♣︎ The Look That Froze Time ♣︎
The clock pointed to 8:30 PM when the sound of a key turning in the front door lock was heard. The door swung open quickly, and Zoe walked in with hurried steps, her face flushed—blending beauty and anger in a single instant.
In the kitchen, the scent of butter and garlic filled the air as Layan stirred the pasta gently. She lifted her head the moment she saw Zoe's shadow approaching the entrance.
— "You look like you're coming back from a battlefield... not a photoshoot."
Zoe:
I tossed my bag onto the couch, brushed the loose strands of hair from my face, and let out a deep sigh:
— "That's the most accurate description I've heard all day."
I stepped closer to the kitchen, drawn in by the aroma, breathing it in with eagerness:
— "Is this the pasta I love?"
Layan laughed:
— "Yes, and this time... it's not burnt."
We sat at the small table near the window. The lamp cast a warm glow on the creamy walls, wrapping the space in a soft calm.
I started eating, but I couldn't focus. My eyes stared at the plate, and my mind drifted far away.
Layan lifted her gaze to me and gently said:
— "Talk to me... I know that look."
I stopped eating, set my fork down, and released a heavy sigh:
— "The director's son."
She raised her eyebrows in surprise:
— "What about him? Don't tell me he finally admitted he's a robot from the Planet of Arrogance."
Despite my frustration, I couldn't hold back a small smile:
— "No, but he did admit something else... he said he loves me."
Silence filled the room.
I spoke while staring into space:
— "After the shoot ended, he followed me to the dressing room, and in front of two crew members... he said he wanted me. That he wants me to be his girlfriend. That he can't stop thinking about me."
Layan asked gently:
— "And what did you do?"
— "I rejected him. I didn't let him finish... I turned and walked away."
She smiled and shook her head lightly:
— "I'm proud of you."
I crossed my arms and rested my head on the table:
— "You know... there was no emotion in his words. It felt like I was some luxury piece of furniture he wanted to possess. I've never felt so disgusted by someone before."
Layan wiped her mouth with a napkin:
— "Money doesn't give the heart feelings."
We finished dinner quietly. Then Layan got up to wash the dishes, while I stretched out on the couch, scrolling through my phone and occasionally commenting on funny posts.
Later, we went into our room and talked about university, professors, and a few annoying classmates... then a quiet silence settled between us, and sleep came quickly.
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The next morning...
The alarm rang exactly at 7:00 AM.
Layan:
I opened my eyes reluctantly. I felt a slight chill under the blanket, but I didn't want to get up.
On the other side of the room, I heard Zoe groaning and burying her face in the pillow.
— "Wake up, you lazy thing... It's already seven," I mumbled sleepily.
She replied from under the blanket with a hoarse voice:
— "I hate morning lectures more than I hated my Italian ex."
I laughed as I pushed the blanket off me, then walked to the curtains and pulled them open, letting the gray morning light seep into the room.
It was a cold, slightly gray morning, and the sky still carried the remnants of the night's clouds.
We put on simple clothes. I chose a light gray coat over a white sweater, tight jeans, and brown winter boots. As for Zoe—true to her style—she added a chic touch: a black shawl, sunglasses on her head, and a light stroke of red lipstick.
We headed out together. The cold air brushed against us as we rushed toward the bus, then to the university gate.
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On campus...
We were walking toward the lecture hall when we heard shouting from the western side.
Laughter, cheering, excitement.
We stopped and exchanged puzzled looks.
Two girls came running by, their faces glowing with excitement.
Zoe asked one of them:
— "What's going on over there?"
The girl answered while continuing to run:
— "Basketball game! Two new students are playing today... and they're incredibly handsome!"
The other one laughed, waving her hand:
— "Rumor has it one of them is taller than a pro player!"
Zoe gave me a look filled with curiosity:
— "Looks like our day is about to get interesting."
I nodded lightly, despite my usually calm nature:
— "I don't mind."
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Inside the gym...
The hall was completely packed.
Voices echoed, cheers shook the walls, and the boys were rallying behind their team. As for the girls... they stood on both sides, screaming at every move the two new boys made.
Zoe nudged one of the students gently as she pushed her way forward, and I silently followed behind her.
And with one look...
I forgot how to breathe.
They were standing in the center of the court, moving with uncanny harmony.
One of them had silver hair, an enchanting face, moving with light-footed grace. He laughed with confidence and dribbled the ball with effortless skill.
But the other one...
He was silence itself.
His black hair flew with his movements, and his eyes...
Icy blue.
Cold.
Unwavering.
Commanding.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, and didn't speak. Didn't smile. He only moved — with precision and power — as if the ground obeyed his steps.
I heard Zoe whisper as she caught her breath:
— "Look... those are the new students. I can't deny it... they're absolutely stunning."
But I didn't respond.
My eyes were locked on him.
Why did my chest feel tight?
Why did everything around him feel... unnatural?
And then suddenly, the one with the ice-colored eyes turned—
And looked straight at me.
Just a glance — but it pierced through me.
As if time stopped.
As if the noise vanished.
A gaze that carried no words... and no humanity.
Then he turned back to the game as if nothing had happened.
But I... I remained standing, breathing heavily, something inside me beginning to shift.
I didn't move. I kept staring at the center of the court, where his face had disappeared among the crowd — but his image... refused to leave my eyes.
Zoe came closer, gently patting my shoulder:
— "Layan, I think you forgot how to breathe."
I whispered faintly:
— "That look... it wasn't normal, Zoe. There was something in it that made my heart stop for a moment."
She raised her brow, then leaned in and whispered with mischief:
— "Can a pair of icy blue eyes really go unnoticed?"
I tried to smile lightly, but my face hadn't yet returned to normal.
There was something deeper than just beauty.
♛♛♛♛♛♛♛♛♛♛♛♛
Later, after the school day ended, we were walking quietly down the damp sidewalk, still carrying traces of the earlier drizzle.
Zoe was talking about one of our classmates who'd been late to the lecture — her perfume arrived three minutes before she did — while I was distant, my gaze only half-focused on the road.
Suddenly, I stopped.
I looked to the right.
Then behind me.
Nothing.
No one.
But a strange feeling rushed through my chest, like an invisible cold breeze.
Zoe said:
— "Are you looking for something?"
I answered after a moment:
— "No... I just felt, for a second, like I wasn't alone."
— "Maybe the mysterious blue-eyed guy left a trace behind."
Zoe laughed, and I shook my head gently:
— "Maybe."
But deep down... I wasn't joking.
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When night came, I had just finished showering and slipped into a soft cotton nightdress. I sat on my bed, the room bathed in the warm glow of the bedside lamp, while the sound of wind whispered against the window glass outside.
I laid my head on the pillow, quietly tracing the ceiling with my eyes.
As if I could still hear the echo of that gaze in my mind...
His eyes didn't carry a human look.
No smile.
Not even a threat.
But something else... something nameless.
I finally closed my eyes.
But the images... never left me.
To be continued....
💭 Things are only getting deeper...
If Chapter 2 left you with questions, theories, or chills — tell me in the comments!
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