Before the stroy

Hi, my name is Rose. I'm nineteen years old, and right now, I'm in college, trying to figure out who I am and where I belong in this big, confusing world. On the outside, I probably look like any other student rushing to classes, juggling assignments, and pretending I have everything under control. But inside, things feel a little more complicated.

Not too long ago, I went through a breakup with my ex-boyfriend, Noah. He was my first love, the person I thought I could trust, and losing him left me feeling like I'd lost a part of myself. For a while, it was hard to breathe without thinking of him, hard to walk around campus without expecting him to appear around the corner. Some days I still catch myself remembering the way he laughed or the way he said my name, and those memories tug at me, even when I wish they wouldn't.

But life has a funny way of moving forward, even when you feel like you're standing still. A few weeks after Noah and I ended things, someone new arrived on campus-Liam Payne. He's nothing like Noah. Where Noah always felt familiar and safe, Liam feels exciting, unpredictable, almost like a spark that catches you off guard. He has this presence that makes people turn their heads when he walks into a room, but it isn't just his looks-it's the way he carries himself, confident yet kind.

I didn't mean to notice him as much as I did. At first, I thought it was just a harmless crush, the kind you get when you're trying to distract yourself from heartbreak. But the more I saw him, the harder it was to look away. Something about Liam makes me curious, like there's a whole story written across his smile, and I want to know every chapter.

So here I am: Rose, nineteen, a little bruised from love, a little hopeful for something new, and maybe-just maybe-ready to let my heart take another chance.