At First Sight: A Love That Couldn't Last

Chapter 14: Hidden Messages and Lingering Doubts

The next afternoon, Tiara met Robin at their usual spot in the campus garden. The sun filtered through the trees, casting soft shadows as they settled down on the bench together. She leaned into him, savoring the calm of the moment, her head resting on his shoulder. After a few minutes, she decided to mention the new friend she’d made.

“Guess who followed me on Instagram?” Tiara said, keeping her tone casual.

Robin glanced at her, his eyebrow raised. “Who?”

“Ryan. You know, the new guy in my class.” She tried to keep her voice light, as if it were just a passing detail.

Robin’s smile faltered slightly, though he quickly recovered. “Ryan, huh? The one from the program?”

Tiara nodded, smiling. “Yeah, that one. He seems nice. Just wanted to let you know.”

Robin gave a slow nod, keeping his expression neutral. “So, did you talk much?”

“Just a bit,” she replied, keeping her tone even. She didn’t tell him about the hours they’d spent chatting the previous night or the easy, unexpected connection she’d felt. Something held her back, a quiet instinct that told her not to share every detail.

But Robin felt the gap between her words, a subtle hint that she wasn’t telling him the whole truth. He pushed the feeling down, refusing to let jealousy or insecurity get the best of him. After all, he trusted Tiara, didn’t he?

“Alright,” he said, putting on a reassuring smile. “I mean, it’s fine if he’s just a friend, right?”

Tiara squeezed his hand, feeling a rush of relief. “Of course, just a friend. Besides, you’re the one I’m with.”

Robin smiled, leaning in to kiss her forehead, but he couldn’t fully ignore the strange feeling twisting in his stomach. He knew she wasn’t lying, but there was something in her tone that hinted at more—something unspoken.

The rest of the afternoon passed in their usual comfort, but as they walked back toward their classes, Robin’s mind kept circling back to Ryan. He hadn’t thought much of him at first, but the recent program, the way Ryan looked at Tiara, and now this follow request… it felt like too much to ignore.

That evening, as he lay in bed, Robin’s thoughts drifted to Tiara and Ryan. Was he being unreasonable? He trusted Tiara, yet he couldn’t shake the nagging doubt that Ryan was more interested in her than she was letting on.

Meanwhile, Tiara returned to her hostel, trying to shake off a mix of guilt and excitement. She knew she hadn’t told Robin everything, but she reassured herself that it was just a harmless conversation. Still, as she scrolled through her messages with Ryan from the night before, a quiet thrill stirred within her, leaving her to wonder where her connection with him might lead.