Between The Lines Of Silence

Chapter 1

The reproductive health seminar was finally ending, and Kei couldn’t hold back her laughter as the guest speaker passionately emphasized “practical abstinence” and “the buddy system” for resisting temptation. Carylle elbowed her with a smirk. “So, study group also means moral support now?” Kei rolled her eyes, whispering back, “Great, my class planner doubles as a temptation tracker.”

As the event wrapped up, the students were asked to snap selfies as proof they’d attended. Bianca groaned, “Seriously? Proof I survived this?” Kei suggested a groupie instead, just as the mystery guy and his group were doing the same thing a few steps away. Right as they clicked the shutter, both groups accidentally photobombed each other’s shots. Kei caught a quick, tantalizing glimpse of him—tall, curly hair, chinito features, and an almost effortless cool. Did he notice her? Maybe he’d spot her in the background of his photo and wonder who she was.

The girls split up at the campus gate, with Kei and Carylle walking together until Carylle caught her bus. Kei continued on foot, her thoughts looping back to the mysterious guy who seemed so effortlessly interesting. She couldn’t quite put her finger on why, but there was something in the way he carried himself and the quiet intensity in his discussions during the seminar that left her intrigued.

When she got to her dorm room, it was quiet; her roommate Cheryl was still out handling college council matters. Kei set her bag down and grabbed her dinner, attempting to eat while her mind raced. She poked at her food, occasionally sighing as she replayed his voice in her head.

Finally, giving in, she pulled out her phone and shot a quick message to her veterinary friends. “So…anyone know a tall, curly-haired chinito guy who’s like a brainiac?” But after getting responses like “Sorry, no idea” and “Good luck, though,” Kei was feeling stumped. She needed better leads.

Then it hit her: she could ask her old crush turned friend, Vaugh. Swallowing her pride a little, she described the mystery guy’s features and asked if Vaugh knew him. Moments later, her phone buzzed. “That’s Alexander Adzel Llamas.”

Kei grinned. Alexander Adzel Llamas. Now, with a name to match the face, her mind started cooking up all kinds of playful ideas. She tossed her phone aside with a little chuckle, already imagining the harmless trouble she could stir up with her newfound knowledge. Little did she know, this might just be the start of something much bigger than she’d ever imagined.