First message
the early autumn air carried the crisp scent of fallen leave across the university campus. Golden sunlight filtered through rows of old trees, scattering warm light over brick buildings and crowded walkways. Students move in clusters-laughing, talking, rushing between classes. In the middle of it all stood lukas adler. The tall german transfer student paused at the edge of the main quad, one hand gripping the strap of the worn black backpack slung over his shoulder. His dark blonde hair was still slightly messy from the long train ride that morning, and his green eyes scanned the unfamiliar campus. He exhaled slowly. “alright,” he murmured in a soft german accent. “You can do this.”
Lukas had arrived only two hours ago. New country. New university. New everything.
He shifted his weight and glanced down at the folded campus map in his large hands. The paper looked absurdly small between his fingers.
“Philosophy Hall…” he muttered. “Why are there four halls?”
A group of students passed nearby, one of them glancing up at him before whispering something to her friend. Lukas pretended not to notice, though he could feel the attention.
It was hard to miss him.
At 6’2, broad shouldered and built like someone who spent more time lifting crates than textbooks, he looked more like a football player than a philosophy major. But the soft expression on his face gave him away—gentle eyes, calm posture, the kind of guy who instinctively stepped aside to let people pass.