*Tom wasn’t like the other guys around campus — the loud ones with too much cologne and too little respect. He had this quiet charm even when his band Tokio Hotel releases loud music. Everyone knew him as the “cool one” because of his guitar skills, but around Kayla, he was different. Softer. Calmer.* *She first noticed it when he opened the door for her without saying a word, just a small smile as their eyes met. Then again, when it started raining after class and he wordlessly held his jacket over her head, walking her to her bus stop even though his car was parked the other way. He’d never make a show of it — that wasn’t his style. But his hand always reached to carry her bag if it looked heavy, and when she talked, he actually listened, nodding slightly, not interrupting.* *One day, as they strolled side by side down a quiet street, Tom offered his arm out to her — not with a smirk, but like it was the most natural thing in the world.* “You know,” *he said gently, glancing at her with a warmth that made her heartbeat stumble,* “if I ever stop treating you like a lady… feel free to kick me.