And strangely enough… i didn't mind following her. She walked ahead like she knew exactly where she was going, occasionally glancing back to make sure I was still behind her.
"You walk slow," she said.
"I walk normally," I replied.
She laughed softly. "Maybe I just walk fast."
We left the classroom building and stepped into the busy campus walkway. Students were everywhere, some rushing to their next lecture, some sitting under trees, others laughing loudly with their friends.
She suddenly stopped walking which made me nearly bumped into her.
"Why did you stop?" I asked.
She turned around and pointed across the path.
"There."
I followed her finger and saw a small snack shop sat under a wide tree, surrounded by a few plastic chairs and tables. The smell of fried snacks drifted through the air.
"You're buying from there?" I asked.
"Of course," she said. "Best place on campus."
She walked straight to the vendor like she had been there a hundred times.
"Aunty, two meat pies and two drinks please."
I blinked. "You didn't even ask what I wanted."
She looked at me. "Do you not like meat pie?"
"I do."
"Then problem solved."
I shook my head, slightly amused, the woman handed us the snacks and she paid quickly before I could say anything.
Then she handed one of the meat pies to me. "Here."
I hesitated. "You actually paid."
She raised an eyebrow. "Of course I did."
"I thought you were joking."
She gasped dramatically. "You doubted my honesty?"
"You stole my pen twice today."
"That was borrowing."
"That was stealing."
She laughed and walked toward one of the empty chairs and i followed and sat across from her.
For a moment, neither of us spoke as we started eating, then she suddenly leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at me carefully.
"You're very quiet."
"I talk when necessary."
"That sounds boring."
"It's peaceful."
She smiled slightly.
"I think you're just shy."
"I'm not shy."
"Then why do you look nervous when people stare at you?"
I paused. "People stare?"
She nodded. "Back in class, when you answered the lecturer's question."
I took a sip of my drink.
"You caused that."
"And you did great," she said proudly.
I shook my head. "You're trouble."
"I prefer the word interesting."
I couldn't stop a small smile from appearing and shee noticed immediately.
"There!" she said, pointing at my face. "You did it again."
"Did what?"
"That smile."
"It's just a smile."
"No," she said thoughtfully. "It's a rare smile."
I rolled my eyes. "You analyze people too much."
"Only interesting people."
I finished my drink and stood up.
"Well, thank you for the snack."
"You're leaving already?"
"I have somewhere to be."
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
"You just don't want to spend more time with me."
I paused for a second as she watched my face closely, then she smiled again.
"Don't worry," she said casually as she stood up too. "You'll get used to me."
I raised an eyebrow. "That sounds like a threat."
"It's a promise."
We started walking back toward the main path and for a few seconds, there was a comfortable silence between us, then she spoke again.
"By the way…"
"What?"
"You still haven't told me your name."
I stopped walking. "You never asked."
She grinned. "Okay then."
She extended her hand toward me. "My name is Maya."
I looked at her hand for a moment before shaking it. "Daniel."
She nodded slowly, like she was memorizing it.
"Daniel," she repeated.
Then she smiled. "See you tomorrow, seat partner."
Before I could reply, she turned and walked away toward another building. I stood there watching her disappear into the crowd, and for the first time since the semester started…
I realized something..... Tomorrow's lecture might actually be interesting.
I watched her disappear into the crowd, her long hair bouncing slightly as she walked, and for the first time in weeks, I actually looked forward to tomorrow's lecture.
The next morning, I arrived at the classroom a few minutes early, my bag slung over my shoulder. The familiar quiet of the room greeted me, the rustle of pages, low whispers, the scratching of pens, but the seat beside me was empty.
I blinked, maya wasn't there. I frowned and sat down, a little disappointed. "Where is she?" I muttered to myself.
Ten minutes passed, Fifteen, and still no sign of her.
The lecturer walked in and started the class, but I couldn't concentrate. Every time I glanced at the empty seat beside me, I felt a strange mix of worry and… curiosity.
Finally, just as I was about to sigh and bury myself in my notes, I felt a soft tap on my shoulder and I turned.
