Chaos filled the courtyard.
Students screamed, teachers shouted for help, and sirens wailed in the distance.
Devin didn't wait — he swept Anastasia into his arms, holding her close as she trembled uncontrollably. Her hands were still streaked with blood, her face pale and blank.
"Don't look, Ana. Just… don't look," he whispered, his voice breaking as he carried her away from the scene. She clutched his shirt, shaking violently, unable to form words.
Behind them, Elise sat on the ground, her tears unstoppable. Davon knelt beside her, his hand on her shoulder, his jaw tight with anger and sorrow. "She didn't deserve this," Elise sobbed, her voice weak and broken.
Blue lights flashed. The police arrived, taping off the area as they began asking questions — about Nikki, about what happened, about who "she" in the note might have been.
But no one had answers.
Only fear.
---
Later that night, the dorms were silent.
Patricia sat curled up on Lucian's couch, her eyes red from crying. "I can't get it out of my head, Lucian. The sound—her scream—Ana covered in blood—" Her voice cracked as she buried her face in her hands. "Why would Nikki do that? What did she mean by 'she made me do it'?"
Lucian didn't answer immediately. He just watched her — his usual smirk gone, replaced by a quiet, uneasy expression. "Patricia," he said softly, moving closer.
She kept rambling, her voice shaking. "What if it was someone from the school? What if—what if we're next—"
Before she could spiral any further, Lucian leaned forward and kissed her.
It wasn't passionate. It was gentle — a desperate attempt to silence the storm in her heart. Patricia froze, her eyes wide, then slowly relaxed. The trembling in her shoulders eased.
When he pulled back, her breathing steadied, her voice barely a whisper. "Lucian…"
He looked away, suddenly aware of what he'd done. "You needed to calm down," he muttered, his ears turning red.
Patricia gave a weak, tearful laugh and leaned forward, hugging him tightly. "Thank you."
Lucian blinked, caught off guard, then exhaled and hugged her back.
She rested her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat — steady, strong, safe. Her eyes grew heavy, her fear fading little by little.
Lucian hesitated, then carefully lifted her into his arms and laid her on his bed. He turned to leave, but her hand shot out, gripping his sleeve.
"Don't go… please," she whispered.
He froze for a moment, then nodded silently and sat down beside her. She shifted closer until she was pressed against him, her breathing soft and even.
Lucian wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close.
And for the first time that night, the world felt a little less broken.