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Severity tells the story of Luisa, a young, successful student, and Raymund, a shy nerd. What begins as a seemingly harmless encounter quickly develops into a captivating love story that tests the boundaries between dream and reality. The novel sheds light on the all-too-familiar feeling of love at first sight and the difficulties that arise when personal desire is not reciprocated. Luisa falls for Raymund, who neither recognizes nor wants to recognize her feelings, in a seemingly senseless infatuation. Nevertheless, she does everything she can to get his attention, and the story takes unexpected turns that fulfill every cliché – except for one! Pascal Ringstahl, known for his versatile literary works such as the e-book *MeinHard*, the horror thriller *Scrunch* about the Twin Dogs and the educationally valuable novel *Calyx*, ventures in a new direction with *Severity*. The reader is invited on a journey into the past to experience the futility of infatuation. What if a relationship had arisen from those moments when you fell in love at first sight with a person who didn't suit you or didn't return your feelings? Severity raises the question of whether reality can withstand dreams.
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Seitenzahl: 272
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025
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-for Luisa-
You are a wonderful person and I wish you only the best for the future – may you always have the strength to remain true to yourself, as honest and authentic as I got to know you. May your life continue to be filled with love, happiness and everything you deserve.
Pascal Ringstahl
Severity
A Luisa Story
© 2025 Pascal Ringstahl
Cover, illustration: Pascal Ringstahl
Editing, proofreading: Pascal Ringstahl
Translation: Pascal Ringstahl
Printed and distributed by:
tredition GmbH, Heinz-Beusen-Stieg 5, 22926 Ahrensburg, Germany
ISBN
Paperback978-3-384-55091-0
Hardcover978-3-384-55092-7
e-Book978-3-384-55093-4
The work, including its parts, is protected by copyright. The author is responsible for the contents. Any use without the author's consent is prohibited. Publication and distribution are carried out on behalf of the author, who can be contacted at: tredition GmbH, Abteilung “Impressumservice”, Heinz-Beusen-Stieg 5, 22926 Ahrensburg, Germany.
Contact address according to the EU Product Safety Regulation: [email protected]
CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Experience more published stories and adventures from the Ringstahl universe:
Scrunch – A thriller between science fiction, fantasy & horror
Calyx – A novel about friendship and respect
Prison: T.a.p.e.r. – A crime novel full of suspense, humor and hopelessness
www.ringstahl.com
Chapter 1
“Do it or don't do it. There's no trying!” That's what Luisa thought to herself on a sunny Monday morning. It was just before 8 a.m. and the streets of the city center were already filled with avalanches of cars as their occupants hurriedly made their way to work. Luisa sat relaxed in the back seat of her father's black Mercedes-AMG S 63 4Matic sedan. As managing director of the FingerCap company, he always had a chauffeur, but this time he wanted to drop his daughter off personally on her first day at university in the big city. He had always hoped that Luisa would complete a sound education, but he couldn't deny his only daughter the opportunity to study.
Luisa was a very intelligent girl. She was tall and slim and loved normal life more than the modern, overpriced world. But with a lot of patience and, of course, money, her father had managed to put her on a pretty fashionable path. However, he knew that whenever he stopped giving her money, she would happily return to the normal way of life.
Luisa stretched forward in the limousine, brushed her dark blonde, long, straight hair back behind her ear, which was pierced with five stainless steel creoles, looked at her father with a smile and turned up the music on the car radio. Her father rolled his eyes and drove through the heavy rush-hour traffic, cursing and very risky. Luisa laughed out loud and calmly looked out of the window at the people rushing around. She looked herself up and down and wondered whether a black turtleneck sweater, tartan miniskirt and overknee boots weren't too much. She squeezed herself into the back seat and placed her boots on the headrest of the passenger seat. Her father looked and smiled.