"Good morning, seat partner," Maya said, grinning like nothing had happened.
"You're late," I said flatly.
"Traffic," she replied, shrugging as if that explained everything.
I raised an eyebrow. "Traffic? In the university?"
"Campus traffic is real," she said with mock seriousness. "Especially when there's someone as slow as you walking in front of me."
I groaned. "I'm not slow."
"You are, Daniel," she corrected. "And now you owe me for that wasted time."
I tilted my head. "Owe you?"
"For snacks, obviously," she said. "Seat partner duties include snacks."
I couldn't help but smirk. "You're impossible."
"And yet, here I am, keeping my promise," she said, sitting down and nudging my notebook closer to her side. "Now, let's see today's notes."
I watched as she flipped through my neatly written pages, her eyes scanning the lines and arrows. She frowned dramatically at one of the diagrams.
"This is complicated," she whispered.
"I can explain if you want," I said, leaning closer.
She tilted her head and smirked. "I thought you'd never offer."
We spent the next few minutes in quiet concentration, her pen moving quickly over the page, copying diagrams and notes, occasionally glancing up at me as if checking that I approved.
Halfway through the lecture, she nudged me again.
"What now?" I whispered.
"I'm bored," she muttered, resting her chin on her hand.
I rolled my eyes. "You just said last time that you liked lectures."
"I like the parts with notes," she corrected. "The rest is… boring."
I shook my head, trying not to smile. "You really talk too much."
"Talk?" she said, pretending to be offended. "I think you enjoy it."
I glanced at her. She was smiling softly now, not teasing, just watching me quietly, and for a strange reason, my chest warmed a little.
The lecture ended sooner than I expected and as everyone packed up, she nudged me toward the door.
"C'mon, we need to continue seat partner duties," she said with a grin.
"And what does that entail today?" I asked warily.
"Snacks," she said promptly. "And maybe… some walking. Seat partners need to get exercise."
I groaned, but there was no stopping her. As we walked toward the snack shop, I realized something else… this seat partner, this bold, mischievous, impossible girl, was slowly making my quiet days feel… brighter, and honestly? I didn't mind at all.
We reached the snack shop, and the familiar smell of fried pastries hit me again. Maya's eyes immediately lit up.
"See? This is why I love this place," she said, bouncing slightly on her heels.
I raised an eyebrow. "You're exaggerating."
"Nope," she replied seriously. "Every campus has one, but this one… this one is special."
She walked straight to the counter, pointing at the display. "Two meat pies, two drinks, and… hmm… one samosa."
I blinked. "One samosa?"
"For me, obviously," she said, smiling. "You're already getting the meat pie."
I shook my head, but smiled secretly, she really had no shame. The woman at the counter handed over our snacks, and Maya quickly shoved a meat pie toward me.
"Here."
I took it, suspicious. "You're paying again?"
"Of course," she said. "I'm a generous seat partner."
I shook my head. "You keep saying that, but I don't know what it really means."
She grinned, unbothered. "It means, Daniel, that I like to see you eat."
I almost choked on my drink. "You… what?"
"I like to see you eat. You're funny when you eat," she said calmly, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
I stared at her. She was completely serious.
"Funny?" I asked.
"Yes," she said simply. "You chew neatly, you make little noises, and your eyebrows… they move when something tastes good. It's adorable."
I opened my mouth to reply, but no words came out. She laughed quietly at my expression and handed me a napkin. "Here, you're drooling."
I groaned and wiped my mouth, embarrassed.
We sat down at a small plastic table under a tree. The sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating patches of warmth on the ground.
"So," she said, taking a bite of her samosa, "do you always sit quietly and brood in class?"
I glanced at her, chewing slowly. "Brood?"
"Yes," she said, tilting her head. "Your expression sometimes looks like you're solving the mysteries of the universe."
"I'm just thinking," I replied.
"Oh, thinking… sounds boring," she said, rolling her eyes. "You should be smiling more."
I tried, but she noticed immediately. "There," she said, pointing at my lips. "That's better."
I shook my head, laughing softly.
