Chapter3: colliding words 

Amen sat silently in the car, her eyes opening and closing, her heart still pounding from Lucas’s kisses. She wanted to think, laugh, and cry all at the same time.

Olivia, still tipsy, couldn’t stop talking and laughing:

– "Amen… did you… did you just kiss Lucas?!! OMGGG…!!"

– "Shut up, Olivia…" Amen buried her face in her hands.

But her expression betrayed her, her face flushed red.

---

At night, in her bed,

Amen couldn’t fall asleep. Her phone started buzzing with messages from her friends:

– Lora: "We saw the way Lucas was looking at you 👀 spill it!!"

– Emma: "Girl, don’t play dumb. Something happened last night, didn’t it?"

Amen bit her lip as she looked at the screen.

– Amen: "… it’s nothing, stop."

– Olivia (joining the chat): "SHE KISSED HIMMMM!!!"

Everyone started laughing in the chat:

– Sophia: "NOOOO WAYYYY 😱😵😭"

– Emma: "Give us DETAILS. NOW."

Amen typed carefully:

– Amen: "Stop… he’s just… idk, it just happened. Don’t make a big deal out of it."

But her heart was screaming: “It IS a big deal.”

After turning off her phone, she clutched her pillow tightly, trying to sleep, but the warmth of his kiss was still lingering on her lips.

Alex POV

The bathroom mirror was foggy from the hot shower. Alex stood there, toothbrush in hand, staring at his reflection without really seeing it. His movements were slow, distracted.

He tried to focus on the minty taste in his mouth, but his thoughts drifted,back to her. Amen.

Her laugh, the way her eyes widened when she was surprised, the softness he imagined in her lips. He blinked hard, catching himself replaying a kiss that never happened. His chest tightened.

"Damn it," he muttered, rinsing his mouth. He gripped the sink, lowering his head.

"How am I supposed to pretend I never want to see her again?"

The words echoed in the empty bathroom, heavy and true.

---

Downstairs, the scent of fresh bread filled the kitchen. His mother was already seated, a gentle smile on her face as she poured tea.

“Good morning,” she said warmly.

Alex slid into his chair, forcing a faint smile. He picked at the bread on his plate, appetite nowhere to be found.

“I heard something good,” his mother began. “You’ll be studying at the same university as Lucas.”

The name made his fingers freeze midair. Slowly, he set the bread back down.

“Mom,” his voice was flat, heavy, “can we not mention his name?”

She frowned. “Alex, he’s your brother. You can’t just erase that.”

Alex leaned back in his chair, his jaw tightening. “Lucas is my brother by blood only. In reality, there’s nothing between us.”

“Stop saying nonsense,” she snapped, hurt flashing in her eyes.

But Alex didn’t flinch. He lowered his gaze, his tone colder now:

“I’m just saying the truth. There’s no meaning in being brothers if we treat each other like enemies.”

The silence that followed was louder than any argument. His mother looked down at her tea, as if the warmth could hide the cracks in her family.

---

Lucas POV

Meanwhile, across town, Lucas’s morning was anything but quiet. Music blasted from his speaker as he pulled on his black hoodie, running a hand through his messy hair.

His phone buzzed,an incoming call from his best friend. Lucas answered, grinning.

“Yo! Big day, huh?” his friend teased. “Excited for university?”

Lucas smirked, checking his reflection in the mirror. “Of course. New people, new faces…” He let the grin widen. “And probably new girls waiting for me. What’s not to like?”

His friend laughed. “That’s the spirit, DJ Lucas.”

Hanging up, Lucas grabbed his backpack and bounded downstairs, his confidence filling the space before he even entered the dining room.

“Morning,” he greeted, sliding into his chair. His parents were already there, breakfast neatly set out.

His father chuckled. “First day at university. You must be excited.”

Lucas bit into an apple, speaking with his mouth half-full. “Excited? More than you know.”

But then, his father’s voice shifted, casual yet sharp. “I wonder if Alex—”

A sudden silence cut him off. Lucas’s mother shot her husband a warning look, her lips pressed tightly together.

“There’s no need to mention him,” she said firmly.

But it was too late. The name was already in the air, poisoning Lucas’s mood. His grip on the apple tightened. He placed it down slowly, his smirk fading.

“Why do you always bring his name up?” His tone was harsh now. “Alex… Just stop. I hate that name. I don’t even want to hear it, or know him.”

