The relief was a physical weight lifting from Karen's shoulders. She and Jenny had just finished their group presentation, and it had gone flawlessly. A huge smile was plastered on her face as they walked out of the lecture hall, their chatter filling the quiet hallway. Karen's heels clacked against the tile floor with a confident rhythm, a stark contrast to the nervous energy she felt just moments ago.
"That was amazing, Karen!" Jenny said, looping her arm through hers. "I told you we had this."
"Yeah, we totally did," Karen replied, her heart still soaring from the applause. The morning rush, the stress, the endless rehearsals—it had all been worth it. She was so engrossed in her celebratory mood that she wasn't paying attention to where she was going.
At the exact same moment, on the other end of the hallway, Jaden was walking with his phone pressed to his ear. He had just finished a grueling master's lecture and was still annoyed from his morning conversation with his father. He was in a hurry, his thoughts a tangled mess of corporate jargon and family legacy. His face, as always, was hidden behind the mask he wore.
"No, Ken," he said into the phone, his voice sharp and impatient. "I told you I'll be there in five minutes. Just… wait."
He hung up, pulling the mask down slightly to run a hand over his tired eyes. He was so focused on his phone and his own frustration that he didn't see the small figure in front of him.
Karen, her head still turned toward Jenny, wasn't looking either. She stepped around a group of students, her path crossing directly with Jaden's.
It happened in an instant.
They collided with a jarring thump. Karen let out a small yelp as her bag went flying, her heels causing her to stumble. A stack of Jaden's master's degree books and notes went tumbling to the floor, scattering across the hallway.
"Hey!" Karen exclaimed, pushing herself back upright. Her eyes widened as she looked up. Towering over her was a tall figure in a mask, his body rigid with annoyance.
Jaden looked down, his gaze cold and dismissive. His carefully organized notes were now a mess on the floor. He didn't say a word, his silence more chilling than any angry outburst. He just stared at the scattered papers, then at Karen, his expression unreadable behind the mask.
Karen's newfound confidence vanished, replaced by a surge of frustration. "Are you even going to say sorry?" she snapped, bending down to help pick up his papers. "You were the one not watching where you were going."
Jaden ignored her, bending down himself to gather his things. He moved quickly, his actions precise and efficient, completely brushing past her efforts. He scooped up his notes, not even bothering to give her a second glance. The brief contact of his hand on one of the books she reached for felt like a block of ice.
He stood up, his books clutched tightly in his arms, and simply walked away without a word.
Karen stood there, stunned. He had left her in the middle of the hallway, surrounded by other students, as if she were a piece of furniture he had accidentally bumped into. The heels she had been so proud of a moment ago now felt ridiculous.
Jenny came rushing to her side. "Oh my God, Karen! Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Karen mumbled, still looking at the spot where the masked student had just been. Her jaw was tight with anger. "But who in the world was that? He just… walked away!"
Jenny looked around, her eyes wide. "Karen, you just bumped into Jaden."
"Jaden?" Karen scoffed. "I don't care if he's a legend or a ghost. He's the most arrogant person I've ever met."
Unbeknownst to her, Jaden, now turning a corner, was already dismissing the incident. Just another annoyance, another person getting in his way. He would forget her in a matter of seconds. He was wrong. The image of the girl with the furious eyes would stick with him, a new, unpleasant memory to add to his list.