CHAPTER 7

The class ended, Clara and Amara headed outside for a short break.

The afternoon sunlight spread across the campus, illuminating the walkways and the green lawns surrounding the academic buildings. A gentle breeze moved through the trees, carrying the sounds of students talking, laughing, and calling out to friends.

Some students sat beneath the trees with their textbooks open on their laps, trying to make the most of the break. Others gathered in small groups, sharing snacks and discussing their classes. Near the garden, a few students were taking pictures, apparently determined to preserve every moment of their first day.

Clara adjusted the strap of her bag as she walked beside Amara.

“My feet are already tired,” Amara announced.

Clara glanced at her. “We've barely walked around the campus.”

“Exactly. That's the problem. This school is too big. I feel like I've walked halfway across the country just trying to find my classrooms.”

Clara laughed.

“You're exaggerating.”

“I'm telling the truth. If someone asks me to go back inside that building right now, I'll pretend I didn't hear them.”

“Then what are you going to do when we have to attend classes every day?”

Amara stopped walking and stared at her.

“Please don't remind me. I'm trying to enjoy my break.”

Clara shook her head, smiling.

They continued towards the garden, where they found an empty bench beneath a tree. The branches provided enough shade to keep the afternoon sun from becoming uncomfortable, and the garden offered a quieter space away from the busy hallways.

Amara dropped onto the bench with a dramatic sigh.

“Finally. A place to rest.”

Clara sat beside her and placed her bag on her lap.

For a few moments, they watched the students moving across the campus. Clara noticed two girls sitting on the grass, sharing a packet of biscuits, while a group of boys nearby argued about something that appeared to be a football match.

It was strange how quickly the campus had begun to feel less unfamiliar.

That morning, she had walked through the gate wondering where she belonged. Now she had someone to sit with between classes, someone who could make her laugh, and someone who didn't seem to mind her quiet moments.

Amara turned towards her.

“So,” she said, breaking the silence, “tell me something about yourself.”

Clara smiled.

“Like what?”

“Anything. Your family, your childhood, your embarrassing secrets.”

“My embarrassing secrets?”

“Definitely.”

Clara laughed.

“You don't waste time, do you?”

“No. Life is too short to spend an entire afternoon talking about lectures.”

“You were the one complaining about the lectures earlier.”

“And I'll continue complaining about them. But we need to discuss other important matters too.”

“Such as my embarrassing secrets?”

“Exactly.”

Clara shook her head, amused by her friend's determination.

“Fine. My mom is probably the strictest person you'll ever meet. She worries about everything.”

Amara immediately sat up.

“Sounds like my mom.”

Clara looked at her.

“Really?”

“You have no idea. Sometimes I think my mother believes the world is waiting for the perfect opportunity to cause me trouble.”

Clara burst into laughter.

“That's exactly how my mum behaves!”

“See? We're already connected.”

Amara stretched her legs in front of her.

“My mother can ask me where I'm going, who I'm going with, what time I'll return, what I'll eat, and whether I've remembered to carry a jacket. Sometimes she asks all those questions in one breath.”

Clara laughed harder.

“My mum does something similar. Before I came here, she gave me about a hundred warnings.”

“About what?”

Clara's smile faded slightly as she remembered the conversation they had shared that morning.

“People. Trusting people too easily. Getting distracted. Making decisions without thinking.”

Amara nodded thoughtfully.

“Mothers always know when something is about to happen.”

Clara turned towards her.

“What do you mean?”

Amara shrugged.

“I don't know. Sometimes they seem to notice things before we do. My mother can look at me for five seconds and somehow know when something is bothering me.”

Clara smiled faintly.

“Mine too.”

“It's honestly unfair. We should be allowed to have at least one secret without our mothers developing supernatural abilities.”

Clara laughed, and Amara joined her.

For a moment, the conversation returned to lighter things. They talked about their families, the different foods they missed from home, and the things they hoped to experience during their time at school.

Then Clara's attention drifted towards the academic building.

Students were already beginning to gather near its entrance, checking their timetables and preparing for their next classes.

“I think that's what scares me most about being here,” Clara said quietly.

Amara followed her gaze.

“Being away from home?”

“Not exactly.”

Clara paused, trying to find the right words.

“Making decisions on my own.”

Amara looked at her more carefully.

Clara continued before she could change her mind.

