Chapter 3 The Girl I Couldn't Forget

He had never believed in fate.

Not really.

Life was simple.

You worked.

You planned.

You controlled outcomes.

Feelings were distractions.

At least, that's what he thought...

Until a girl crashed into him in the middle of a rainstorm.

The moment she looked up at him, something inside his chest shifted.

Hard.

Unexpected.

Permanent.

Adrian didn't even understand what he was feeling at first.

All he knew was that he suddenly couldn't breathe properly.

Her eyes locked onto his, wide with surprise, rain droplets clinging to her lashes, her lips slightly parted like she was about to say something but forgot how.

Beautiful.

That was the first word his brain supplied.

Not pretty.

Not attractive.

Beautiful.

The kind that made you pause.

The kind that made the world go quiet for a second.

The kind that felt dangerous.

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

He was still holding her arms.

He should have let go.

He didn't want to.

She felt small under his hands.

Warm.

Real.

His pulse was beating faster than it should have been, and he had absolutely no explanation for why.

"You okay?" he asked, mostly so he wouldn't keep staring like an idiot.

"Yeah," she said quickly. "I- sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going."

Her voice hit him unexpectedly.

Soft.

Light.

And something else.

Something that made his stomach tighten.

Good thing I was.

The words slipped out before he could stop them.

Why am I flirting?

He didn't flirt.

Ever.

But with her, it felt automatic.

Natural.

Like his brain skipped the decision process entirely.

Thunder cracked overhead, rain pouring harder, and instinct took over.

He opened his umbrella above them without thinking.

Protect.

The urge came from somewhere deep and primitive.

She laughed when the rain splashed against her again - a bright, unguarded sound that hit him straight in the chest.

And that was the exact moment Adrian realized something terrifying.

He liked her.

Not casually.

Not mildly.

Instantly.

His brain tried to rationalize it.

Attraction. That's all.

But his body disagreed.

Because when they started walking together, shoulders brushing under the umbrella, he became hyper-aware of every tiny movement she made.

The way she tucked wet hair behind her ear.

The way she glanced up at him from under her lashes.

The warmth radiating from her arm where it touched his.

It felt...

Right.

Too right.

"So... what's your name?" he asked.

He needed to know.

Needed it more than he should have.

"Why?"

His eyebrow lifted.

Why?

Was she teasing him?

A slow smile pulled at his mouth despite himself.

She was.

And he liked that too.

Maybe I don't give my name to random strangers in the rain.

Random?

He stepped closer deliberately.

"I caught you," he said quietly. "That makes me slightly less random."

Her pulse jumped.

He could see it in her throat.

And for some reason, that tiny reaction sent satisfaction curling through his chest.

God, what is wrong with me?

He gave his name.

Adrian.

He watched carefully as she processed it.

Something flickered in her expression.

Recognition?

No.

Not recognition.

But... something.

Then she started to say her name.

"I'm-"

Students rushed between them.

Mud splashed.

Noise exploded.

The moment broke.

And suddenly they were standing at the building entrance.

Reality crashed back in.

Thanks... for saving me.

Her smile was soft.

Too soft.

Like goodbye.

His chest tightened unexpectedly.

Wait.

Was she leaving?

He felt an immediate, irrational resistance to that idea.

Say something.

Ask for her number.

Stop her.

But before he could decide what to do, his friend's voice called from behind.

"Adrian! Bro, come on!"

He glanced back for half a second.

Half a second.

That was all it took.

Because when he turned around again...

She was already walking away.

Panic flared low in his chest.

"Hey-"

The word died in his throat.

She disappeared into the crowd.

Gone.

Just like that.

Adrian stood there, rain dripping from the edge of his umbrella, staring at the doorway where she had vanished.

Something felt wrong.

Incomplete.

Like he had just lost something important without realizing it.

His friend clapped his shoulder.

"Who was that?"

Adrian's jaw tightened.

"I don't know."

And then the realization hit him.

Hard.

Sharp.

Almost painful.

He didn't know her name.

⸻

For the rest of the day...

He couldn't stop thinking about her.