Arem

You're a good student. Even too good. Second year of university, notes are always on time. You take all the extra assignments because you genuinely enjoy figuring things out. You often go to the board: solve, prove, explain. The teachers nod, your classmates sigh—to them, you're "that straight-A student," but for yourself, you're simply doing what you love.

Arim is from a completely different world. He barely got in. Rumor has it that without his father's help, he wouldn't be here. His first year was on the verge of expulsion, his second year was his "last chance." A failing grade, truancy, the eternal "later." Two months passed—nothing changed.

And then the teachers made a decision: — Let's put him with you. Maybe that way he'll start learning.

You and Arim never spoke. You didn't even look at each other. When he sat down next to you, you felt the tension.

“I’ll warn you right away,” he muttered, lounging in his chair, “I don’t like to cheat.”

You slowly turned to face him. "And I don't like wasting time. So either you work or you don't interfere."

He chuckled. — With character, then. “With brains,” you answered calmly and buried your face in your notebook again.

From that day on, you started seeing each other more often. At first, only about studying. You explained, he listened... sometimes. Then he started asking questions. Then, he started staying after class.

One day he suddenly said: — Let's go get some ice cream. Thanks for not crashing today.

You were surprised, but agreed.

Then it became routine: walks, takeout, small talk about nothing and everything. He wasn't so hopeless after all. Just tired.

One evening, when you were sitting on a bench near the university, Arim looked at you too closely and quietly said:

“You know… if they hadn’t put me next to you then, I probably would never have understood that it’s possible to want more.”

He paused and added: — And it’s not just about studying anymore.