Khadijah ✔️

• 30 •

• Funny story, what happened with Luke actually happened to me, I thought it was the end of the day and as I was walking down the stairs my friends told me that we had one last class left before we can go home. •

• • •

Luke walked out of the lecture hall, thankful that it was the last lecture. Well... that lasted for a good three seconds. He was walking outside of campus when Alex caught his shoulder.

"Woah, where do you think you're going?" He asked Luke.

"Back to the dorm? I finished my lectures," Alex looked a him sympathetically, shaking his head. "No... I finished my lectures, you didn't. First off, the rector wants to talk to all the students first in the auditorium then you have a lecture, chemistry."

Luke groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Ugh, I just wanna go home," he complained.

"I know you do. But don't worry, I'll order some pizza when you get back. I'll just eat off snacks on my way back," Alex assured him.

They both headed, like all the other students, to the auditorium. The speech, almost a lecture, that the rector gave was almost like a lullaby to the students in the hall. His voice was loud and clear, yet, it still felt like a bedtime story.

Luke felt himself fazing off as he soon gave in and fell asleep at the last thirty minutes of the speech. As they were walking outside, Luke felt his stomach growl in hunger as Alex chuckled next to him.

"You say you're not that hungry but your stomach begs to differ," Luke chuckled, playfully shoving Alex to the side.

"Anyway, I'm going to head back to the dorm now. And oh I forgot, there is ice cream in the mini bar," Luke's eyes widened.

"Alexander I swear if you eat it all I will hunt you down!" Luke yelled as Alex walked away. Alex turned around, laughing. "No promises!"

Luke sighed in defeat knowing that there was no way he was going to find that ice cream in the mini bar. He walked towards the cafeteria but it was packed with students. Everyone was sitting on the chairs, tables, chatting to their friends on how their first day has been.

Out of nowhere, he thought of Khadijah. He didn't know where it came from. He would think about her once in a while but it was always triggered by something. This time it was just sudden.

He hasn't seen, talked, or heard from her since that faithful day in the cafeteria when him and Louisa bid their goodbyes to their friends. He would hear Louisa talking to her on the phone from time to time and occasionally, he would hear her laugh. His heart warmed when he remembered her rich laugh. The way she threw her head back, not caring of what is yet to come.

To say that he hasn't missed or wished he could talk to her would be a huge lie. But even though it took a lot of power to admit it, he would never admit it to someone. Although, Luke was almost like an open book. His facial expressions, his smile that creeps on his face when he talks, his posture, and his body language gave away what he truly wanted to say.

As soon as he grabbed a quick snack, he raced out of the cafeteria and headed for his chemistry lecture hall. His heart was close to jump out of his chest and his heart-rate was fast as he pressed his fingers on his neck. But something told him that it was not because he was late for his lecture. It was something else.

He reached for the door and quickly opened it. The professor looked away from the students in front of him and towards the door. Every pair of eyes were on him.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Luke paused, catching his breath. "I went to the cafeteria to grab something to eat," he explained himself.

The professor nodded, smiling assuringly. "It's alright, we were just setting some ground rules. Take a seat, Mr. Bloomfield."

Luke nodded as he walked into the hall, looking a place to sit. It felt a little too deja vu for Luke as he scanned the room for a place to sit. He smiled when he found a seat but widened when he saw the person next to him.

He was met with all too familiar eyes. Wide as they stared back at him in disbelief and shock. They then cooled down and turned as soft as he can remember. A smile made an appearance on her lips as she nodded.

She was here. He could not believe his eyes. He doubted for a second if his mind was playing tricks with him and he was seeing things. But it wasn't. She was right there. He always knew that good things take time but he has never believed in something so much in his entire life.

He took the seat next to her as he offered her a smile, turning into a grin. "Hi, I'm Luke Bloomfield."

She grinned back, blushing a bit. His heartbeat picked up again. "Hi. I'm Khadijah Bassam."

"Huh, Khadijah. I like that."