“You look dazzling as always. It's a shame you don't wear make-up,” he said. Luisa said nothing. She didn't like anything on her face apart from powder and a little kohl. Her father was concentrating again on the rush-hour traffic, which he was overtaking at an exaggerated speed in an empty bus lane on the right. Luisa looked at her gold Nokia cell phone, which was a present from her father for her 20th birthday. She quickly typed a message, put the phone on silent and stowed it in her one-of-a-kind Gucci backpack. Her father had given her the backpack when he came back from Fashion Week. He had always brought her designer clothes since she was 17 years old. As she had an almost perfect figure, everything he brought her fitted her. Mostly his secretary, who was a fashion junkie, would get it for her.
She thought briefly about her father. He, Max Mecki, had become managing director at FingerCap after Bruce Steffens had a serious accident a few weeks ago. Since then, he had been earning twice as much. She wondered how it was possible to earn so much money with a company that specialized in prefabricated houses. But her father never gave her a satisfactory answer to the question.
The limousine finally reached the university forecourt and stopped briefly in the no-parking zone. Luisa got out and walked to the passenger door. Her father rolled down the window. “You can pick up your car keys at the hotel,” he said as she leaned into the open passenger window. “I've lent you a sports car. You need to be mobile. Small, fine, fast and ideal for the city. You'll be thrilled,” he added. Luisa smiled. “Yes, that's good. Can you give me some change?” she asked him happily. Her father reached into his coat pocket and gave her a credit card. “But make sure you buy something. I know you!”
“No, that's all right. I'll call you tonight. I've put the cell phone on silent. You know I don't like always being reachable. We'll call you on the landline ... and ... thank you,” she said, waving the Centurion credit card in front of her father's nose. She turned away from the limousine and walked onto the forecourt towards the entrance to the university. Her father rolled up the window as he started the limousine's grumpy engine and drove off. He quickly disappeared into the heavy rush-hour traffic as Luisa looked around for him again. She walked across the small forecourt of the university to the main building. Although the university was located in a city of millions, it had just 5,000 students.
The building was from 1934, old, nostalgic, made of natural stone and with huge windows and a bronze founder's monument in front of it. She opened one of the five double swinging glass doors and was impressed by the huge auditorium that appeared before her. A beautiful marble floor, the surface antique-brushed, huge white pillars supporting the vaulted ceiling. Many other students walked with her into the university's huge auditorium. Some looked at her strangely. Whether it was because she was dressed too conspicuously, she didn't know. There were few students standing quietly in the auditorium. It seemed to her like a huge anthill, with everyone running back and forth with no apparent rhyme or reason. However, her attention was caught by a small group standing quietly in the middle of the auditorium.
She looked at the people briefly and her eyes met those of a student. Unimpressed, she looked away again and searched in all directions for information boards. It had to say somewhere where she had to register as a new student. Sometimes she had a problem with orientation when too many impressions came crashing in on her. The young student whose gaze she had just returned briefly turned in her direction. Enthusiasm was evident on his face. He tapped Kai, who was standing next to him, on the shoulder. “Hey Kai, look who just showed up.” Kai turned his head towards the entrance. He started grinning meanly and greedily. “Fresh meat! She's mine.” He broke away from the group and walked with long strides towards Luisa.
Luisa continued to search desperately for an information board, but found nothing. There were posters and information everywhere, notices about the next semester ball, tutoring flyers, part-time jobs and indefinable information. She noticed Kai out of the corner of her eye, turned around and walked towards him. Luisa wanted to ask him something. They stopped in front of each other and she looked him in the eye questioningly while he nervously chewed his gum and frantically stroked his reddish short hair with his right hand.
“Excuse me, can you please tell me where I can find the secretary's office here?” she asked him. Kai put his hands in his trouser pockets and bobbed up and down on his white sneakers.
“New, eh?” he said brashly.
“Yes, indeed.” A few seconds passed and Luisa looked at Kai questioningly. There was no answer. “So, what is it now? Am I getting some information or what?” Kai just nodded, pulled his hands out of his pockets, chewed his gum even faster and took Luisa in his arms. He proudly led her past his group, who looked after them. Luisa was surprised and let it happen. She looked at Kai out of the corner of her eye: slightly taller than her, athletic, slim, casual style of dress, lots of freckles and moles, red hair, pale skin - a ginger. Kai led Luisa up a very wide staircase. But Luisa stopped in the middle. Kai looked at her questioningly as she pushed his arm away. He looked over at his group of friends, who all shrugged their shoulders questioningly. “What's the matter, didn't you want to be shown the way?” asked Kai, looking away from his group into Luisa's blue eyes.
