Meanwhile, a few hours ago, back in school, as Ethan and the twins left the class.
Chairs scraped quietly against the floor as students also began packing up. Backpacks zipped, phones buzzed, and conversations picked up around the room like someone had unmuted life.
But at the very back of the class, a girl moved slower than the rest.
She didn't rush.
She didn't talk.
She closed her notebook, gently slid her pencil case into her bag, and stood quietly, unnoticed by most.
Her long, sleek black hair brushed softly across her shoulders as she moved. Although she wore the same school uniform as everyone else, it somehow looked neater on her.
It was tighter at the cuffs and smoothed down perfectly.
No wrinkles. No loose threads.
Her eyes were calm, dark, and thoughtful, but they carried something distant in them—a sense of watching the world from just a step too far away.
She didn't speak to anyone as she left the classroom.
No one stopped her.
No one even looked.
