Inner Turmoil at the Stand

Maya glanced around and suddenly noticed how many people were watching now — not just the group at the stand, but students from nearby tables too. Her jaw tightened. She clearly realized this wasn’t a fight she was going to win here. She muttered something under her breath, shot Nadia one last glare, and the trio turned and pushed their way back into the crowd.

The tension slowly dissolved.

"That happens sometimes," Luciana said cheerfully.

Ashley leaned against the table.

"That might be the most polite ideological brawl I’ve ever seen."

At that moment a large figure approached from behind the group.

"Hey," Bronson said.

Sarah turned around.

For a split second she just stared.

Then her entire face lit up.

"Bronson?!"

She stepped forward and wrapped him in a tight hug.

"You actually made it," she said happily. "My little brother is finally here."

Bronson laughed, hugging her back.

"Yeah, yeah. I survived the first day."

Ashley blinked.

"Wait," she said slowly. "You two are siblings?"

Bronson gestured between them.

"You don’t see the resemblance?"

Tom looked from Bronson to Sarah very carefully.

He squinted.

Then he started laughing.

"Oh yeah," he said. "Totally."

He pointed between them.

"Like if He-Man and a very muscular Wednesday Addams somehow ended up in the same family."

For a second there was silence.

Then everyone burst out laughing.

Ashley doubled over.

"Okay," she said between breaths. "That one was actually perfect."

Sarah crossed her arms and looked at Tom.

"You’re lucky that was funny," she said.

She nudged Bronson with her elbow.

"For the record," she added, "we actually have more in common than people think."

"He just got the size."

"And I got the personality."

"Debatable," Bronson muttered.

Luciana smirked. "That explains a lot."

Sarah turned back to her brother.

"Anyway," she said firmly. "You’re joining the club."

Bronson groaned.

"Yeah, yeah, sis. I know."

Sarah’s eyes shifted toward Malik and a mischievous grin appeared.

"Come on," she said. "Your cute little friend here already seems very interested."

She pointed at Malik.

Malik froze.

"He’s been trying to look impressive since you walked up," Sarah added.

Malik turned bright red.

Bronson looked at him and chuckled.

"Oh yeah?"

"I mean—" Malik stammered. "Wrestling is just—"

"Relax," Bronson said with an easy grin. "I like nerdy guys."

He gave Malik a playful look when he said it.

Malik looked like he might combust.

Sarah laughed softly.

"See?" she said. "You two already have things in common."

The tension around the stand finally broke apart into smaller conversations.

Malik ended up talking with Robert and Jisoo about movie nights and gaming events.

Ashley drifted toward Luciana and Sarah again, Mira following.

Chris spoke briefly with Daniel.

"So what does the club actually do most of the time?" Chris asked.

Daniel smiled.

"Networking. Events. Helping people build connections," he said. "And occasionally surviving political arguments."

Daniel laughed at something Chris said.

For a moment Cora caught herself watching him.

Then she quickly looked away again before anyone noticed.

Meanwhile Nadia stepped slightly aside with Asmaa and Cora.

Cora wasn’t sure what she had expected when she walked up to this stand.

It definitely hadn’t been someone like Nadia.

"So," Nadia said with a knowing smile, "I can already tell both of you are getting attention today."

She studied them both for a moment.

"Let me guess," she added. "You both walked up to this table expecting something ugly."

Cora raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"

"Because I came here with exactly the same assumptions," Nadia said calmly.

She gave a small, almost self‑amused shrug.

"When I first arrived on campus," she continued, "I thought I already knew exactly what white students were like."

She paused briefly.

"Especially white men."

Asmaa shifted slightly but didn’t interrupt.

"Then I actually met some of them," Nadia added, gesturing casually toward the group across the stand. "People like Chris. Tom. Daniel."

Her tone wasn’t mocking — if anything it carried a hint of **** admiration.

"Turns out reality is usually a little more complicated than the story you arrive with."

She studied the two girls again, clearly amused.

"For example," she said lightly, "Tom has been orbiting you all afternoon."

Asmaa looked instantly mortified.

