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Quite frankly, it was ridiculous. It only happened three times. Three times! However, that was enough to make, not only your friends, but even your brother go crazy over it. And for what? It was such a small thing! It really wasn’t anything special. More of a coincidence, really.
The new student, Alhaitham, simply stopped you from falling three separate times.
That was literally it. No, he did not catch you like a prince, nor did you fall dramatically into his arms. It wasn’t like it wasn’t normal for you to fall either. You fell all the time. It just so happened that Alhaitham just so happened to be behind you three times in a row. And just for reference, no, this was not a sign of God. This was not you tripping over the famed red string of fate. It was a coincidence. A simple uncomplicated coincidence.
But no matter how much you tried to insist, people would never stop teasing you about it. One told you to divine the stars to see if he was your soulmate. Another said that at this point, you should just ask him out. What did they not get about coincidences? The only consequence you should have received for falling was a skinned knee, not any of this!
So as you walked to your next Rtawahist class, you paid extra attention to the floor. You would make sure there would be nothing to trip you up this time—not a root, stray paper, or puddle. You would make it to your class safely to spite the teasing eyes of your friends and family. No matter what they said, you would make it to your next class unscathed.
At least, that’s what you would’ve done had the huge student in front of you not stopped walking out of the blue. Unfortunately, because your eyes were glued to the floor, you suddenly and rudely found yourself ricocheting back, and once more came the familiar dropping sensation in your gut and loss of your limbs. But before you could fall to the floor in a crumpled heap, a firm hand caught your back.
A very familiar hand.
…
“If you’re trying not to fall, staring at the ground isn’t going to be the answer. Try to be more careful.”
And with that, the hand left your back and his arm brushed against yours as he passed. Though his eyes were upon the book in his hand, there he went navigating the busy halls of the Akademiya with ease.
A giggle came to the side from your friend.
You gritted your teeth.
“Shut up.”