I came back to school thinking Exvertia training had hardened me.

  It hadn’t.

  If anything, school felt louder, sharper, and more exhausting than the white rooms Connor kept me in.

  The haunted house project swallowed the classroom whole.

  Papers, sketches, half-built props.

  And me... standing in the middle of it all, trying to fix what I had started.

  It didn’t matter.

  “This concept still doesn’t work.”

  “It’s not scary. Make it darker.”

  “This won’t attract anyone.”

  Every word landed cleanly.

  I didn’t argue.

  I never did.

  Fear kept my mouth shut.

  Then Songwill wandered over to Narina.

  His eyes lit up.

  “Wait—this is insane. This is good.”

  The pressure around me vanished in an instant.

  Voices shifted. Bodies followed.

  The crowd moved not toward me, but toward Narina.

  And I felt… relief.

  Praise poured over Narina.

  “This is brilliant.”

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  “That’s creepy—in the right way.”

  “How did you even think of this?”

  She stiffened, eyes dropping, cheeks flushing pink as she tried to disappear behind her hair.

  “I-it’s nothing…” she murmured.

  They leaned closer anyway.

  For a moment, I just watched.

  Narina, overwhelmed but glowing like someone finally seen.

  When the noise died down, I found her alone near the back.

  Her expression wasn’t proud.

  It was unsettled.

  “Ria, I—I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—”

  “It’s fine,” I said quickly. “You were amazing.”

  I scratched my head, forcing a laugh.

  “…Thanks for saving me from the wolves.”

  She didn’t smile.

  Instead, she studied me—carefully.

  “You’ve changed,” she whispered. “Since you started training with your mentor.”

  I tried to keep things light.

  “Maybe. Oh—soon I’ll have that procedure they told me about. Something about turning knowledge into traits.”

  I waited.

  “That’s good,” she said.

  Then, quieter—

  “At least you won’t be stuck with me in the non-Exvertia world.”

  My chest tightened.

  “That’s not true,” I said, too fast. “We promised. Remember? No matter what.”

  I hugged her.

  She hugged me back—

  tight, almost desperate.

  When we pulled apart, the warmth faded quicker than I wanted.

  I searched for something familiar.

  “Hey… remember those detective dramas we used to watch? Haven’t seen them in forever. Connor’s basically killing me with training.”

  I waited for her laugh.

  It didn’t come.

  “That’s… nice,” she said.

  She took a small step back.

  I didn’t notice it then.

  I only felt relieved she hadn’t pushed me away.

  “Sorry to interrupt.”

  Rickely stood beside us, smiling easily.

  “Ria, mind if we borrow Narina? We’ll need her ideas going forward. Oh—and your concepts? We shared them while you were away. Parents loved them.”

  I blinked.

  “That’s… good. You can take—”

  “Sorry,” Narina said suddenly. “I don’t—”

  Rickely took her hand.

  “Come on,” he said gently. “Everyone’s waiting.”

  She froze.

  Then, after a pause, she nodded.

  He didn’t let go as they walked away.

  “I’ll head off then,” I said, forcing a smile. “Good luck with the project.”

  “Good luck with Exvertia,” Rickely replied. “You’re cool, Ria. But Narina really steals the spotlight.”

  They waved. Still holding hands.

  I watched them go.

  Narina looked different. Brighter. More certain.

  Around them were others, Songwill, loud and brilliant.

  The class leader, bold and steady.

  Rickely, newly close.

  Everyone had moved while I was gone.

  I rested my chin on my palm, staring at the classroom that no longer felt like mine.

  "We stood together once. We promised."

  So why did it feel like I was the only one still standing in that place?

  And when did the distance between us grow this quiet?