The parking lot thins out as cars pull away, laughter fading into engines.
Jason lingers.
Aurora does too.
She twirls a strand of her hair, eyes bright. "So… you ever actually smile, or is that just a morning thing?"
Jason laughs despite himself. "I smile."
"Convince me," she says.
From across the lot, Summer freezes.
"Oh wow," she mutters. "He's flirting-flirting."
Zyren tilts his head. "You sound invested."
"I'm not," she snaps instantly. "It's just embarrassing."
He grins. "Sure."
Kaida watches everything. She always does.
Her phone buzzes again, sharp against her palm.
She ignores it.
Lyrelle doesn't.
She notices Prince lagging behind Kyra instead of walking beside her like usual. Notices the way he keeps his hands shoved into his pockets. Notices how Kyra won't look at him.
Lyrelle slows.
Prince slows too.
"You okay?" she asks casually.
He nods too fast. "Yeah."
She studies him for half a second longer, then lets it go. For now.
At the edge of the lot, Ryan steps away from the group.
Behind the gym.
Exactly where the message said.
The air back there is cooler. Quieter. He leans against the brick wall, jaw tight, waiting.
His phone lights up.
A video starts playing automatically.
It's him.
Laughing.
With Georgina.
Weeks ago.
He scoffs softly. "That's it?"
Another buzz.
"YOU LEFT HER."
"SHE DIDN'T LEAVE YOU."
Footsteps crunch behind him.
He turns.
Nothing.
The video ends.
Another message replaces it.
"TURN AROUND."
Ryan doesn't.
In the lot, Aurora laughs again, touching Jason's arm lightly.
"See you tomorrow?" she asks.
Jason hesitates.
That's all it takes.
Kaida's phone vibrates violently now.
She pulls it out.
"CONNECTION FORMED."
"CONSEQUENCE LOADING."
Her breath stutters.
"Kaida?"
Lyrelle's voice snaps her back.
Kaida looks up, eyes sharp. "We need to leave. Now."
Prince frowns. "Why?"
Kaida looks straight at Lyrelle.
"I can't protect you anymore," she says quietly.
Lyrelle's smile fades.
"What do you mean?"
Kaida's phone buzzes one last time.
"TIME'S UP."
Across the lot, Summer grabs Zyren's arm suddenly. "Do you feel that?"
"Feel what?"
"Like… when something bad is about to happen."
He opens his mouth to joke.
Doesn't.
A scream echoes from behind the gym.
Everyone freezes.
Jake is the first to move. "Ryan."
They run.
Ryan is on the ground when they find him. Breathing. Shaken. Phone smashed beside him.
He sits up slowly, eyes wild. "It knows everything."
Prince crouches beside him. "What happened?"
Ryan laughs once. Short. Broken. "It asked me who I'd choose if it made me."
"Choose what?" Summer demands.
Ryan looks at Jason.
Then at Aurora standing at the edge of the crowd, watching too calmly.
"Someone to lose," he says.
Aurora tilts her head, smiling. "Wow. You guys are dramatic."
Kaida stares at her.
And for the first time since the game began, Kaida is afraid of a person more than a screen.
That night, Lyrelle stands in front of her mirror, Prince's hoodie wrapped around her shoulders.
Her phone lights up.
She ignores it.
Her door opens quietly.
Kaida steps in.
"I should've told you earlier," Kaida says.
Lyrelle turns slowly. "Told me what?"
Kaida swallows.
Outside, Summer texts Zyren from her bed.
You still awake?
His reply comes instantly.
Always.
At the same time, Jason's phone lights up.
Unknown number.
"YOU ARE NOT THE FIRST."
"YOU WON'T BE THE LAST."
And across town, Aurora types something into her phone, smiling softly as she presses send.
The Shadow Game doesn't just watch anymore.
It's recruiting.