“Yes, and don't end up in your arm and ...” Luisa wanted to say something else, but saw that Kai's gaze had passed her again. She turned around and looked directly at his group, who were still standing in the auditorium and watching her. Luisa took a step back and crossed her arms angrily. She looked down at the group. Behind her, she heard Kai speaking, chewing his gum hastily: “You, since you're new, how about you come to the party tonight. I'm playing with my band. I'm really good! How about it?”
Luisa looked over at the clique the whole time Kai was talking. All the students standing there looked at her enthusiastically and whispered. All except one: a slim boy, wearing worn cheap jeans, a T-shirt with Star Wars BB-8 printed on it, worn white Nike sneakers, his dark brown, thick, slightly curly longer hair tied up in a small braid. He looked bored in a different direction. Luisa took a deep breath. From the very first second, she was both thrilled and disgusted by him. She had experienced something like this before. There were these encounters and these kinds of people that you didn't find attractive at all, that you rather disliked, and yet you were fascinated by them. Almost hypnotized.
Raymund, as the young student was called, stood in the middle of the group, still looking at Luisa enthusiastically. He was bored. He looked briefly at Luisa out of curiosity, then away again, wordlessly detached himself from the group and walked a little further. He settled onto a bench a few yards away and began reading a book he’d pulled from his backpack. Kai had ventured closer to the distracted Luisa again. He put his arm around her again. Luisa didn't notice anything, she was so lost in thought. She watched Raymund and was fascinated. “So, what about tonight? What's your name anyway?” asked Kai.
“Luisa.”
“Hi, nice to meet you, I'm Kai. The greatest thing this university has to offer.”
Luisa was torn from her thoughts. She noticed the discomfort caused by Kai's proximity, quickly pushed his arm away and looked at him. “Yes, is that you? But not for me until you show me the way to the secretary's office.”
Kai chewed his gum faster and nervously. “Okay. It's on the other side.”
Luisa turned around, annoyed, and went back down the stairs. Kai sprinted after her.
“Did we come up here for nothing?” Luisa asked angrily, stamping her heels on every step of the wide marble staircase.
“I just wanted to show you the great view,” Kai said placatingly.
“Great view. I see a few guys ogling me and probably giving my body marks.” Kai had reached Luisa. They both walked past Kai's clique. Luisa suddenly stopped. Kai was surprised and looked at her intently. In the background, out of the corner of her eye, Luisa saw the group of friends whispering about her both. With an indifferent nod of her head, Luisa pointed at Raymund, who was sitting a little further away.
“Who's that?”
“The guy on the bench?”
“Yes, that's exactly who I mean! So, who's that?”
“Oh, that's Raymund, the nerd from university. Nothing special. We usually call him 'Into the mouth'. Funny, isn't it? But I'm ...”
“... the coolest thing the university has to offer, I know.” Luisa made an annoyed face and walked past Kai. Kai wanted to follow her.
“Thank you, I can find my way better on my own.”
Kai stopped, grinned and waved at her boastfully in front of his buddies.
“Thanks, I think you're great too. See you soon. I'll see you often enough.”
Luisa walked through a door. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kai waving energetically.
“Yes, unfortunately,” she said to herself, annoyed and disgusted. Kai went back to his friends, who were eagerly waiting for him. Kai stood boastfully in front of them.
“So, does she want something from you?” one of them asked.
Kai grinned ashamedly. “Of course she was, you could see how happy she was to see me.”
“Then why did she leave you in the auditorium?” asked another.
Kai thought feverishly for an answer.
“She ... She wanted to prepare herself mentally for the party tonight. Yes, that's what she wanted.”
“She's coming tonight?” another asked curiously.
“Yes, she wants to see me play.”
“She'll be the only one.” Kai grimaced angrily. The clique laughed out loud.
