stayed frozen. The sound of the next stall's door opening and closing made him flinch, though he forced himself to remain still. The trickle of running water told him—another girl was definitely using the restroom.
He pulled his legs in tighter, lifting them high so nothing could be seen beneath the stall. His chest pounded harder. A cold sweat formed at his temples—not from heat, but from rising panic.
Calm… wait until she leaves… don't make a single move, he told himself, holding his breath.
Soon the flush from the neighboring stall sounded, signaling the girl was finished. Alvano let out a quiet breath, trying to steady himself. He could hear her footsteps move to the sink; water ran again, accompanied by the soft rustle of hands being washed.
Then came a small noise—the girl adjusting her hair or checking her face in the mirror. Normal things to do… but to Alvano, every second felt unbearably tense.
And then, of all things, his knee accidentally knocked the toilet's flush lever.
Click.
Water gushed from the bowl.
Alvano's eyes went wide. He froze. The sound was painfully loud.
The girl at the sink was startled. She turned, suspicion on her face.
"Eh… is someone in there?" she murmured, loud enough to carry in the quiet restroom.
Alvano held his breath tight, praying she'd ignore it. His hope was thin.
Knock...Knock...Knock...
A light knock hit the stall door. "Hello?—Who's in there?" the girl called, sounding confused and unsure.
Panic rose. At that moment, jumping into another dimension sounded more appealing than answering.
The girls' restroom was otherwise calm—only water trickling and the faint ventilation hum. But for Alvano, hiding in a panic, each second felt like a time bomb.
After the accidental flush, the girl outside grew more suspicious. She turned toward his stall and stepped closer.
Knock ... Knock. "This is the girls' bathroom, you know… is anyone in there?" she asked again, voice firmer now—part annoyed, part worried.
No answer. Alvano kept utterly silent, even suppressing his breathing so as not to be heard. He knew speaking would only make things worse. He'd gone too far to back out, too foolish to stay where he was.
The girl lingered in front of the stall, narrowing her eyes. When there was still no response, she crouched slightly and peered through the gap under the door.
Alvano reacted instantly. He pulled his legs up in a quick but measured motion, lifting them onto the toilet seat so nothing was visible. The move threw off his balance a little, but he held on. His thigh muscles strained as he held the position, while his mind raced through worst-case scenarios—what would happen if he got caught.
The girl hesitated. She couldn't see anyone's feet, but the stall was locked. Confusion flickered across her face, then she seemed to decide to let it go. She exhaled and turned back to the sink, trying to shake off the suspicion.
Behind the stall, Alvano thought fast. He slowly lowered his legs and fished his phone from his pocket. His only option was to call for help—he had to tell Theo.
As soon as the screen lit up, a notification sound blared—too loud in the hush.
Ding.
Alvano went rigid. His face tightened. He slammed the volume down to mute, but it was too late—the tone had already alerted the girl, who looked back toward the stall with a sharper expression.
"Wait… did I just hear a notification?" she murmured, moving closer again.
Panic-stricken, Alvano opened his messaging app and typed a short message with trembling fingers:
[Alvano]: Get to the girls' restroom. Now. Don't ask.
No explanation, no context. He had no time for more. He could only hope Theo would read and understand.
Outside, the girl grew visibly uncomfortable—either from being ignored or from the niggling suspicion. She came to the stall again and knocked harder.
"If there's someone in there… can you answer?" she demanded, voice rising between irritation and concern.
Alvano stayed silent. His breath was quiet but quick; his heart beat like war drums.
Back in class, the atmosphere had grown drowsy. Some students bowed over their books; the teacher at the front focused on the board. Theo was nearly asleep, head resting on his arms, trying to steal a few minutes of rest before the lesson bored him completely.
Then his phone's notification disturbed the stillness. The sound was familiar. Theo opened his eyes, reached into his pocket, and squinted at the message.
"Get to the girls' restroom. Now. Don't ask."
He froze. Confusion and concern creased his brow. What the hell is he doing…? The blunt message felt wrong—off. Worry surged through Theo. He didn't hesitate.
He forced himself to stand and made up an excuse.
"Excuse me, sir… I'm not feeling well. My stomach's acting up. May I go to the restroom?"
The teacher paused mid-sentence and gave him a suspicious look, as if weighing the truth of his words.
"You just had break. Why not then?" the teacher asked.
"It just started now, sir. I don't think I can hold it if I stay," Theo replied with a serious face, doing his best to sound convincing.
The teacher watched him a beat longer, then nodded reluctantly. "Fine. Be quick."
Once he had permission, Theo bolted from his seat and hurried out of the classroom. He grabbed his phone and replied:
"I'm on my way. Hang on. Don't get caught."
His steps lengthened into a near-run down the hallway. In his head, he pictured every possible disaster if Alvano was discovered in the wrong restroom. One thing was clear—he had to get there before things blew up.