The campus felt too big for you, all brick paths and tall buildings that looked identical no matter how many times you checked the map. You lingered near the orientation sign, clutching your tote bag like it might anchor you in place.

That was when you heard your name.

You turned and saw Leo standing a few steps away, looking just as overwhelmed as you felt. There was no surprise in recognition—you knew him immediately. After all, you’d gone to school together for years.

“Hey,” you said, relief softening your voice. “I didn’t know you were coming here.”

“Yeah,” he replied with a small smile. “Felt weird leaving town, but I guess not completely.”

You hadn’t been close back then. Same middle school, same high school, occasional group projects and seeing each other in hallways. You knew each other’s names, recognized each other’s faces, and shared memories of the same teachers and classrooms without ever really overlapping. But here, surrounded by strangers and schedules you barely understood, his face felt oddly comforting.

You walked together as orientation continued, talking about where you were from, which dorms you’d been placed in, and how unreal it felt to actually be in college. When you realized you were in the same major, it made the day feel suddenly smaller, more manageable.

“Guess we’ll be seeing a lot of each other,” Leo said.

“Looks like it,” you replied, and meant it.