Luisa hurried through the increasingly crowded corridors of the university. It was just after 8 a.m. and the first lectures and seminars were starting. She hated being late. She stopped in front of some information boards, but she couldn't do anything with them. You would probably have to have studied abbreviations to understand the students' and the university's obsession with abbreviations. A student, Antonia, came towards her. Luisa walked straight up to her. She was also dressed very smartly, wearing blue Manolos and a white, smart blouse on blue jeans decorated with appliqués. Antonia's mind was elsewhere and she was really startled when Luisa approached her. She tossed her long brunette hair to one side questioningly.
“Can you please help me? I need to go to the secretary's office, but I can't find it,” said Luisa helplessly. Antonia looked at her in amazement and looked Luisa up and down.
“You must be new, otherwise you wouldn't be asking that.”
“Yes, you've got it right.” Antonia and Luisa had to laugh.
“All right, come along then. I have to go there too.”
They walked hurriedly down the corridor. Antonia opened the door and went into the secretary's office, followed by Luisa. Luisa looked around eagerly. Antonia went to one of the secretaries and handed her a completed form. Antonia stood to one side. Luisa stepped in front of the secretary, a friendly woman with a warm smile.
“Good morning, I'm new here and wanted to register for my studies.” The secretary nodded sympathetically. “Welcome. Your name, please?”
“Luisa Mecki.”
“All right, Luisa. Give me a moment, please.”
While the secretary leafed through her documents, Luisa looked around curiously. The secretary's office was bright and friendly, with large windows that let in plenty of light. Luisa slowly felt a little more at ease. The secretary finally handed her a few documents.
“Here are your documents. You still have to fill out a few forms and then you can get started. Good luck with your studies.” She took the documents and walked over to a table. Antonia followed her. Luisa sat down and began to fill in the questionnaire. Antonia sat on the edge of the table and watched Luisa answer the questionnaire.
“So your name is Luisa and you live in ...” Antonia waited until Luisa had filled it in. “... in a hotel room? EstelleGarden, that's the chain where the rooms are set up like small apartments. You must be very wealthy. And when I look at your boots, they probably cost as much as a student earns in a part-time job.”
Luisa said nothing, nodded briefly at Antonia's shoes and simply carried on writing. Antonia understood and smiled. “Touché. Is this the third university you're enrolling at? Why did you change?”
Luisa stood up and handed the form back to the secretary. Antonia stood next to Luisa, who was waiting for her student ID. “I switched because I got into a relationship mess at the other university that absolutely demanded that I start something new.”
“I see, aren't you going to tell me anything more specific?”
Luisa thought about it and looked Antonia in the eye. “Yes, but not here. I'm coming to a lecture later. Then I can talk about it.”
Antonia smiled back. “Yes, that's fine. I'm looking forward to it. If you hurry, you can still come to my lecture.”
Luisa nodded in agreement and continued to smile at Antonia. Luisa got her student ID from the secretary. Then they hurried out of the secretary's office. Antonia went ahead and Luisa followed her. They reached a lecture hall. Several dozen students squeezed through the small entrance door with them. Antonia sat down in one of the ascending rows of seats, close to the window. Luisa sat down next to her, followed by several students. Antonia chatted with the female students sitting in the row in front of her. Then it became quiet. The professor came in and began his lecture. It was about the philosophy of signs.
Antonia elbowed Luisa in the side. “You wanted to tell me something, didn't you?”
Luisa looked at Antonia questioningly. “Are you even interested?”
“Sure, anything that revolves around relationships interests me. After all, I could only learn from it, right?”
Luisa looked at Antonia intently. She smiled. “Yes, you're right. You can learn from other people's mistakes. Very well. I'll be brief. My first boyfriend was a pretty cool guy. A guy like James Dean, sunglasses, muscles, great figure, but you know the drill.”
Antonia nodded in agreement. While Luisa talked, the girl next to her listened attentively.
“When we met at university, everything was fine. But then the first meeting at my house. I was never surprised at first that I was missing money after every meeting with him. The best thing was that everyone at university knew he was a kleptomaniac. I was the only one who had no idea. It wasn't until he arrived at my house and grabbed my dad's stereo under his arm and ran off with it instead of me that it all became clear to me.”
