The dorm block stood quiet under the mellow light of late afternoon, sun slipping between the trees like golden threads weaving into the shadows.
The faint hum of cicadas echoed from somewhere beyond the fence line.
Noel walked beside Luca, their steps unhurried. Gravel crunched under their shoes again, only now with less urgency—less of the morning's rush, more of the day's ease setting in.
Luca reached for the front door, holding it open without a word. Noel stepped inside, the cooler air brushing against his skin.
The familiar hallway greeted them—scuffed tile floors, faded noticeboards, and the lingering scent of something vaguely citrus from the janitor's mop earlier in the day.
Noel glanced toward their door down the hall, fingers brushing the edge of his folder. "We actually going to fill this out now?"
Luca stretched lightly, his hand brushing the back of his neck. "If we don't, Emily's going to knock at sunrise and drag us to the bursary by our ankles."
