At First Sight: A Love That Couldn't Last

Chapter 24: The Aftermath at College

The sun rose sluggishly, illuminating the weary faces of the girls at the hostel. Tiara had barely managed a couple of hours of sleep after the chaotic night. Her head still felt heavy, but she had no choice but to pull herself together for the day ahead. By 9 a.m., the hostel was buzzing as everyone hurried to prepare for college.

Sofia, surprisingly, had no memory of her antics and only grumbled about a mild headache. Prii, however, sheepishly thanked Tiara for managing the chaos. “I can’t believe I said that on the phone! Did I really tell Ryan I love him?” she asked with a flushed face.

Tiara tried to brush it off, forcing a laugh. “Don’t worry. He probably didn’t take it seriously.” Inside, though, her heart felt heavy. She hadn’t told Robin about the night, nor the fact that Ryan had been involved.

As the girls arrived at college, the usual chatter filled the corridors. But today, Tiara felt like everyone was looking at her. Her anxiety spiked when she spotted Ryan in the cafeteria, surrounded by his friends. He caught her gaze and gave a slight nod. She immediately looked away, pretending to be busy scrolling through her phone.

In class, Sofia leaned over to Tiara. “Ryan was on fire last night,” she whispered with a sly grin. “He really came through for us.”

Tiara felt her face heat up but quickly changed the topic. “Let’s focus on today’s lecture, okay?”

The day took an unexpected turn when a group of seniors entered the classroom during a break, including Ryan. They were there to distribute notices about an upcoming cultural event. Ryan handed one to Tiara, his fingers brushing hers for a brief moment.

“Thanks,” she muttered, avoiding eye contact.

Later in the cafeteria, Tiara sat with her group, trying to keep the focus away from Ryan. But Sofia, still high on the excitement of last night, teased her. “You’re blushing! Did something happen with Ryan we don’t know about?”

Tiara shot her a sharp look. “Nothing happened. Can we not talk about this?”

Sofia backed off, sensing Tiara’s irritation, but the unease lingered.

As Tiara walked back to the hostel later that evening, her phone buzzed with a message from Ryan:

Ryan: Hope everything’s fine now. Last night was wild.

She stared at the message for a moment before replying:

Tiara: Thanks for helping. I really appreciate it.

Ryan: Anytime. You know I’ve got your back.

Tiara sighed, conflicted. Ryan’s kindness was undeniable, but her loyalty to Robin kept her guarded. She resolved to keep her distance, even though a small part of her appreciated Ryan’s presence in her life.

That night, as she lay in bed, Robin called. “How was your day?” he asked. His familiar voice brought her comfort, but also a pang of guilt.

“Same as always. Just busy with classes,” she lied, keeping the events of the night before to herself.

Robin chuckled. “You sound tired. Get some rest, okay? I love you.”

“I love you too,” Tiara whispered, ending the call.

But as she stared at the ceiling, she couldn’t shake the feeling that her carefully balanced world was teetering on the edge of something she couldn’t control.