Antonia and the girl next to her looked at Luisa with wide eyes. “What did you do then?” Antonia asked quietly.
“I broke it off immediately. It wasn't easy, but I had to do it. After that, I decided to change universities. And now I'm here.”
Antonia put a hand on Luisa's arm. “That must have been hard. But it's good that you've put it behind you.”
Luisa nodded. “Yes, it was hard, but I'm glad I did it.”
The professor interrupted their conversation as he turned to the students. “If we could start the lecture now. Today we are discussing the philosophy of the sign according to Ferdinand de Saussure. Could one of you explain the basic ideas of his theory?”
Luisa took a deep breath and concentrated on the lecture, while Antonia smiled encouragingly at her.
Antonia grinned and tried to stifle a loud laugh. “Was that a reason to change universities?”
Luisa played with her hair and twisted a strand around her index finger. She looked out of the window, lost in thought. She regained her composure and looked at Antonia. “No, that wasn't the reason. Although I felt quite deceived by the people . Do you think anyone would have given me a tip? Ex and hop!”
A girl in front of Luisa turned to them and grinned bashfully. “That's the right attitude! That's exactly what I always tell myself!”
“And why did you switch to university here now?” The atmosphere in the conversation was good. The students sitting in front of Luisa also listened intently and Luisa had to laugh from time to time.
“My second boyfriend was probably the greatest love I've ever had. I fell in love with him at first sight. We even lived together for a short time. He was a typical grunge fan. Nirvana, Pearl Jam and lots of alcohol, concerts, fun and it was just brilliant. But as in every relationship, there comes a point when university life and everyday life enter the relationship and at some point I found out from friends that he was seeing someone else. It broke my heart and instead of apologizing, he confessed and then had to destroy it again with a 'but'. How come the cheaters always have to defend it? I'm not talking about one- night stands, I'm talking about when they cheat with their feelings. Sex is sex, but feelings? Then you didn't mean anything to them the whole time. And then there's a short apology, followed by a big 'but', which ruins everything and justifies the entire act, insult and exposure. It's so mean and contemptuous. Even during the break-up phase, he never asked if I still loved him or if I still cared about him. He only talked about himself and still hasn't apologized properly. A sincere apology and everything would have been fine again, but he couldn't do that. I noticed things afterwards that he could never say 'thank you' or that anything was good enough for him. There was always something to complain about. And he couldn't reflect on himself for once. At some point, I accused him of lacking respect. He didn't even think about it for a second and directly accused me of it himself. He immediately confirmed my fears. It all hurt a lot and despite all that, I still loved him.”
The girl in front of Luisa looked at her and made a pitying face. Luisa stopped talking and was curious to hear what Antonia had to say about her relationships. But Antonia had never had a real relationship. An adventure here and there, but it had never lasted more than a few weeks. No attention was paid to the lecture. They talked and talked as if Luisa and Antonia had known each other for years. Before the lecture was over, the girl in the row in front of them wanted to know why Luisa had also left the second university.
“So, was it your broken heart that made you switch universities?”
“Yes and no. I couldn't bear the fact that the person I loved, the person I would have done anything for, would swap me for someone else who was so different from me. So everything he always told me about what he liked and thought was great about me was all a lie and I just had to leave. Memories can be very bad and distressing.” Luisa squinted her eyes and tried to suppress her tears. She still thought of him very often. “And now you're here. Don't think about that loser anymore!” Antonia patted Luisa sympathetically on the thigh.
“Yes, I hope this doesn't happen to me again. Just no more switching! My father will kill me otherwise!”
“You know, you can tell a loser by the fact that he lets his new chick talk bad about you and doesn't defend you to her. Either you still stick by someone after that, or the whole supposed love was for the ass,” Antonia said angrily.
Luisa smiled at her. She wondered if her ex-boyfriend had ever spoken badly about her. She couldn't say, because she hadn't heard anything, or she didn't want to hear it. Luisa only knew that even now, if he got into trouble, she would still be there for him.