“At home, there's always someone telling me what I should do or reminding me to be careful. I know my mum wants what's best for me, but sometimes I wonder whether I'll know what to do when I have to figure things out by myself.”

Amara remained quiet for a moment.

Then she smiled gently.

“You don't have to figure everything out today.”

Clara looked at her.

“That's easy for you to say.”

“True,” Amara admitted. “But I'm still right.”

Clara laughed.

“Maybe.”

“Besides, look at us. We've survived our first day so far.”

“We still have more classes.”

“Don't ruin my moment, Clara.”

Clara smiled and leaned back against the bench.

For the first time, she allowed herself to consider that learning to make her own decisions didn't mean she had to understand everything immediately. Perhaps she could take things one day at a time, make mistakes, learn from them, and gradually become more confident in her choices.

The thought was reassuring.

Before they could continue their conversation, the bell rang.

Students began leaving the garden and heading back towards their classrooms.

Amara stood and stretched her arms above her head.

“Come on, future doctor.”

Clara picked up her bag.

“You really like calling me that, don't you?”

“Absolutely.”

“Why?”

“Because it sounds impressive, and because I intend to remind you of your future career whenever you start complaining about school.”

Clara raised an eyebrow.

“So you're planning to annoy me for the next few years?”

Amara grinned.

“Now you're beginning to understand our friendship.”

Clara laughed as they started walking back towards the academic building.

---

The afternoon class felt longer than the others.

The room was warm, the lecturer's voice was steady, and the information on the board seemed to multiply faster than Clara could write it down.

She tried to concentrate, copying the important points into her notebook and occasionally underlining something she thought might be useful later.

But her mind kept drifting back to her conversation with Amara.

Making decisions on my own.

She hadn't realised how much those words bothered her until she said them aloud.

Now she was here, miles away from the comfort of what she knew, expected to make choices for herself while adjusting to a demanding academic environment.

It was exciting.

It was also a lot to take in.

“Clara.”

She blinked.

Amara was looking at her from the seat beside her.

“What?”

“Are you listening?”

“Of course.”

Amara tilted her head.

“What did he just say?”

Clara glanced towards the lecturer.

He was explaining something about the course requirements, but she had missed the last few sentences entirely.

“I... don't know.”

Amara covered her mouth to hide her laughter.

“You're hopeless.”

Clara nudged her lightly.

“Keep your voice down.”

“I'm trying.”

“No, you're not.”

Amara lowered her head, her shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

Clara smiled despite herself.

“Maybe I'm just tired.”

“Sure.”

“It's been a long day.”

“That's what happens when you spend the afternoon staring into space instead of listening to the lecturer.”

Clara gave her a look.

“I wasn't staring into space.”

“Oh? Then what were you staring at?”

Clara opened her mouth, then closed it again.

Amara grinned.

“Exactly.”

Clara shook her head and returned her attention to the front of the room.

This time, she made a deliberate effort to follow the lecturer's explanation. She copied the remaining notes, added a few questions in the margins, and promised herself she would review everything later.

When the class finally ended, a wave of relief passed through the room.

Students began packing their bags, closing notebooks, and discussing where they were going next. Some hurried towards the door, eager to leave, while others remained behind to ask the lecturer questions.

Clara carefully arranged her notes before placing them inside her bag.

Amara stood beside her, checking something on her phone.

“Do you have somewhere to be?” she asked.

Clara looked up.

“No. Why?”

“There's a small café near the hostel. A few of us are going there. You should come.”

Clara hesitated.

“I don't know.”

Amara lowered her phone.

“That's not an answer.”

Clara laughed.

“I've barely been here for a day.”

“Exactly. You need friends.”

Clara looked at her with amusement.

“You're already deciding that you're my friend?”

“Obviously.”

“That's a very quick decision.”

Amara placed a hand over her chest, pretending to be offended.

“Clara Hernandez, are you saying our friendship means nothing to you?”

Clara burst into laughter.

“That's not what I said!”

“Good. Because I was beginning to think I needed to find another person to share my snacks with.”

Clara shook her head.

“You're unbelievable.”

“And you're coming to the café.”

Clara opened her mouth to protest, but another girl approached them before she could respond.

“Amara, we're waiting.”

Amara turned.

“Oh, Naomi. Sorry, we were just finishing up.”

