(Michelle Lui's POV)
The courtyard was too loud.
Too bright.
Too full of eyes that weren't supposed to see the things they saw.
I didn't know where to look.
Not at Steven — whose gaze was locked on me like he was demanding an answer I wasn't ready to give.
Not at Anthony — whose hand was still barely grazing my wrist, warm and tense with unspoken… something.
Not at Andy — whose playful confidence had vanished, replaced by a protective edge that made my chest feel tight.
Not at Jasmine — whose glare could have sliced me in half.
Not at Lara — who looked like she was trying very hard to pretend everything was fine while clearly seeing that nothing was.
My breath stuck somewhere in the middle of all of them.
The group that once felt like home… suddenly felt like a battlefield.
"I— I'm fine," I repeated weakly. It came out like a lie dipped in polite packaging.
Silence stretched, heavy and awkward.
Then Kate, sweet Kate, clap-whispered loud enough to break the tension:
