Rough First Day

Susan

They say you never forget your firsts. First day of college. First time living away from home. First real taste of independence. And for me, my first love.

I still remember the way the sun drenched the campus that morning, illuminating the sprawling lawns and the old brick buildings. I was 18, full of ambition, and ready to conquer the world...or at least my little corner of it. My backpack was heavier than necessary, my schedule meticulously planned, and my nerves barely under control.

I had just exited the lecture hall after my orientation when I saw him. At first, it was just a passing glance. He stood out...not just because of his height or his sharp features, but because of the effortless way he seemed to exist in his space.

Like he belonged there.

And then I tripped.

It wasn't a graceful stumble, either. My heel caught on an uneven patch of pavement, and I went sprawling forward, my books and papers scattering across the ground.

"Whoa...careful there."

That voice...smooth, calm, and amused...was the first thing I noticed. Then came the hand, strong and steady, reaching out to help me up. I looked up, squinting against the sun, and there he was. Dark hair, impossibly blue eyes, and a smirk that seemed to say, I could save you, but I'm enjoying this too much.

"Thanks," I mumbled, cheeks flaming as I let him pull me to my feet.

"You might want to watch your step," he teased, bending down to gather my papers. "Rough first day?"

"Something like that," I said, trying to laugh it off as I brushed dirt off my jeans.

When he handed me my notebook, our fingers brushed, and I felt an inexplicable jolt. I wanted to say something witty or charming, but all I managed was a breathless, "Thanks again."

"No problem," he said, tucking his hands into his pockets. "I'm Elliot, by the way. Elliot Prescott."

"Susan," I replied, finally managing a smile. "Susan Hart."

"Nice to meet you, Susan Hart." His smirk softened into something almost kind. "Try to stay on your feet."

I watched him walk away, my heart beating so fast for reasons I didn't fully understand.

***

Elliot

The freshman chaos was always entertaining. Watching a sea of wide-eyed students clutching campus maps like their lives depended on it was one of the few perks of the first week. It was amusing how nervous they looked, as if taking a wrong turn would ruin their entire academic career.

I had just finished a lecture I barely paid attention to when I saw her.

She was hard to miss. Blonde hair catching the sunlight, moving quickly like she had somewhere important to be...or maybe she just didn't want to get swallowed by the crowd. Then it happened: one misstep, and she went sprawling.

Books, papers, and what looked like half her life exploded onto the pavement.

I don't know why I stepped in. Maybe it was the look on her face...a mix of frustration and embarrassment...or maybe I just wanted a break from my routine. Either way, I found myself reaching out.

"Whoa...careful there."

She looked up at me, cheeks flushed, her green-blue eyes wide and uncertain. I couldn't help it...a smirk tugged at my lips.

"Thanks," she mumbled, letting me pull her to her feet.

Her voice was soft, almost hesitant, like she wasn't used to being the center of attention. I bent down to pick up her papers, glancing at the neat handwriting scrawled across the pages.

"You might want to watch your step," I teased, handing her the notebook. "Rough first day?"

"Something like that," she said, trying to laugh it off.

There was something different about her. She wasn't like the others, the ones who made a show of their confidence, flashing smiles that didn't quite reach their eyes. She was… real.

"Susan," she said, smiling a little. "Susan Hart."

"Nice to meet you, Susan Hart." I tucked my hands into my pockets, my smirk softening. "Try to stay on your feet."

I walked away before I could overthink it. She seemed sweet, but I didn't do sweet. Not then, anyway.

But for the rest of the day, I couldn't get those green-blue eyes out of my head.

****

Present day-Susan

By the time I stepped out of the boardroom, my legs felt like they might give way beneath me. My grip on the portfolio was so tight my knuckles were white.

Elliot Prescott.

The name alone was enough to stir the whirlwind of emotions I'd spent years trying to bury. Seeing him again...seeing him in that chair, commanding the room, so composed, so...unaffected...was almost too much to bear.

The elevator ride to the ground floor felt agonizingly slow. I leaned against the wall, willing my heart to settle. This wasn't about him, I reminded myself. It couldn't be. I'd walked into that room for one purpose: to secure a project that could put my career back on track.

And yet, the way his piercing blue eyes bore into me, cool and calculating...it was like no time had passed at all. I had expected awkwardness, some hint of vulnerability. But no, he was unreadable...controlled and detached, like I was nothing more than another business proposition.

It stung more than I cared to admit.

I stepped out onto the busy city sidewalk, the noise of traffic and pedestrians a welcome distraction. I needed space to think, to process what had just happened. The problem was, no matter how far I walked or how deeply I inhaled the crisp air, Elliot's face stayed with me.

Had he really moved on so easily? Could he honestly look at me, after everything we'd been through, and feel nothing?

I shook my head, pushing those thoughts aside. I didn't have time to fall apart.

The past was the past. It had to stay there.

***

Elliot

The door had barely closed behind Susan before Gerald turned to me, grinning like he'd just found the deal of the century.

"She's sharp," he said, tapping the folder she'd left behind. "If you ask me, she's the perfect candidate for this project."

I nodded absently, my eyes fixed on the door as if I could still see her walking out.

Susan Hart.

It wasn't just her name. It was the weight of everything that came with it...memories I'd locked away, emotions I thought I'd buried for good. Seeing her again after all these years was like being thrown into the deep end of a freezing pool.

She was as poised as ever, her confidence as sharp as I remembered. But there was something else, too. A flicker of hesitation in her eyes when she saw me. She'd masked it well, but I knew her too intimately to miss it.

Ten years. A decade. And yet, it felt like yesterday.

"Elliot?"

Gerald's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I blinked, realizing he was holding out a sheet of paper.

"Are you even listening?" he asked, half-amused, half-exasperated. "This is her contact information. You'll want to follow up about the next steps."

I took the paper without looking at it, my mind still elsewhere. "Thanks, Gerald. I'll handle it."

He gave me a curious look but didn't press further, excusing himself from the room.

Alone at last, I leaned back in my chair, staring at the sleek conference table in front of me. I should have been focusing on the details of Susan's proposal...her strategy, her execution plans...but all I could think about was the way she'd looked at me.

Not with warmth. Not with anger. Just...distance.

And I hated it.

I wasn't sure what I'd expected. For her to walk in and act like no time had passed? For her to smile at me like she used to? Or maybe for her to let the hurt show, just a little, so I'd know I wasn't the only one still haunted by the ghosts of our past.

Instead, she'd been perfect. Professional. Detached. And it drove me crazy.

I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling slowly. This wasn't the time or place to dwell on old wounds. Susan Hart was here as a consultant, nothing more. I needed to keep it that way.

But deep down, I knew that was a lie. Because the second she walked into that room, the carefully constructed world I'd built for myself started to crack.

And now, I wasn't sure if I wanted to rebuild it...or let it crumble.