Tobias's apartment — 1:17 p.m.

  The sound of boiling water was the only thing filling the small kitchen. Tobias moved with ease, opening drawers, stirring tomato sauce with a wooden spoon while Dahlia watched him from the table.

  "Are you sure you're okay with pasta?" he asked without turning around.

  "As long as it's not raw, I'm good," Dahlia replied with a brief smile.

  Tobias shot her a quick glance over his shoulder. He liked this version of her: still reserved, but leaving room for small bits of irony.

  "You seem more relaxed today," he commented as he served the food onto two plates.

  "I slept a bit. That helped," she said, shrugging. "And this. Cooking. Smelling someone else's home that doesn't expect anything from me. That helps too."

  "Well, this house doesn't ask for anything. It only demands that guests eat," Tobias said, placing the plate in front of her.

  They ate in silence for a few minutes. Not an awkward silence, but one full of trust slowly taking shape. Dahlia ate slowly, occasionally glancing at the stacked books, the half-dead plant in the window, the stringless guitar on the floor.

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  "Is it always... like this?" she asked.

  "Chaotic?"

  She nodded, chewing.

  "Yeah. But functional. Like me."

  Dahlia let out a quiet laugh. Tobias glanced at her, smiling too.

  "And you?" he asked. "Are you always this... observant?"

  "Yeah. But functional too," she replied, and they clinked their water glasses like a toast to that.

  ...

  Kali's shared apartment — 1:21 p.m.

  Kali was curled up on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, legs crossed. She held a bowl of ramen in her hands, last night's makeup still outlining her eyes with a dramatic touch. Nicco approached with a mug of coffee.

  "Still alive?" he asked, handing it to her.

  "I survived a party with suspicious punch and a Jake dressed as a fluorescent insect. That's a feat."

  He sat down next to her, careful not to spill the coffee. She slurped the ramen and looked at him seriously.

  "You okay?"

  He took a moment to respond.

  "I don't know. It was a weird night."

  Kali smiled.

  "Last night... got out of hand."

  "A bit," Nicco agreed. "But you were incredible."

  "For kissing you like there was no tomorrow?"

  "For being you. Even when everything's shaking, you're still... light."

  Kali glanced at him. Something in her chest tightened.

  "Sometimes even I don't know what I am. But thank you for saying that when I have the hardest time believing it."

  Nicco shifted to get more comfortable, wrapping an arm around her. She didn't move. She just let herself be there—between the ramen, the blanket, and him.

  "Today I don't want drama. Just calm," she murmured.

  "And a good nap," he added.

  "And for my parents not to call with some punishment about the pool."

  They laughed together, more relaxed.

  For the first time in days, neither thought about what hadn't been said.

  Only about what was there: each other's warmth. And for now, that was enough.