As they pulled out of the driveway, the soft hum of the engine filled the quiet space between them. The early morning sky was still a shade of dusky blue, the city slowly waking up with flickering streetlights and distant honks of impatient drivers.
Jane leaned against the window, her fingers tapping lightly against her knee. The air inside the car smelled faintly of leather and Sophia's perfume—something subtle but expensive.
Sophia, focused on the road, cast a glance at Jane. "So, what's your story?"
Jane blinked, turning her head. "What?"
"You know mine. The rich doctor who drinks terrible coffee," Sophia said with a smirk. "But I don't know much about you, Jane."
Jane hesitated. She wasn't used to people asking.
She shifted in her seat. "Not much to tell," she said finally. "I grew up with my grandma. Got a scholarship for university. Work part-time jobs to survive."
Sophia hummed. "What are you studying?"
"Business," Jane replied. "Not really a passion, but it's practical."
Sophia arched a brow. "No passion, huh? That's kind of sad."
Jane huffed. "Not everyone has the luxury of chasing passions, Dr. Fancy Car."
Sophia chuckled, shaking her head. "It's Sophia."
Jane smirked. "Yeah, I know. I just think 'Dr. Fancy Car' suits you."
Sophia rolled her eyes, but there was amusement in them. "And you? Should I call you 'Ms. Nearly Got Hit By a Car'?"
Jane laughed, a real one this time. "Touché."
The ride continued in comfortable silence for a few moments, the city shifting outside the window. Jane stole another glance at Sophia—her steady grip on the wheel, the way her lips pressed together slightly in thought.
"You always this nice to strangers?" Jane asked suddenly.
Sophia considered the question, her fingers drumming on the steering wheel. "Not really," she admitted. "But you don't seem like a stranger."
Jane tilted her head. "That's a weird thing to say."
Sophia shrugged. "Maybe."
A warmth settled in Jane's chest at those words—unexpected, unfamiliar, but not entirely unwelcome.
Before she could think too much about it, Sophia slowed the car as they neared the hostel.
"You sure this is where you live?" Sophia asked, glancing at the rundown-looking building.
"Yeah," Jane sighed, unbuckling her seatbelt. "Not all of us get fancy penthouses, you know."
Sophia smirked but said nothing.
Jane hesitated before opening the door. "Hey… thanks. For last night. And this morning."
Sophia nodded. "Don't make it a habit of running into cars, and we won't have to do this again."
Jane grinned. "No promises."
With that, she stepped out, her chest feeling lighter than it had in a long time.
And as Sophia watched her disappear into the hostel, she found herself wondering when—or if—they'd cross paths again.
Spoiler alert: They would.
Jane slipped through the front entrance of the hostel, careful not to make too much noise. The dimly lit hallway smelled faintly of old wood and cheap air freshener, the kind the hostel manager used to cover up the lingering scent of dampness. She tiptoed past the common area, avoiding the curious glances of a few early risers, and finally reached her room.
As soon as she pushed the door open, a voice hissed from inside.
"Jane! Where the hell were you last night?"
Her roommate, Mia, sat up in bed, her hair a tangled mess and her eyes sharp with concern. She was still in her pajamas, hugging a pillow like she'd been waiting up for Jane.
Jane winced. "Uh… it's a long story?"
Mia scoffed. "You better start talking. I thought you were dead in a ditch somewhere! You weren't answering your phone!"
Jane sighed, tossing her bag onto her bed. "I lost track of time after work, and by the time I got back, the gates were locked. I got stuck outside."
Mia's brows shot up. "And where exactly did you spend the night?"
Jane hesitated. If she said she spent the night at some rich doctor's penthouse, Mia would have a million questions.
"…I found a place to crash."
Mia narrowed her eyes. "That's vague. Jane, you didn't—" She gasped. "Oh my God, you didn't go home with some stranger, did you?"
"What? No! Of course not." Jane rolled her eyes. "She was… just someone who helped me out."
"She?" Mia's curiosity deepened. "Okay, now I need details."
Jane groaned, flopping onto her bed. "Later. I need a shower and actual sleep."
Mia huffed. "Fine. But don't think you're off the hook."
As Jane buried her face into her pillow, exhaustion finally creeping in, she realized something strange—despite the chaos of the night before, she didn't regret it. Not one bit.
And as she drifted off, her last thought was of Sophia—her teasing smirk, the way she said, You don't seem like a stranger.
For some reason, that thought made her smile.
Jane groaned into her pillow, her body heavy with exhaustion. "Just five more minutes…" she mumbled, pulling the blanket over her head.
Mia yanked it away without mercy. "Nope! You already got your five minutes—plus an hour. We have class at ten, and if we're late again, Professor Grant will roast us alive."
Jane blinked at the clock on the wall, her sleep-fogged brain processing the time. "Ugh… I hate mornings."
Mia smirked, tossing Jane's bag onto her bed. "Yeah, yeah. Now hurry up and get ready. Unless you want to explain to Professor Grant why you missed another lecture."
Jane dragged herself upright, rubbing her eyes. As much as she wanted to sleep, skipping class wasn't an option.
As she got up, the memory of last night flickered in her mind—Sophia's quiet gaze, the warmth of the car ride, the unexpected kindness of a stranger who didn't feel like a stranger at all.
She shook her head, pushing the thought aside. Right now, she had to survive the day first.