He was just... there. And for the first time, I didn't mind. Maybe it was the way he didn't push too hard. Maybe it was the way he smiled like he wasn't sure what to expect from me but was willing to take a chance. Either way, I didn't tell him to stop. ---

Nathan

We started spending time together after that. Nothing major-just coffee after class or studying in the library. But something shifted between us. It was like she finally let me in, just a little. I wasn't sure where it would go, but I knew one thing: I wanted to know her better. There was something about Aurora. She wasn't like anyone else I'd met. She was complicated, sure, but there was a depth to her that pulled me in. And I was ready to dive headfirst, no matter what came next.