Chapter 4 University Love

She could remember clearly how she met Alex.

It was on a Tuesday she almost skipped class.

One of those mornings where the city felt louder than necessary and her bed felt like it understood her better than anyone else. She stood in front of the mirror in her small room, hair still damp, telling herself that missing one Business Ethics lecture wouldn't ruin her life.

Then she went anyway. That decision, small and forgettable at the time, changed everything.

He was sitting three rows ahead of her, leaning back in his chair like the world had never given him a reason to be tense. When he glanced back, their eyes met. For a fraction of a second, something inside her tilted. Like a puzzle piece sliding into place. Like recognition of something she hadn't known she was looking for.

After class, he waited by her row.

"You were staring at me for like forty minutes. I figured I should introduce myself before it got weird."

Her face went hot. "I wasn't"

"You definitely were." His smile was easy, genuine. "I'm Alexander. And I'm very okay with being stared at by pretty girls."

pretty girls.

Her heart did something complicated.

"Carla," She managed. "And I wasn't staring. I was thinking. You just happened to be in my line of sight."

"Sure. Want to grab coffee anyway?"

She should have said no. She had plans; A study schedule, cook dinner with her roommate, evening reading. But something about his smile made her say yes.

"Okay. But I have to be back by three."

"Deal."

The coffee shop was crowded. Perfect. They talked for hours about everything—Her Parents' immigrant story, his passion for coding, dreams that felt too big to say out loud. He listened like her dreams mattered, asked questions, remembered details when she mentioned her mother's journey from Mexico, her father's construction work.

"You're going to build an empire," he said, absolutely serious. "I can feel it."

"I want to build something of my own someday," Carla admitted. "Maybe a marketing agency. Help small businesses grow.

"That's amazing. Really. Most people our age don't have that kind of clarity."

They talked until her 3pm deadline came and passed.

Walking back to her dorm, she felt lighter than she had in months. The city didn't feel too loud anymore. The evening air felt perfect. Everything felt aligned in a way she couldn't quite explain.

Her phone buzzed before she even reached her building: Thanks for the best afternoon I've had all semester. Can we do it again? Tomorrow?

Carla read it three times, smiling like an idiot, feeling something flutter in her chest that felt dangerous and wonderful in equal measure.

Tomorrow became the next day, and the day after, and the day after that.

Coffee dates turned into study sessions turned into late-night conversations. Alexander made the ordinary feel extraordinary. A walk across campus felt like an adventure, late night food runs became memorable when he made up elaborate backstories about other students.

"See that guy?" He nodded toward a student hunched over a physics textbook. "International spy. The textbook's actually surveillance equipment."

She laughed until her sides hurt. "You're ridiculous."

"You love it."

She did. She loved his playfulness, how he remembered the smallest details. Like how She likes her coffee with too much cream, how he'd show up at her dorm with tacos because she mentioned skipping dinner. The way he looked at her like she was fascinating, like spending time with her was the best part of his day.

The first kiss happened in the first snow of winter. They'd gone to a terrible campus movie, and walking back, Alexander caught snowflakes on his tongue like a kid.

"Want some?" He asked, rather seriously.

"What? No!" She chuckled

"Come here," he said, pulling her close.

The kiss was soft, then deeper as she responded, her hands finding their way to his neck, his arms tightening around her waist. He gave her some snowflakes in her mouth during the kiss and it felt unexpectedly magical. Snow fell around them like something from a movie, and she felt something warm bloom inside her chest. When they broke apart, both breathing hard, Alexander rested his forehead against hers.

"I'm crazy about you, Carla Reyes," he whispered against her lips.

She smiled, speechless, caressing his face. They spent the rest of the evening out late in each others arms, talking and sharing kisses.

They became inseparable after that. He met her friends and charmed them. Left notes in her textbooks that made her smile during lectures. Showed up at her dorm with coffee and that easy grin that made everything feel possible.

Christmas break approached and the thought of being apart felt unbearable.

"Come with me," she said one night, curled up in his bed. "To my parents' house. I want you to meet them."

He tensed slightly. "That's serious."

"Is that okay?"

"It's perfect." He pulled her closer. "I just want to make sure I don't screw it up."

"You won't. My Parents are lovely people, My mum is very warm. My dad might just ask a lot of questions about your intentions. But they'll love you."

"How do you know?"

"Because I love you." The words slipped out before She could stop them. Three months felt too soon, except it didn't. It felt inevitable.

Alexander went very still. "Say that again."

"I love you," she whispered, terrified and certain.

"I love you too." He kissed her forehead, her nose, then her lips. "God, Carla. I've been wanting to say it for weeks."

They made love that night for the first time.

It was everything she'd imagined. Nervous, fumbling and sweet. He was gentle, patient, his hands learning her body like a language he wanted to master. When he moved inside her, his eyes never left hers, and she felt something profound shift between them.

It wasn't just physical. This was trust. This was love made tangible.

Afterward, wrapped in his arms, she felt utterly safe.

"I'm going to marry you someday," he murmured against her hair.

Her breath caught. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. When we're ready. When we've graduated and figured out our careers. But someday, I'm going to ask, and I really hope you'll say yes."

"I will," she promised. "Someday, when you ask, I'll say yes."

Meeting her parents happened during Christmas break. Alexander showed up with gardenias for her mother and genuine interest in her father's construction work. Over grilled carne asada, I watched him fit seamlessly into my family.

That night, my mother pulled me aside. "I like him, mija. He's good to you."

"He is. He's everything, Mum."

"Then hold onto him. Good men are rare."

That night, lying in her childhood bed while Alexander slept on the couch downstairs. Carla felt something close to perfect contentment. Her education was on track. Her parents approved. She had a man who loved her, who talked about their future like it was already written.

Everything was aligned. Everything was perfect.