When all of our classes ended, the initial awkwardness had completely vanished. I exchanged numbers with those three girls and social media IDs, seamlessly falling into an easy, warm camaraderie. Just as Luca promised, they were entirely unbothered by outside rumors or gossip; they were grounded, focused on their own passions, and wonderfully drama-free.
As students began packing their things to leave the lecture hall, I pulled out my phone and quickly tapped out a message to Luca, who was talking with his friends a few rows away.
Can you wait outside for a moment after class?
Almost immediately, his reply pinged back:
"Yeah, I have some time. I'll wait."
Once the room cleared out a bit, I walked over to where he was standing near the exit. Looking up at him with a genuine smile, I finally let out the breath I had been holding.
"They really are just like you described," I said, a note of wonder in my voice. "I'm so glad I met them. Thank you, Luca, seriously. If you hadn't sent me that message and given me the push I needed, I never would have had the courage to talk to them."
Luca offered a soft, reassuring smile, his eyes kind. "It's nothing, Iris. I'm just really glad I could help."
"Well, if you ever need help with anything, you can count on me too, you know," I added, a playful yet sincere edge to my tone.
He chuckled softly, nodding in agreement. With that, we walked out of the college building together. Since our routes home went in opposite directions, we said our goodbyes at the gates, and I headed toward the train station.
The journey home was accompanied by the same heavy festival traffic as the morning, making the trip much longer than usual. When I finally stepped through the front door, I briefly let my stepmother and father know that the massive street congestion was the reason for my late return. Keeping things light and routine, I mentioned that because the festival traffic was likely to persist, I would need to leave the house much earlier the next morning, asking if breakfast could be prepared a little ahead of schedule.
That evening, I sat at my desk, thoroughly reviewing my study materials and preparing everything for the next day's classes.
As night settled in, a strange, bubbling excitement filled my chest. The joy of making genuine new friends and experiencing such a positive breakthrough left me wide awake, my mind buzzing with the events of the day. A sudden, sharp ache of longing hit me. I wanted to call out to my mother, to tell her everything, to share how proud I was of myself.
Knowing all too well how dangerous it was to let excitement or emotional highs disrupt my sleep cycle, I recognized the warning signs immediately. If I let myself stay up tossing and turning, tomorrow's early schedule would be a disaster. To protect my routine and ensure I wouldn't oversleep, I reached for my sleeping pill, took it with a glass of water, and lay down in the dark, letting the medication gently pull me into a deep, uninterrupted rest.
The next morning, I woke up well before my usual alarm. The house was quiet, the air was crisp, and with a fresh outfit and an organized bag ready to go which I prepared yesterday night. I stepped out the door earlier than ever, ready to embrace everything as a new beginning of my life.
Even though the festival traffic was just as brutal as the day before, leaving early worked like a charm. By the time I arrived at campus, the morning bell hadn't rung yet, and the halls were still quiet.
When I walked into our large lecture hall, I noticed that a lot of students were still missing. I thought that they might be caught up in the traffic. I took my usual spot in the middle-front rows, but my eyes kept drifting toward the empty seats where my new friends usually gathered. I quickly pulled out my phone and sent a message to the group chat, asking if they were on their way. A moment later, I also messaged Luca, reminding him to leave early so he wouldn't get trapped in the congestion like last time.
Shortly after, some of my older friends, the ones I used to sit with regularly, walked in and waved, gesturing for me to come join them on their benches. I offered a warm, apologetic smile and shook my head.
"I'm okay over here today, thanks," I whispered, choosing to wait for my new friends instead.
A few minutes later, Luca slipped through the door, having taken my advice to leave early. Shortly after him, the three girls hurried in, breathless and laughing quietly from their rush through the traffic. They immediately made their way over, and we all settled into our seats together just like the day before.