Her eyes slowly took in her surroundings, savoring the bustle that was beginning to fill the air. The sky, which had been gray before, gradually brightened, welcoming the arrival of students who began filling the campus grounds with renewed energy.
Yet amid the sea of people passing back and forth, her gaze suddenly stopped at a single point. There was someone she knew very well, someone who, for some reason, always managed to draw her attention wherever he was.
It was Arsenio.
At once, the corners of Adiba’s lips curved into a very sweet smile, subtle and barely visible. It appeared on its own, as though it were her soul’s natural response to seeing someone special standing before her.
Arsenio walked with a firm yet relaxed stride. The aura he exuded was so different from everyone else’s that anyone who saw him would feel both intimidated and impressed. The man seemed to be adjusting the position of his bag when, unintentionally, their eyes met.
Adiba had assumed that, amid such a crowded place, there was no way he would notice her. Even if their eyes happened to cross, she thought Arsenio would simply walk past without reacting at all.
But reality said otherwise.
Far beyond anything she could have imagined, Arsenio actually directed his steps straight toward where she was sitting!
Adiba’s heart immediately began pounding harder, as though it were racing to break through her ribs. The comfort she had felt while sitting on the park bench vanished in an instant. She became restless, as if the bench had suddenly grown hot and her position had become terribly awkward.
With slightly trembling hands, she twisted the edge of her hijab over and over, trying to hide the nervousness spreading all the way to her fingertips. Her face gradually grew warm as she held back her embarrassment, mixed with happiness at seeing the man draw closer.
His footsteps stopped right in front of her. Arsenio’s handsome face was now perfectly clear, adorned with a serene smile that seemed capable of making the world stop turning for a moment.
“Hello, Adiba... What are you doing here all by yourself?”
That deep yet gentle voice sounded perfectly clear to Adiba’s ears. She hurriedly straightened her posture, trying to look polite and neat.
“I... I’m just enjoying the morning atmosphere here,” she replied softly. She dared not look at him for too long, letting her gaze drift elsewhere to conceal her overwhelming nervousness.
Arsenio nodded slowly, then sat on a nearby bench while still maintaining a respectful distance.
“Is there anything about the campus that still confuses you or that you haven’t understood?” he asked attentively, as though he wanted to make sure Adiba felt comfortable.
“Um... God willing, everything’s clear enough. I’ll ask you later if there’s anything else I need to know,” Adiba replied politely, her heart pounding because the person she admired so deeply was paying her such kind attention.
A brief silence formed before Arsenio suddenly spoke again, his words making Adiba’s heart feel as though it had leaped out of her chest.
“Oh, right... I haven’t saved your number yet. How about we exchange contact information? That way, if anything comes up or there’s something you want to ask, you can contact me directly. If I happen to be difficult to find on campus, at least you can reach me here.”
Adiba blinked repeatedly, as though she couldn’t believe what she had just heard.
Did I hear that right? Mr. Arsenio... is asking for my phone number?
The thought spun rapidly through her mind, leaving her frozen in silence for a moment.
“So, what’s your number?” Arsenio asked, pulling her out of her reverie with a calm, expectant gaze.
“Oh... y-yes! Here...”
With slightly trembling hands and her heart racing, Adiba hurriedly took out her phone and recited the string of digits that made up her personal number. Arsenio calmly entered and saved it in his device, a simple act that felt incredibly special to Adiba.
“All right... I should get going. I’m on my way to class. See you,” Arsenio said as he stood straight again.
“G-goodbye...” Adiba stammered, still overwhelmed by the disbelief surging through her chest.
All she could do was watch his broad back recede, leaving her still rooted to the spot with a happiness too immense to describe.
The classroom was now quiet and orderly. Every eye was fixed on the lecturer standing straight at the front, delivering the material for their very first class.
“Every meeting and encounter is, in essence, a communication process. It may take the form of spoken words, writing, or even the body language we display,” the lecturer said, his authority reflecting the depth of his knowledge.