After a few minutes, she leaned back in her chair, suddenly quiet.
"You know…" she said softly, "I like these little moments."
I raised an eyebrow. "Little moments?"
She nodded. "Sitting here, eating snacks, talking… it's simple, but… nice."
I swallowed my bite of meat pie. "Yeah… it is."
She smiled, and for a moment, we just sat there quietly, enjoying the calm, then she suddenly nudged my shoulder.
"Next time," she said playfully, "you're buying the snacks."
I blinked. "Next time?"
"Yes, you're my seat partner now, Daniel. It comes with responsibilities."
I laughed. "Responsibilities, huh?"
"Very serious responsibilities," she said, giving me a mock serious look. "Like protecting pens, sharing notes, and… making me laugh."
I shook my head. "I think I'm doomed."
She leaned closer, her voice dropping softly. "No, you're lucky."
My heart skipped a beat, and just like that.... the quiet, ordinary campus day had suddenly turned into something I didn't want to end.
For some reason, I already knew that these moments with Maya…these snacks, laughs, and teasing…, would become the best part of my day.
After we finished our snacks, Maya stood up and stretched dramatically.
"Seat partner duties complete," she announced proudly.
I rolled my eyes. "You're ridiculous."
She grinned. "Ridiculously charming, actually."
I shook my head, trying not to smile too widely. "You ready to go back?" I asked.
"Lead the way," she said, falling into step beside me as we walked across the campus.
For a few minutes, we walked in silence. The sun was warm on our shoulders, and the sounds of students chatting and laughing filled the air.
Then she nudged me lightly. "Hey… Daniel?"
I glanced at her. "Yeah?"
"You're quiet today."
"Quiet?"
"Yes. You're thinking a lot, aren't you?"
"I'm not thinking much," I replied, though my thoughts were definitely wandering.
She looked up at me, her eyes sparkling. "You're lying."
I sighed. "Maybe a little."
She nudged me again. "Good. That means you're human."
I laughed softly. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
"Of course," she said, nudging me one more time. "Compliments should be obvious."
We continued walking, and I noticed how easy it felt to be around her. She didn't demand attention, but somehow, her energy filled the space next to me, then she suddenly stopped and i nearly bumped into her.
"What now?" I asked.
She smiled mischievously. "Look."
I followed her gaze. Across the walkway, a group of students were laughing and pointing in our direction.
"Uh-oh," I muttered. "Are they looking at us?"
Maya leaned closer, whispering in a playful tone. "Maybe, but don't worry. They're just noticing that the calm guy beside me is secretly interesting."
I blinked. "Secretly interesting?"
She nodded. "Yes. Admit it. you're secretly hilarious when you don't think anyone's watching."
I shook my head, trying to ignore the warmth spreading through me and she leaned a little closer, nudging my arm with hers. "Don't tell anyone, though. It'll ruin my reputation as a fierce, independent girl."
I chuckled. "Right. I'll keep your secret."
She smiled softly at me, then suddenly grabbed my notebook from my bag.
"Quick quiz time," she said, flipping it open. "Answer this before we reach your hostel."
I groaned. "A quiz? Seriously?"
"Yes. For being a responsible seat partner," she said, peering over the notebook with that same playful intensity.
I tried to focus on the questions, but I couldn't help sneaking glances at her face.
The sunlight caught her hair, making it glow slightly, and she was completely absorbed in the notebook… and in me.
Finally, she closed the notebook and handed it back. "Not bad," she said. "You passed."
I raised an eyebrow. "And if I hadn't?"
She shrugged innocently. "Then… more snacks tomorrow."
I smiled, realizing I didn't mind the idea at all.
We reached my hostel gate, and she stopped abruptly.
"End of walking duty," she said. "See you tomorrow, Daniel."
I opened my mouth to say something, but she just waved and turned to leave. I stood there for a moment, watching her go, my chest feeling lighter than it had in weeks.
And as she disappeared into the crowd, I realized something important, this girl… the one who stole my pen, my notes, and my quiet seat in class… was slowly stealing a part of me too.