Chapter 54: [54] Unaffected
Xavier stood rigid in Training Hall B, his navy tracksuit feeling more like a straitjacket than athletic wear. The enhanced fabric was supposed to regulate temperature and provide minor impact resistance, but right now it just made him feel trapped.
Sleep had been a joke. Every time he’d closed his eyes, he’d felt phantom touches—Calypso’s fingers in his hair, her breath against his neck, the weight of her body pressed against his. The couch had been about as comfortable as sleeping on concrete, but that wasn’t what kept him awake. It was the knowledge that she lay just twenty feet away, probably staring at the ceiling and thinking the same thoughts that plagued him.
This morning had been a masterclass in awkward. They’d moved around each other like strangers, speaking only when necessary.
"Coffee’s ready."
"Bathroom’s free."
"We should leave."
Each interaction stilted, loaded with everything they weren’t saying.
Xavier’s purple eyes tracked across the training hall to where Calypso stood in a cluster with Ashley, Margaret, Naomi, and Selena. She was laughing at something Ashley had said, her head thrown back, silver hair catching the artificial light.
She’s fine, Xavier thought bitterly. Completely unaffected.
"Dude, you’re radiating some seriously dark vibes right now," Beppo whispered from Xavier’s left, unconsciously scooting away.
Sayuri nodded from Xavier’s right. "Are you feeling sick? You look pale."