The lecture was over and Luisa walked with Antonia along the crowded corridors to the assembly hall. They reached the auditorium and stood at the top of the large, very wide staircase that led down into the huge hall. Luisa looked around and looked right in Kai's direction. He winked at her. Luisa shook her head in annoyance and looked at Antonia again. Antonia noticed that Luisa was annoyed. She turned around and looked in Kai's direction. Kai saw Antonia's look and immediately looked away. Antonia thought about it and looked at Luisa. “Tell me, does Kai want something from you?”
Luisa rolled her eyes. “You mean the red-haired idiot? Ginger?”
The student who had just sat in front of them in the lecture joined them and laughed. “Antonia's been after that idiot for months. Ginger is a nice nickname.”
“Yes, I actually think he's quite cute. Well, him, not the nickname. He's giving a concert tonight, for example. Are you coming too?” asked Antonia.
Luisa looked at Antonia questioningly. “Well, I don't know yet. I'm definitely not coming because of Kai.”
“Antonia has never had a chance with him! He doesn't talk to her at all,” said the student dismissively.
“Well, you haven't missed a thing,” laughed Luisa, twisting the corners of her mouth in disgust.
“Oh, you don't understand. He's so cool and confident, just cute,” said Antonia and you could hear in her statement that she wasn't going to allow any more negative comments about her crush.
Luisa looked around and caught sight of Raymund. “There are certainly better people,” she said, nodding in the direction of a bench where Raymund was sitting. He was all alone in the university auditorium, looking intently at a book. Luisa wondered if he had been sitting there the whole lesson or was he sitting in the same place again. Antonia continued to look longingly in Kai's direction. Luisa turned to Antonia and patted her on the shoulder. Antonia looked at her eagerly. “You, that guy on the bench with the Star Wars T-shirt, who is he?” Luisa pointed in Raymund's direction. Antonia looked pleased, but when she saw Raymund, her interest evaporated. “What, the one reading a book?”
“Yes, that's the one. Tell me something about him.” Luisa looked at Antonia intently.
“Oh, there's not much to say about him. His name is Raymund, he's the absolute genius of this university, if not a nerd. He knows nothing but university and studying, absolutely nothing special.”
“For me, yes,” Luisa said quietly to herself.
Antonia noticed Luisa's interest and frowned. “What do you find so interesting about him?”
Luisa shrugged her shoulders. “I don't know, he just seems different. So quiet and introverted. Maybe he's just what I need right now.”
Antonia sighed. “All right, but he really is a loner. Good luck getting him out of his book world.”
Luisa smiled gratefully and resolved to get to know Raymund better. She continued to watch him from afar and wondered what stories and thoughts were hidden behind his quiet façade. Meanwhile, Antonia led the conversation back to Kai and her concert visit. Luisa nodded occasionally, but her thoughts had long since turned to Raymund and what the future might hold.
“What did you just say?”
“Nothing. What kind of subjects does he have?”
Antonia looked at Luisa questioningly. “Because of tutoring. If he's the best,” Luisa added defensively, raising her hands innocently.
“I see. Latin as my main subject, math and physics.”
“Exactly the same subjects as I have,” said Luisa enthusiastically.
Antonia was astonished. “You're majoring in Latin?”
“Yes, why?”
“That's unusual at a university like this. You're probably the only girl! Nobody likes Latin. It's a dead and pointless language.”
Luisa shrugged her shoulders indifferently. She looked in Raymund's direction. “Absolutely perfect!”
“What's perfect?” Antonia asked curiously, searching the auditorium again for other male students.
Luisa quickly came up with an answer. “... I've finally found someone who can tutor me. Because he has the same subjects as me! I have to catch up with the subject matter here.”
Antonia also looked over at Raymund. “Well, I'm going to have to disappoint you. You've got a bad hand with him!” Luisa looked at Antonia in astonishment. “Why, I think he's the best!”
“Yes, but he doesn't help anyone and he only has contact with the guys from Kai's clique. I don't think he wants anything to do with you.”
Luisa thought for a moment. “Oh, I don't think so. I'll give it a try right now.” She spontaneously walked down the stairs and towards Raymund. Antonia stayed behind in surprise and talked to the other student standing next to her. Raymund was still leafing through a textbook and didn't realize that he had caught Luisa's attention. As Luisa approached him, the auditorium became a little emptier again. Luisa stopped in front of Raymund and watched him. He didn't react and continued to read patiently. Luisa thought about it.
