Always, I Care

Chapter 2

Amalia pushed open the door to the club meeting room, her heart pounding in her chest. It was the first official gathering of the Welfare and Health Department, and already, she felt out of place.

She scanned the room quickly, hoping for a sign of relief. She didn't particularly want to be noticed; she'd rather stay in the background, get the work done, and avoid drawing attention. But things rarely went as planned. Most of the chairs were already filled. She sighed in relief when she spotted an empty seat by the window. But then her gaze settled on it—the one beside her.

The chair was vacant, but it wouldn't stay that way for long. As much as Amalia hoped someone else would take it, fate wasn't on her side today. She looked down, adjusting the strap of her bag, silently pleading for someone—anyone—to sit there instead. Unfortunately, she'd arrived last, making the empty chair her only option.

The door creaked open.

Ridwan walked in.

Amalia froze, her stomach knotting. Her gaze instinctively shot toward him, but she quickly looked away, feeling her cheeks flush. Ridwan. Of course. The last person she wanted to notice her, let alone sit beside her. He was tall, confident, with an effortless charm that made him impossible to ignore. And he wasn't just good-looking—he was the kind of good-looking that made Amalia feel invisible.

Ridwan's eyes scanned the room, settling on the empty chair beside her. Amalia could swear she felt his gaze before he even looked her way. Her breath hitched, and she tried not to meet his eyes. But, like a magnet, he walked toward her seat.

"Hey, is this seat taken?" His voice was smooth, casual, as if he didn't even need to ask.

Amalia forced a smile, masking her discomfort as best as she could. "No... it's not," she replied, her voice quieter than she'd intended. Her palms felt clammy, and she could feel her heart racing. Ridwan's presence beside her was like a weight on her chest.

Without hesitation, Ridwan slid into the seat. His movements were so smooth, so natural, as if he belonged there. Amalia, in contrast, sat stiffly, her back rigid. She couldn't help but think, Why did he have to be so... perfect?

Her mind was racing, but she tried to focus on the meeting, staring intently at the agenda in front of her. She didn't want to seem interested, didn't want to notice how his shirt fit perfectly, or how his messy hair fell over his forehead, or how his cologne made her heart race.

But his presence made it impossible to concentrate.

As the meeting began, Amalia struggled to keep her focus. Ridwan was so relaxed, so at ease, while she felt like a deer caught in headlights, unable to look anywhere but down. Ridwan was making it impossible for her to breathe.

I can't let him affect me like this, she thought, but every shift of his beside her made the room feel a little smaller.

Eventually, Ridwan turned toward her. "Amalia, right?"

She blinked, snapping out of her daze, and nodded quickly. "Yeah... that's me."

"You're in the Welfare and Health Department?" His voice was light, yet there was something in the way he spoke, as though he already knew the answer.

She nodded again, unsure of what to say. She wasn't the most social person, and talking to Ridwan—like they were friends—seemed impossible. She barely knew anyone in this department, and here he was, talking to her as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

The meeting continued, and Amalia managed to avoid Ridwan's gaze most of the time. But his presence beside her felt like a shadow, a little too close, making her skin prickle. He didn't seem to notice, or if he did, he didn't care.

As the meeting wrapped up, everyone began packing up and chatting as they gathered their things. Amalia stood slowly, avoiding eye contact, especially with Ridwan.

"See you around, Amalia," Ridwan said casually, giving her an effortless smile.

She froze. Their eyes met for the briefest moment, and her heart skipped a beat. Why does he have to make everything so complicated?

"Yeah, see you," she mumbled, rushing out of the room, her pulse racing.

....

At the next meeting, Amalia was back in her seat by the window, trying to focus on the discussions to come. She wasn't ready—wasn't prepared to face him again.

"You're Amalia, right? A first-year student?" A girl beside her spoke up. Amalia nodded.

"You're the only first-year here. It's great you're staying active from the start. You're doing great," the girl continued. Amalia just smiled politely as they continued chatting.

"Where did you study before this?" the girl asked.

"I was at Penang Matriculation College," Amalia replied.

"Oh, that's a good college! You're here with Dayana, then," the girl said, nodding toward a girl dressed in black. "She's one of the seniors in the club, though not very active. Just keeps her merit points up to stay in the university dorms."

"Well...what's your name?" Amalia asked, finally feeling a bit more comfortable.

"Haida."

"Nice to meet you, Haida. And I love your jacket," Amalia complimented, smiling.

Haida grinned. "Right? The club sells cool merch without putting the logo all over it." She leaned in, lowering her voice with a laugh.

Nearby, Dayana and her twin, Harry, burst out laughing. Apparently, they agreed—it was time for a new logo; the current one was "tacky."

The room slowly filled up again. Amalia kept her gaze fixed on her phone, her notes, anything but the door.

Of course, when it finally opened, there he was again. Ridwan with the president of club, Haider. This is a first annual with all of department.

This time, instead of walking past her, he paused, glancing her way. There was something different in his gaze—something that made her heart race even faster.

"Forgot my charger," he said casually, rummaging through his bag. His eyes met hers for a second before he glanced at the sockets by her seat. "Do you have one?"

Amalia blinked, startled, then quickly pulled her charger from her bag, trying to ignore how her hands were shaking a little. Ridwan leaned down, plugging his phone in beside her, his body brushing against hers for a split second. The scent of his cologne, the warmth of his presence—it was almost overwhelming.

Her heart pounded in her chest as he leaned close, his arm grazing hers. She was so aware of every movement, every breath. It felt like time slowed down, like nothing else existed in that moment except Ridwan.

"Thanks," he said, pulling back and returning to his seat.

She could only nod, too stunned to speak.

"You know you could've asked me, Ridwan," Harry's voice suddenly cut in, his tone teasing.

Ridwan looked at her again, his eyes narrowing slightly, as if she'd piqued his curiosity. But he didn't say anything. He just sat back, arms crossed, looking away.

Amalia sat frozen. Did he notice her discomfort? Did he even care? Or was he too caught up in his own world to see how much he affected her?

One thing was clear—she couldn't ignore him anymore. But that didn't mean she wanted to get too close. Ridwan made her heart race in ways she couldn't explain. And maybe, just maybe, that was what scared her the most.