The sun was already high when Liana and her sisters, Linda and Lisa, arrived at the tutorial center known as God's Will. It was a small but respected place where students came to sharpen their knowledge, especially during the holidays. Liana wasn't too fond of crowds, but her parents insisted.
As they stepped into the classroom, the atmosphere was lively—students chatting, flipping through textbooks, and laughing in small groups. Liana, as always, stayed quiet, keeping close to her sisters. She found her usual seat near the window—back row, left side. It was her comfort zone.
Liana had always felt a little different in the tutorial. She was gentle, calm, and incredibly shy. Unlike most of the girls, she didn't talk much. She spoke slowly, choosing her words carefully, and sometimes felt insecure about her English. While others cracked jokes and shared loud stories, she simply listened… quietly observing the world around her.
Just as the lesson was about to begin, the teacher paused, holding a marker in one hand and a notebook in the other.
"Class, we have a new student joining us today."
Heads turned.
The door opened—and in walked a boy.
Tall, cute, and fair in complexion. His white T-shirt stood out against his smooth skin, and his eyes were sharp—focused. He looked like he belonged on a movie set, not in a noisy classroom like theirs.
The girls gasped and whispered.
The boys froze in silence.
Even the teacher looked… a little surprised.
But the new boy wasn't paying attention to any of them.
His eyes scanned the room once—and landed straight on Liana.
She looked away quickly, her heart skipping a beat.
Without hesitation, he walked down the aisle, straight to her row, and sat beside her. The bench slightly creaked under the weight. Liana froze.
She didn't dare look at him.
Why is he sitting beside me? Of all people?
The whispers got louder.
"Who's he?"
"Why's he sitting with her?"
"Wow, he's cute!"
The teacher continued the lesson, but Liana barely heard a word. Her mind was racing, her fingers twitching nervously beneath the table.
When the class finally ended, the teacher dismissed them, and students began packing their bags. Before Liana could even stand, she heard a voice beside her:
"Hi. What's your name?"
She turned slightly.
He was looking directly at her. Calm. Confident.
In her mind, she screamed:
Are you for real right now?! I should be the one asking you that! Who are you? And why are you talking to me?
But on the outside, she stayed composed, even though her voice came out soft and unsure:
"I'm… Liana. And you are?"
He smiled—genuinely. It made her stomach flip.
"I'm Zayne."
And just like that, something began.
Something Liana didn't expect.
Something that would last—maybe—2,562 days.