"And Chris," Nadia added, glancing toward Cora, "has been very obvious too."

Across the stand Chris looked up when he heard his name.

For a brief second his eyes met Cora’s across the stand.

Cora felt a small, unexpected jolt in her chest when it happened.

He had heard his name.

And somehow, out of all the people standing here, he had looked straight at her.

She quickly **** her expression back to neutral before anyone noticed.

Then he looked away again, slightly embarrassed.

Daniel smirked slightly.

"Sounds like you’re popular already," he said quietly.

Chris rubbed the back of his neck.

"Great," he muttered.

Cora folded her arms.

For a brief moment a flicker of guilt crossed her mind.

Yesterday outside the bar, Chris had stepped in without hesitation when her ex tried to drag her away.

And when Maya accused him earlier… Cora hadn’t said anything.

She had just stood there and watched the argument unfold.

Her jaw tightened slightly.

He deserved better than that, she thought.

Nadia watched her for a moment, as if she had noticed the shift in Cora’s expression.

"You didn’t like that," Nadia said quietly.

Cora blinked. "What?"

"The argument earlier," Nadia replied. "When Maya went after him."

Cora hesitated.

"I should have said something," she admitted after a moment. "He stepped in for me yesterday. And when she accused him… I just stood there."

Nadia tilted her head slightly, studying her.

"Most people freeze the first time," she said calmly. "Especially when politics suddenly turns personal."

She glanced briefly toward Chris across the stand.

"But he didn’t freeze for you," Nadia said.

"And if it helps," she added after a moment, "he didn’t look like he blamed you."

Cora followed her gaze for a second before looking back.

"Still," she said quietly.

Nadia gave a small shrug.

"Then next time," she said lightly, "you know what to do."

Chris glanced toward her again from across the stand for a moment before turning back to Daniel.

"Exactly," Nadia replied.

She leaned casually against the table.

Nadia smiled slightly.

"Being desired by good men really isn’t the worst problem in the world," she said.

She glanced briefly across the stand toward Chris and Bronson.

"Honestly? The white guys I’ve met here have all been very solid."

Asmaa hesitated.

"For me it is… complicated," she admitted.

"Religion," Nadia guessed.

Asmaa nodded.

"Family. Expectations."

"That’s understandable," Nadia said gently.

She straightened and held up three fingers.

"That’s also why we host a few events before the membership deadline."

"So people can see what the club is actually like."

"What kind of events?" Cora asked.

"First," Nadia said, "this Friday we’re doing separate gatherings for men and women."

She pointed lightly between them.

"The women's evening is first," she clarified. "Just the girls. Wine, snacks, and a chance to talk without fifty guys trying to impress anyone."

"Women talk with women. Men talk with men. Dating, expectations, culture… things people are usually more honest about when the room isn’t mixed."

"Honestly," she added with a grin, "the women’s night is usually the more interesting one anyway."

She smiled a little.

"And trust me — people get very honest."

She lifted a second finger.

"Sunday we’re doing a barbecue. Food, music, people hanging out. Very relaxed."

Then a third finger.

"And next week we’re doing a bonfire night at the lake outside campus. Drinks, music, late‑night conversations."

Cora raised an eyebrow.

"That sounds less academic than I expected."

"Orientation week rarely is," Nadia said. "The women’s night especially tends to get… honest."

Nadia laughed.

"Most real friendships don’t start in seminars," she said.

She looked at both of them.

"You don’t have to join the club to come."

"Just show up."

Asmaa and Cora exchanged a glance.

Neither answered.

Asmaa glanced toward the path where the others had disappeared earlier, then back to Nadia.

"Maybe I will come," she said quietly.

Cora gave a small shrug.

"We’ll see," she said.

But neither of them looked like they were planning to walk away either.

Nadia noticed the look that passed between them.

Her smile widened slightly.

"Curiosity is usually how it starts," she said.

She tapped the edge of the table with one finger.

"Just come by on Friday," she added casually. "No pressure."

Cora and Asmaa exchanged one more glance.

Neither of them said yes.

But neither of them said no either.

Nadia noticed.

And smiled slightly.