Orangeburg woke up slowly.
The excitement of Homecoming had finally settled. The marching bands were gone. Alumni had packed their cars. Garnet and navy decorations fluttered lazily in the October breeze as campus tried to return to normal.
Dia stood in front of her dorm mirror, toothbrush hanging from the corner of her mouth.
She had barely slept.
Not because of the party.
Because of him.
Beau Carter.
She caught herself smiling before immediately rolling her eyes at her reflection.
"Girl...you talked to one man for a couple hours."
Yet somehow...
It didn't feel like just a conversation.
He remembered little things she said.
He laughed at her terrible jokes.
He listened.
Really listened.
She couldn't explain why she kept replaying the way he'd looked at her before she left.
Almost like...
He didn't want the night to end either.
⸻
Across campus, Beau was equally distracted.
His roommate tossed a hoodie at him.
"Dude."
"Hm?"
"You've been staring at your cereal for five minutes."
Beau blinked.
"What?"
"You good?"
He chuckled to himself.
"Yeah."
"Liar."
Beau shook his head.
"I met somebody."
His roommate grinned immediately.
"There it is."
"A girl?"
Beau nodded.
"What happened?"
"We just...talked."
His roommate waited.
"...That's it?"
"That's it."
"And you're smiling like that over a conversation?"
Beau leaned back in his chair.
"It wasn't just a conversation."
He didn't know her favorite color.
Didn't know her major.
Didn't even have her number.
But somehow...
He knew he wanted to see her again.
⸻
Later that afternoon, Dia walked across campus with her best friend, trying very hard not to look around.
She failed.
Every few steps, her eyes wandered.
The student center.
The quad.
The fountain.
"Why am I looking for him?"
She wasn't.
At least that's what she kept telling herself.
Just then...
Someone bumped into her shoulder.
"Oh! Sorry—"
She looked up.
It wasn't Beau.
She laughed awkwardly.
"No worries."
As they continued walking, her friend gave her a knowing look.
"You looking for somebody?"
Dia's face warmed.
"What? No."
"Mhm."
"I'm serious."
"So if that cute guy from Homecoming walked by right now..."
Dia looked away.
"I didn't say he was cute."
"You didn't have to."
⸻
Unknown to both of them...
Only a few buildings away...
Beau was wondering the exact same thing.
"I wonder if I'll ever run into her again."
Neither of them knew it yet.
But South Carolina State wasn't finished with their story.