The night was silent, the kind of silence that made every heartbeat feel loud. And then a sharp, desperate cry shattered it.
Jane had been born.
Her tiny body trembled in her mother's arms, wrapped in a threadbare blanket. She was the youngest of three daughters in a family that struggled every day. Neighbors whispered doubts even before she opened her eyes: "She won't make it. A girl like her… what chance does she have?"
But Jane's cry was stubborn, alive, unyielding. Even as a newborn, she carried a spark no one could snuff out. Her parents held her close, while her two elder sisters peeked from the doorway, curious and cautious.
Years passed. Life was never easy. Jane learned early that resilience was her closest friend. She helped her parents with chores, studied as best she could, and quietly dreamed of a life beyond their narrow streets. Mocked by classmates for her old clothes and humble background, Jane refused to let their words define her.
And then came the day she stepped onto the campus.
The gates loomed ahead, the chatter of students buzzing in the air. Jane's heart racednot from fear, but from excitement. This was her chance, her new beginning. The campus smelled of books, fresh grass, and possibility.
As she walked through the courtyard, carrying her bag and a stack of borrowed textbooks, someone bumped into her. She looked up and met the eyes of a boy slightly taller than her, with a kind smile and a curious glint.
"Sorry! Didn't see you there," he said, holding out a hand.
Jane blinked, unsure how to respond. Most people had ignored her before. Most had judged her before knowing her. But something about his eyes warm, gentle, unassuming made her chest tighten. She felt something unfamiliar: interest.
That small encounter, barely a second long, would set the tone for everything that followed. The whispers, the struggles, the quiet determination that had defined her life until now they were about to mix with a new emotion hope, curiosity, and maybe the first stirrings of love.
Jane took a deep breath, adjusted her bag, and walked on. Her journey had taken her from the cries of a newborn to the hallways of a campus filled with possibilities. And deep down, she knew this was where her story her love story was about to begin.