The room stiffened. His father opened his mouth to reply, but Lucas was already on his feet. He pushed his chair back roughly, the legs screeching against the floor.

“I’m done,” he muttered, storming out.

The door slammed behind him, leaving his parents in a heavy silence neither of them dared to break.

_____

Amen stepped onto the campus, her bag slung over one shoulder, eyes scanning the crowd nervously. It was her first day, and every sound, every laugh around her felt amplified.

She was trying to blend in when suddenly, a familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Amen?”

Her heart skipped a beat. She turned slowly and found Alex standing a few meters away, books in his arms, his expression a mix of surprise and something unspoken.

He froze for a moment, eyes locking onto hers. Neither spoke immediately. The world seemed to quiet around them ,the laughter, the chatter, even the footsteps of passing students faded into the background.

Alex’s chest tightened. “How am I supposed to act like I don’t care? How can I pretend I never wanted to see her again?”

Amen swallowed hard, feeling her stomach twist with the sudden flood of memories ,the pool, the laughter, the sparks that had never quite gone out.

Alex shifted uncomfortably, glancing away for a brief second, then back at her. His voice was low, hesitant, almost breaking the silence.

“You… you’re really here.”

Amen’s lips parted slightly, words failing her. She nodded faintly, heart racing.

In that instant, the university felt both enormous and impossibly small ,just enough space for the two of them to exist in this suspended moment, before reality and the crowd demanded their attention.

Amen took a hesitant step forward, trying to keep her voice steady.

“So… you’re in the same university?” she asked quietly, glancing at him.

Alex shifted the stack of books in his arms, his eyes never leaving hers. His tone was cautious, almost forced casual:

“Yeah… same faculty, same program.”

Amen felt her stomach twist. Of course… of course he’d be here too.

She nodded slowly, fumbling with the strap of her bag.

“So… I guess… we’ll see each other a lot then.”

Alex’s lips pressed into a thin line. There was a pause, heavy with unspoken words. His jaw tightened slightly.

“Seems like it.”

Amen raised her eyes, voice soft, filled with nostalgia:

“I still remember… how we started talking, and the first time I saw you.”

Alex’s lips curved into a gentle, almost shy smile:

“And I still remember… the feeling I felt when I first started talking to you.”

A long silence fell over them, each lost in memories, the noise of the campus fading around them.

Amen’s mind raced, thoughts colliding: I don’t know what to say… but I still want to talk to him.

Alex finally broke the silence, voice low, sincere:

“Also… I still remember the first time I met you. And… after that, I never thought you would be important to me.”

Amen felt her heart race, every word hitting deep, the tension between them thick and undeniable. She tried to force a small smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

“Well… I guess… good luck then. First day and all,” she said softly.

Alex nodded slowly, his gaze lingering on her longer than necessary.

“Yeah… you too.”

---

As Amen and Alex were reluctantly moving along with the crowd, the sound of a familiar beat pulsed from the nearby student lounge. Lucas stepped onto the campus pathway, headphones slung around his neck, a confident smile on his face.

His eyes scanned the students, but when they landed on Amen… he didn’t acknowledge her. Not a glance. His attention was entirely on Alex, as if Amen didn’t exist.

Amen’s stomach flipped, a mixture of confusion and hurt rising in her chest. Two worlds, two histories colliding, yet Lucas acted like she wasn’t even there.

Alex stiffened slightly, noticing Lucas approaching, and muttered under his breath:

“Why does he always show up when I least want him to?”

Lucas didn’t look at Alex either; he simply kept walking, moving closer to their group with a focused expression. Amen’s heart sank.

Finally, as Lucas passed near her, his eyes briefly flicked in her direction, cold and sharp. A voice, almost to himself but loud enough for her to hear:

“Don’t ever get close to me.”

Amen froze, her cheeks burning, heart pounding. The words were like ice, yet something about his tone sent a thrill through her at the same time. She looked away quickly, unsure whether to feel angry, sad, or confused.

Alex noticed the tension in her posture and whispered quietly:

“Are you okay?”

“I… yeah… I’m fine,”

Amen replied softly, though her eyes kept darting to Lucas, who was already several steps ahead, absorbed in his own world, leaving her feeling small, invisible… and inexplicably drawn to him.

***Thank youuuu SLEEPIES for reading and supporting 💕💅🏻***