The bell rang before the sun had fully risen.
Its deep echo rolled through the dormitory corridors, bouncing softly off the old stone walls.
Michael stirred under his blanket.
For a moment he didn't know where he was.
Then the unfamiliar ceiling above him reminded him.
The seminary.
Across the room, Samuel was already sitting up on his bed, stretching his arms.
"First morning," he said casually.
"What time is it?"
"Five."
Michael stared at him.
Samuel grinned.
"Welcome to seminary life."
He stood up and pulled open the curtains. Pale morning light slowly crept into the room.
"You've got ten minutes before morning prayer," Samuel added.
"Unless you want the rector noticing you missed it on your second day."
That was enough to make Michael sit up quickly.
A few minutes later they stepped into the hallway, joining other seminarians moving quietly toward the chapel.
No one spoke much.
The early air felt cool and peaceful.
The chapel doors were already open.
Inside, rows of wooden benches stretched toward the altar where candles flickered softly in the dim light.
Michael and Samuel slipped into a seat near the back.
Michael's eyes moved across the room.
That was when he noticed Lucas sitting several rows ahead.
Lucas looked different in the quiet of the chapel—less playful, more focused.
The morning prayers began, voices rising gently in unison.
Michael tried to follow along, though some parts were unfamiliar.
But the calm rhythm of the prayers slowly settled his mind.
For the first time since arriving, the seminary felt less intimidating.
After prayer ended, the chapel gradually filled with movement again as seminarians stood and headed toward the refectory.
Samuel nudged Michael.
"Breakfast."
The refectory was brighter and far noisier.
Long wooden tables filled the hall, and the quiet discipline of the chapel quickly gave way to laughter and conversation.
Michael followed Samuel toward an empty spot.
They had barely sat down when someone pulled a chair beside Michael.
"Morning."
Michael looked up.
Lucas.
His hair was still slightly messy from sleep, and he carried a tray with bread and tea.
Samuel raised an eyebrow.
"Well, look who's here."
Lucas smiled faintly.
"Good morning to you too, Sam."
He turned his attention to Michael.
"How was your first morning bell?"
Michael exhaled slowly.
"Earlier than I expected."
Lucas chuckled.
"You'll get used to it."
A few other seminarians joined the table
Lucas introduced them one by one.
"That's Peter," he said, pointing to a tall quiet student. "He reads theology books for fun."
Peter nodded politely.
"And that's David," Lucas continued, gesturing to another seminarian who was already reaching for extra bread.
David grinned.
"Don't believe anything Lucas tells you about me."
The table erupted in light laughter.
Michael listened more than he spoke, observing how easily Lucas moved through the conversations.
People seemed comfortable around him.
After breakfast, the seminarians began heading toward their classes.
Michael followed Samuel down another corridor lined with classrooms.
The first lecture passed slowly.
The professor spoke about philosophy while students scribbled notes across their notebooks.
Michael tried to focus, though his thoughts occasionally wandered.
Everything still felt new.
When the class finally ended, he decided to visit the library.
The room smelled of old paper and polished wood.
Rows of tall bookshelves stretched quietly across the space.
Michael found a seat near a window and opened one of the books he had borrowed earlier.
He had only read a few pages when a chair scraped softly beside him.
Lucas sat down.
Michael glanced up.
"I thought you had another class."
"I do," Lucas said lightly. "Later."
He leaned back in his chair.
"How's the first day treating you?"
Michael closed the book slightly.
"It's… different."
Lucas smiled.
"That's a polite way of saying overwhelming."
Michael didn't argue.
Lucas nodded toward the book.
"Philosophy already?"
"It's what they assigned."
Lucas leaned forward slightly, glancing at the page.
"You'll survive."
They sat quietly for a few minutes.
Then Lucas stood.
"Football practice later," he said casually. "You should come watch."
Michael looked up.
"I don't play."
"I know."
Lucas smiled.
"You can still watch."
Later that afternoon, Michael found himself sitting beneath a large tree near the football field.
The grass stretched wide under the golden light of the setting sun.
Lucas and several other seminarians were already playing.
Their laughter carried easily across the field.
Michael opened a book on his lap, though he wasn't reading much.
Every now and then he looked up.
Lucas moved confidently across the field, calling out instructions and laughing when someone missed a pass.
At one point, David nudged Lucas while they paused near the sideline.
"Why do you keep looking over there?"
Lucas frowned slightly.
"Looking where?"
David nodded toward the tree.
Lucas followed his gaze.
Michael quickly looked back down at his book.
Lucas said nothing.
When the game ended, the players gradually left the field.
Lucas walked over to the tree.
Michael closed the book.
"You came," Lucas said.
"You invited me."
Lucas smiled.
They walked back toward the dormitory together.
The sky was already darkening.
For a while neither of them spoke.
When they reached the dormitory entrance, Lucas stopped.
"See you tomorrow," he said.
Michael nodded.
"Goodnight."
Back in the room, Samuel was lying on his bed flipping through a book.
He glanced up when Michael entered
"So," Samuel said casually.
Michael placed his book on the desk.
"So what?"
Samuel watched him carefully for a moment.
"You know Lucas doesn't usually spend this much time with new students."
Michael paused slightly.
"Really?"
Samuel shrugged.
"Yeah."
He turned another page of his book.
"I guess he just likes you."
Michael didn't reply.
But later that night, lying awake in the quiet dormitory room, he found himself thinking about the day.
And for reasons he couldn't quite explain yet…
Lucas seemed to appear in many of those thoughts.