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1 year ago

The library at Istanbul University felt pretty chill that late afternoon, way quieter than usual. The sunlight came streaming in through the tall glass windows, creating a warm, golden glow against the rows of bookshelves. Little dust particles floated around like tiny stars, lazily drifting in the air with each page turn.

She was cozied up in her favorite little corner by the humanities section, her notebooks spread out neatly in front of her. Color-coded tabs were sticking out, and her pens were lined up just right. She had been here for hours, going over her sociology notes and rewriting the stuff that didn’t quite make sense. Every now and then, she would adjust her glasses and tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes laser-focused on the words in front of her.

After wrapping up her outline, she took a deep breath and reached for her laptop. The quiet click of the keyboard filled the space as she opened PowerPoint to start her presentation. The slide title blinked at her: Social Dynamics in Urban Spaces.

Just as she began typing the first sentence, she heard footsteps coming in fast. They weren’t loud enough to disturb the peaceful library, but they definitely had an urgent vibe. A familiar scent, a mix of minty cologne and something fresh, wafted over to her.

Moments later, someone slid into the chair next to her, almost bumping the table as they did.

Turning to see who it was, she spotted Liam—brown hair, wide-eyed, slightly breathless, and obviously not Turkish. His accent had set him apart since day one. Originally from Denmark, he was studying IT in Turkey with a fully funded scholarship.

He shot her an apologetic smile, his cheeks still a little red from running. "Ayla," he whispered.

She couldn’t help but smile softly. "Why are you running?" she whispered back, her voice barely above a murmur but warm.

He leaned in a little closer. "You won’t believe what just happened to me,"

"Let me guess," she said teasingly. "Did you trip on the stairs again?"

"No!" He replied a bit too loudly, catching the annoyed glare of a girl across the room. He instantly lowered his voice. "No. I just... almost did."

Ayla bit her lip to keep from laughing, but it was no use. A soft giggle slipped out, bright and cheerful. Liam grinned, pleased that he could make her laugh with just a few words.

He leaned in more, resting his elbows on the table. "I figured you’d be here. I didn’t want to miss you."

Her cheeks warmed, but she forced herself to focus on her screen. "You know you’re supposed to be studying too, right?"

"I am!" he whispered dramatically. "Just... in my head."

She put her hand over her mouth to hide her laughter.

They sat there for a bit, comfortable and quiet, close enough that their shoulders nearly touched. Ayla kept fiddling with her slides, fully aware of Liam watching her.

After a moment, he playfully poked at her notebook with his finger.

"So what are you working on?"

"My presentation. The one Professor Selim assigned."

His eyes widened in surprise. "You’ve already started?"

She shot him a playful glare. "Gotta aim for good grades."

He leaned in a bit closer and whispered, "What I really want is you."

She went completely still.

He blinked, then quickly backtracked. "I mean, I want you to teach me! Help me figure out how not to fail."

Ayla bit her lip to keep from laughing. "Smooth save."

"I try," he said, grinning proudly.

They slipped into a laid-back chat, his jokes goofy and her laughter light. She joked about his Turkish skills, and he teased her about her English. The way he looked at her was warm and playful, like he genuinely enjoyed every second they spent together.

After a moment, she focused on her screen, making edits.

He said, "Oh, so you’re stressed."

"I’m not stressed."

"You’re always stressed."

She shot him a warning look. "Liam..."

"Okay, okay," he said, raising his hands like he was surrendering. "I won’t say anything. But, um," His eyes sparkled with mischief. "You made a typo in the title."

She glanced at the screen quickly. "Where?!"

He smirked. "Gotcha."

Ayla’s mouth dropped a little, and she gave his arm a light smack. He tried not to laugh, but it was a losing battle.

"Liam! You scared me."

"Totally worth it," he mouthed, leaning back with a smug smile.

She shook her head and tried to get back to her work. But he kept poking her arm with his pen. When she ignored him, he poked her again.

She hissed, "Stop, I’m working!"

"You love me," he whispered with a grin.

She bit her lip, not to hide a smile but because he wasn’t wrong. She did love him. She had fallen for him slowly, day by day, through their study sessions, silly jokes, late-night coffee runs, and the way he always acted as if she were the only one who mattered in a room full of people.

"Liam, seriously,"

After a few minutes, Ayla noticed that some of the other students nearby were shooting them annoyed looks. One girl at the next table leaned over and said sharply,

"Shhh! Can you keep it down? We’re trying to study here. If you want to flirt, take it somewhere else, not in the library!"

Ayla’s eyes went wide. Liam had to hold back a laugh at the whole situation.

Her face went red in an instant, and she felt super embarrassed. She pushed her glasses up on her nose, nodded quickly, and whispered, "Sorry."

"For what?" he asked, looking confused.

"For... bothering everyone," she replied quietly.

He shook his head, offering a warm smile. "Ayla, you didn’t bother anyone. That was all me. And honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing."

Her heart did a little flip at his words.

Liam tensed slightly, wanting to say something clever back, but the look on Ayla’s face made him stop. She was already busy packing up her stuff, moving quickly and quietly as she shoved her notebooks and pens into her bag, closing her laptop with a soft click that felt way too loud in the quiet space.