Chapter 35: A Normal Day... For Now
The first thing Rei noticed was the silence.
Not the comfortable silence of a quiet morning, nor the lazy silence Jay seemed to wrap himself in like a blanket. This was pointed. Avoidant. The kind of silence that followed a news explosion and a dozen whispered rumors.
He took a step into the classroom.
Whispers stopped mid-breath.
Eyes flicked toward him. Some darted away immediately. Others lingered, narrowed with suspicion—or fear.
Alicia was already seated near the front. Her gaze met his. She didn’t look away.
Jay, meanwhile, was absent. Again.
"Did he get lost?" Rei wondered, part serious, part hopeful.
He took his seat near the back, as he always had.
Except now, the chair felt colder. Emptier.
Like someone had removed a piece of him when he wasn’t looking.
[System Error Report: Suppressed]