The girl smiled and glanced at Clara.

Amara gestured between them.

“Clara, this is Naomi, she's a student here but from another department. Naomi, this is Clara. We met this morning, and apparently, she's decided that I'm a terrible influence.”

“I never said that!” Clara protested.

Naomi laughed.

“Nice to meet you, Clara.”

“Nice to meet you too.”

“Amara said you two have been together all day.”

Clara glanced at Amara.

“Did you tell her that?”

“Of course,” Amara replied. “I have to report on my activities.”

Naomi shook her head.

“Don't mind her. She's been talking about finding someone to sit with since this morning.”

“Naomi!”

“What? It's true.”

Clara smiled, watching their exchange. It was clear that the two girls already knew each other well enough to tease one another without taking offence.

Naomi turned back to Clara.

“Are you coming with us? We're going to the café.”

Clara looked at Amara, who raised an eyebrow expectantly.

She sighed.

“Fine.”

Amara clapped her hands once.

“Excellent. Our group is officially growing.”

“It's three people,” Clara pointed out.

“Every great group starts somewhere.”

Naomi laughed as the three girls left the classroom together.

They walked towards the café, talking about their first day, their lecturers, and the ridiculous amount of work they already expected to receive.

Naomi explained that she had nearly entered the wrong classroom that morning because she had mistaken two similar course codes on her timetable.

Amara immediately began laughing.

“How do you manage to do that?”

Naomi shrugged.

“I was in a hurry.”

“You've been here since morning. How are you still getting lost?”

“Because this campus was designed to test my patience.”

Clara smiled.

“I almost went into the wrong building earlier.”

Both girls turned towards her.

“You did?” Amara asked.

Clara nodded.

“I followed a group of students because I assumed they were going to the same lecture hall.”

Naomi burst out laughing.

“Please tell me you realised before entering the classroom.”

“Fortunately, I checked the sign.”

Amara shook her head.

“And here I was thinking I was the only one struggling.”

The conversation continued as they approached the café.

It was a small, welcoming place situated near the hostel, with a few tables outside and several more inside. Students sat in groups, talking over drinks and snacks, while the staff moved between the counter and the tables.

The girls found an empty table outside and settled down.

Naomi ordered a drink, Amara chose a snack, and Clara decided to get something light before they returned to their hostels.

For the next hour, Clara forgot about everything else.

They talked about school, family, childhood memories, and the embarrassing things they had done while growing up.

Amara told them about the time she had confidently answered a question in class only to discover she had been reading the wrong page.

Naomi laughed so hard that she had to put her drink down.

Clara shared a story about a school presentation she had once spent days preparing for, only to forget the first sentence as soon as she stood in front of the class.

“You?” Amara exclaimed. “I thought you were naturally quiet, not secretly dramatic.”

Clara laughed.

“I was terrified!”

“What happened?”

“I looked at my teacher, forgot everything, and stood there smiling until she told me to begin.”

Naomi covered her mouth.

“What did you do?”

“I started again.”

“And?”

“I survived.”

Amara pointed at her triumphantly.

“See? That's your thing. You survive embarrassing situations and pretend nothing happened.”

Clara shook her head, laughing.

“I'm beginning to regret telling you anything about myself.”

“Too late,” Amara replied. “The information has been recorded.”

For the first time since arriving at the school, Clara felt genuinely relaxed.

She laughed without worrying about how she looked. She spoke without carefully examining every word before saying it. She even found herself interrupting Amara to add to a story, something she rarely did with people she had only just met.

The afternoon passed more quickly than she expected.

When they eventually decided to leave, the sunlight had softened, and the campus was beginning to grow quieter.

Clara walked back towards the hostel with Amara and Naomi, feeling lighter than she had that morning.

Maybe this place wouldn't be so bad.

Maybe she could actually start over.

Then her phone vibrated.

She ignored it and continued walking.

A few seconds later, it vibrated again.

Amara glanced at her.

“Someone really wants your attention.”

Clara adjusted her bag.

“It's probably nothing.”

Amara gave her a knowing smile.

“You've said that before.”

Naomi looked between them.

“What's going on?”

“Nothing,” Clara replied quickly.

Amara laughed.

“That's her favourite word.”

Clara rolled her eyes.

“You two should start a club.”

“Great idea,” Amara said. “We'll call it the Clara Hernandez Secret Investigation Committee.”