“Hello,” Luisa said very quietly.
Raymund did not look up from his book.
“Hello!”
Luisa continued to think about it and was a little unsure. Had he said something to her or not? She turned around and looked in Antonia's direction. Antonia showed no reaction. Luisa looked at Raymund again, who was still looking at his book with a petrified expression.
“How about you sit down?” he said.
Luisa looked astonished. “Did you just say something?”
“How about you sit down instead of standing there looking stupid. It looks kind of silly,” he said calmly and with a lot of composure.
“Yes, fine.” She sat down cross-legged on the bench in front of Raymund. However, the skirt didn't work, so she sat down in front of him normally with her legs crossed. She was surprised by his voice. Very dark, decidedly masculine, but very quiet. There she sat. She hadn't expected to make contact with him so quickly. She looked at his neat and clean fingers holding the book. She liked that and found very erotic. She could never understand how anyone could enjoy being touched by unkempt hands.
Raymund looked up from his book. He looked deep into Luisa's eyes and she was fascinated by the depth of his gaze. It was almost frightening, as if he were x-raying her with his green eyes.
“So, what do you want?”
Luisa said nothing. She was fascinated by his curved, full lips and his white, straight teeth, which flashed briefly when he spoke. Raymund waited and continued to look at her questioningly.
He seemed impatient, and when he tapped his finger briefly on his book, Luisa woke up from her trance. She searched for an answer. “I heard you have the same subjects as me!”
Raymund gave her a disparaging look and raised his eyebrow. “Latin, you?”
“Yes, me and math and physics.”
“Remarkable, but idiotic. Women are not at all suited to such subjects. But they scream for emancipation and so they get everything they want.”
Luisa looked at Raymund speechlessly. “Disgusting,” he said and looked motionlessly at his book again. Luisa said nothing, just looked at him in silence. She wondered whether he had really just said that or whether she was in a daydream, triggered by him. Raymund took a deep breath, stopped reading and looked Luisa in the eye again.
“What can I help you with?” Luisa was speechless for a moment. “Uh, I just wanted to know where the individual seminars take place. I can't find my way around.”“Ah, you're new!” Raymund grinned mockingly at her.
“What's funny about that?”
“Nothing.” He put his book in his rucksack and stood up comfortably and without rushing. “The physics lecture starts now. If you're still interested, you can come with me,” Raymund said, turning around without waiting for an answer and walking off. Luisa waited a few seconds, jumped up quickly and followed him.
She reached Raymund and walked with him through the auditorium at the same height. They walked past Kai's clique. Kai looked after Luisa in astonishment. Luisa paid him no attention and watched Raymund carefully out of the corner of her eye. Raymund kept his eyes on the ground the whole time. Luisa stayed a step behind Raymund and saw that a plaid handkerchief was hanging out of Raymund's backpack. She looked around to make sure no one was watching them and carefully pushed the handkerchief back into the backpack with her fingertips. Raymund didn't notice.
“How many hours do you have today?” she asked him. Luisa didn't get an answer. Raymund continued to look at the floor and followed his usual path to the lecture hall. Luisa took a step faster and walked at the same height as him again. “How many semesters are you attending?”
“The fourth,” he said curtly. “Just like me.” Luisa turned the corner with Raymund. Raymund stopped abruptly in front of a boy. He was very tall and stocky, like a giant teddy bear, with a full dark beard and very bright eyes. Luisa walked a step further, then came back and stood next to Raymund. The boy looked Luisa up and down and ran a hand through his short dark hair, scratching his head questioningly.
“Hey Raymund, who's that?”
Raymund looked at Luisa with disinterest. “What's your name anyway?” Luisa made a disappointed face. “Oh, haven't I already told you?” Raymund showed no reaction. Luisa looked at the friendly, smiling boy, who was raising his bushy eyebrows questioningly.
“I'm new here and looking for someone who can help me find my way around.” She smiled politely and held out her hand. “My name is Luisa. What's yours?”
