Darkness still clung to the buildings when Nicco opened his eyes.

  It was six in the morning, according to the dead clock on his nightstand. He couldn't remember when exactly he'd fallen asleep, but the dream—he still felt it in his bones.

  He got up in silence and walked to the kitchen. Dahlia was already there, sitting by the window with a cup of coffee and her eyes lost on the horizon. Her gaze was glassy, lips dry, and an unlit cigarette rested between her fingers.

  "You didn't sleep well," Nicco said—not as a question, just a fact.

  She let out a dry, humorless laugh.

  "Do I ever?"

  No more words followed. Dahlia didn't speak unless she wanted to, and Nicco never pushed. The silence between them was comfortable, like two ghosts recognizing each other without needing language.

  A few minutes passed before Kali appeared. She stretched as she walked into the kitchen, hair a mess, wearing an oversized T-shirt that didn't belong to her. When he saw her, Nicco couldn't help but smile. She did too.

  "Good morning, sleepyhead," he said softly, just for her.

  "Me? Sleepyhead? And what about you?" she replied with a raised eyebrow, stepping forward to grab her coffee.

  For a moment, just a brush of hands as they passed the mug. A second that sparked a flame.

  Without looking up, Dahlia left for the bathroom with her cup in hand. As if she knew she shouldn't be there just then.

  Kali leaned against the kitchen counter.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  "I had weird dreams last night," she said finally.

  "Me too," Nicco replied, meeting her eyes.

  A heavy silence fell.

  "I don't know if it was the tension from the party or what..." she continued, playing with the edge of her mug, "but there were mirrors. And I was alone."

  "I was in another time. Imprisoned." He stepped a little closer. "I couldn't speak, I couldn't move."

  Kali swallowed hard. The air between them turned electric. They were sharing something intimate, dark... but at the same time, there was fire in their eyes. A closeness that wasn't new, but now felt impossible to ignore.

  "Should we tell Dahlia?" Kali asked.

  Nicco shook his head.

  "No. She doesn't need more weight right now."

  Kali nodded, lowering her gaze. But when she looked up again, she smiled—one of those smiles that promises more than it says.

  "You're going to have to tell me more details about that dream. Maybe... we can interpret it together."

  Nicco chuckled, low and teasing.

  "Interpret it? Or live another version of it?"

  Kali bit her lip. There was fire, yes. But it was early, and they had class.

  The university greeted them as always: with its familiar gray, its crowded hallways, and the constant murmur of lives brushing past each other without touching. They ran into Vero and Jake just before entering the lecture hall.

  "Hey!" Jake greeted. "Have you heard anything from Viki?"

  Kali and Nicco exchanged a look. Dahlia, just behind them, pretended to check her phone.

  "Nothing since the party," said Vero, frowning. "She's not answering messages. She's not in the group chats. Her roommate says she didn't come home that night."

  "Didn't she say she was leaving with that guy?" Nicco asked, though he couldn't really recall the details.

  "Yeah, but no one knows who he is. And he's not in any photos," Jake replied, clearly worried. "It's weird."

  "Really weird," Vero added.

  Kali furrowed her brow, visibly uncomfortable. But she said nothing. Neither did Dahlia.

  Nicco touched Kali's arm gently for a second—maybe to calm her, maybe just to connect.

  "We'll talk later, okay?" he murmured.

  Kali nodded. But her cheeks had already turned that shade of pink Nicco knew all too well.

  Class began, but something felt off.

  The shadow of Viki hung over them like a heavy cloud. No one said it aloud...

  But everyone thought the same thing:

  Something happened that night. And it wasn't over yet.