“However, in this program, you won’t only learn how to speak so that people will listen. More than that, you’ll be taught how to convey messages so they can reach the heart, soothe the soul, and bring goodness. Communication without ethics is like a sharp sword in the hands of someone irresponsible—it can wound others without them even realizing it.”
Adiba absorbed every sentence that came from his mouth. She sat upright, her back straight yet graceful. Her eyes did not leave the whiteboard or the lecturer as she tried to grasp every meaning hidden behind his words.
Her hand moved nimbly as she held her pen, recording the important points in her notebook in neat, beautiful handwriting. She listened as he explained the definition of communication, its elements, and various effective models for delivering messages.
Adiba was completely immersed in this new world. She realized that what she was learning today formed a very strong foundation. To her, becoming a communicator wasn’t merely about being good at speaking in public. It was also about guarding one’s words, choosing the right diction, and conveying the truth as beautifully as possible, in accordance with the teachings of Islam.
The atmosphere in the classroom felt deeply meaningful. Adiba’s heart filled with extraordinary gratitude because she had now officially set foot on the path she had dreamed of, absorbing knowledge that, God willing, would one day become the foundation of her religious outreach and a lasting charity for the future.
The classroom, which had been quiet and focused, gradually grew noisy after the lecturer finished his explanation and excused himself from the room. Break time had arrived, giving them a long-awaited chance to relax their minds for a while.
A classmate named Gania leaned closer, looking at Adiba with an eager, pleading expression.
“Adiba... Want to walk around campus during break? I’m still new, so I haven’t memorized the paths yet, and I don’t know any of the nice places around here,” she said warmly.
Adiba smiled warmly at the invitation.
“I’d love to. I don’t know every corner of the campus yet either. Maybe we’ll find a pleasant, peaceful spot that can become our favorite place to rest or just review our lessons,” she replied enthusiastically.
Adiba then changed the subject as she tidied her notebook.
“Oh, Gania, you live off-campus, right?”
“Yeah...” Gania nodded firmly. “My house isn’t too far from here—it’s in the same area. When we have some free time or during a break, I’ll invite you over.”
“Wow, I’d love that! I’ll definitely stop by,” Adiba replied with a broad smile, feeling even more fortunate to have found such a kind and friendly new friend.
Her relaxed conversation with Gania had just begun to warm up when a short notification sound suddenly came from the phone inside her bag. Adiba paused midsentence, then casually reached for it.
But when the screen lit up, her eyes instantly froze. A message had arrived from an unsaved number.
“This is my number, Arsenio. Please save it.”
Adiba’s face immediately flushed, her cheeks warming with unexpected happiness. The man had actually kept his promise.
With slightly trembling hands, embarrassed yet delighted, Adiba quickly replied.
“All right. I’ve saved it. Thank you.”
After sending the message, she put her phone back in her bag with a faint smile she couldn’t hide. Warmth spread through her chest, as though their morning meeting had not been an ordinary coincidence at all, but the beginning of something beautiful and new.
Gania, of course, did not miss the change in Adiba’s expression. Her friend smiled mischievously as she watched Adiba looking so happy, her face glowing while she stared at the phone’s screen.
“Who was that text from, Dib? Why are you smiling so sweetly? You look really happy,” she asked curiously, leaning closer to take a look for herself.
Adiba hurriedly hid her smile and turned her face slightly away, trying to appear casual even though her heart was still pounding.
“No one, Gan. It’s just a message from a third-year upperclassman. He helped and guided me a lot when I first arrived on campus yesterday,” Adiba explained casually, trying to redirect her attention so she wouldn’t ask too many questions.
“Wow, look at you! It’s only your first day, and you’re still an innocent freshman, but you’ve already made connections—and with a third-year upperclassman, no less! He must be pretty impressive, huh?” Gania exclaimed, her eyes sparkling as her curiosity grew.
Adiba let out a small laugh at her friend’s words.
“Ah, it was just a coincidence, Gan. It’s nothing special. Maybe it’s simply because he’s friendly and likes helping new students,” she replied humbly, though deep down she knew that Arsenio truly was someone very special in her eyes.