Leila lands at Milan's airport after multiple stops—thirteen, maybe fifteen hours in the air. Her eyes sting with exhaustion, and every step feels heavier than the last. Still, she holds herself together.
She's always been petite—delicate, even. A girl with a palm-sized face, soft pink lips, and a small, thin nose that turns a little red in the cold. Her sparkling, almond-shaped eyes—framed by naturally long lashes—carry the weight of someone who has seen more than her age should allow. She's not the kind of beauty that stops the world at first glance, but there's something about her that draws people in over time. A quiet charm that lingers.
She adjusts the scarf around her neck, her long waist-length hair rustling against her back. Dressed in wide-leg jeans, a soft pink oversized hoodie, and heeled boots that mercifully eased the long journey, she scans the road outside Arrivals, trying to catch her breath while hailing a cab to the International Students Office.
The wind bites gently at her cheeks. A mixture of espresso, city exhaust, and a foreign energy hangs in the air.
After hours of settling documents and her dorm accommodation, Leila finally drops onto her bed—too drained to even think. She hasn't met her roommate yet, but right now, sleep takes over. She fades without resistance.
Morning arrives with the rustling of pages and soft humming. Leila opens her eyes, disoriented for a moment, and finds herself staring into a pair of radiant hazel eyes—bright, mischievous, alive.
A soft giggle follows.
"Good morning," says the girl, her voice cheerful.
"Good morning," Leila replies, offering a small but warm smile.
"I'm Sofia. Sofia Everly."
"Leila," she replies.
Their connection is instant—easy. Different energies, but somehow the same rhythm. Opposite shades of the same color.
"We'll be late for our first lecture!" Sofia gasps.
Leila shoots out of bed. The two scramble to get ready, laughter already beginning to bubble between them.
Although they belong to different departments—Leila majors in Forensic Science, and Sofia in Fashion Design—they agree to meet later in the campus cafeteria.
When they reunite, trays in hand and eyes sparkling from the newness of the day, they fall into conversation as if they've known each other for years.
"I'm honestly envious of you," Sofia says mid-bite.
"Why?" Leila asks, slightly puzzled.
"You have siblings. You talk about them like they're your whole world."
Her voice falters, just slightly. "I don't have any. Not even one."
Leila offers a sad smile without realizing it. She hadn't noticed how much she talked about home… about them.
Sofia catches the shift in her expression. Being Italian, she can visit her parents anytime. But Leila can't. That thought softens her tone.
"Let's go. I'll show you Milan near campus today," she says quickly. "I'm eager to show you the whole of Italy someday."
Leila nods, eyes lighting up for the first time in hours.
Sofia loops her arm through Leila's without asking and pulls her outside like they've been friends forever.
They enter a cozy café near the main university gate. The scent of roasted coffee beans and freshly baked pastries floats in the air.
"Hey Ash! How's life?" Sofia grins at the boy behind the counter.
"Living the dream," he replies with a wink. "You bringing me new customers already?"
Leila smiles politely, observing everything with quiet curiosity.
Behind the counter, a muted TV plays news footage of a luxury gala hosted by Sinclair Enterprises, a name she doesn't register just yet. But in the background, a sharp-dressed figure steps into frame, just for a second. The air hums with something unfamiliar. She doesn't know it yet—but that moment is the first ripple in the tide of everything that's about to change.