Naomi nodded seriously.

“I'll be in charge of asking questions.”

“And I'll be in charge of finding answers.”

Clara groaned.

“You're both impossible.”

“Thank you,” they replied almost simultaneously.

Clara laughed, but her phone vibrated again.

This time, she decided to check it.

She reached into her bag, unlocked the screen, and opened her messages.

Her heart skipped.

Daniel: How was your first day?

For a moment, the noise around her seemed to fade into the background.

She stared at the message, reading it twice.

She hadn't spoken to him since the night she had told him they should stop talking. She had expected him to respect her decision, and he had every right to do so.

Yet here he was, checking on her.

He hadn't demanded an explanation or asked why she had changed her mind about giving him a chance. He had simply asked about her day.

Clara looked at the screen for another moment before locking her phone without replying.

“Who was it?” Naomi asked.

Clara slipped the phone into her bag.

“No one.”

Amara stopped walking.

“Daniel?”

Clara stopped too.

She turned towards her friend, her eyes widening.

“How do you know his name?”

Amara burst into laughter.

“I peeked at your message earlier.”

“You what?”

“Relax! I only saw his name when you checked your phone during the break.”

Clara stared at her in disbelief.

“You were looking at my phone?”

“Not deliberately! You were holding it right in front of me.”

Naomi laughed.

“Amara, you're terrible.”

“Thank you.”

“That's not a compliment.”

“I choose to receive it as one.”

Clara shook her head, but she couldn't stop herself from smiling.

Amara noticed immediately.

“There it is again.”

“What?”

“That smile.”

Clara looked away.

“Please, let's go.”

Amara laughed as they finished their lunch and continued towards the hostel.

Naomi soon began talking about the next day's timetable, and the conversation moved on. But Clara found herself thinking about Daniel's message.

She wondered whether he had spent the day waiting for her to respond to his good-luck wishes. She wondered whether he had noticed that she hadn't replied. Most of all, she wondered why a simple question about her day had left her with so much to think about.

By the time she reached her hostel, she had decided that she would deal with it later.

She said goodbye to Amara and Naomi before heading to her room.

The familiar quiet greeted her as she entered. She placed her bag beside the desk, removed her shoes, and sat on the edge of her bed.

Her first day was finally over.

She had attended her classes, met two girls she genuinely liked, survived an introduction in front of an entire classroom, and discovered that the school wasn't quite as intimidating as she had imagined.

She should have been thinking about what to prepare for the next day.

Instead, her attention returned to her phone.

Clara picked it up and opened Daniel's message.

Daniel: How was your first day?

She read it again.

Then she tapped the reply box.

It was good.

She stared at the words.

They were simple enough. They answered his question without inviting a long conversation or explaining anything she wasn't ready to discuss.

She could send them and leave it at that.

Her thumb hovered over the send button.

Then she deleted the message.

She tried again.

It was okay.

She looked at the new reply, frowned, and deleted it too.

Clara dropped her head into her hands.

“What am I doing?”

She knew how to answer a simple question. She had spent the entire day speaking to strangers, introducing herself, and making conversation with people she had never met before.

Yet she couldn't manage one message.

She picked up her phone again, opened the chat, and began typing a third response.

This time, she stopped before finishing.

What if Daniel replied immediately? What if he asked another question? What if the conversation continued and she found herself returning to the same place she had tried so hard to leave behind?

She set the phone on the bed and stood up.

“Clara, you're being ridiculous,” she whispered to herself.

She walked to her desk, removed the notebooks from her bag, and arranged them neatly. She checked her timetable for the following day and made a mental note of the materials she would need.

When she finished, she returned to the bed.

Her phone remained where she had left it.

She picked it up once more, but this time she didn't open the message. Instead, she held it in her hand for a moment before placing it on the bedside table.

She wasn't ready to decide what Daniel meant to her, and she didn't have to settle everything that evening.

Tomorrow would bring another day of classes, new things to learn, and more opportunities to become comfortable in her new environment.

For now, she needed to rest.

Clara changed into her nightclothes, turned off the main light, and climbed into bed. The room gradually settled into darkness, and the sounds from the hostel grew quieter as the evening passed.

She lay on her side thinking about Amara's jokes and Naomi's laughter.

A small smile appeared on her face.

with that, she drifted off to sleep