The walk to school felt shorter than usual. Maybe because Alaric was walking beside me. Maybe because each step was accompanied by the chain around my neck—a weight that was more than just metal. Every glance at him reminded me of yesterday, of the driveway, of his I'll stay. And yet, there was a knot in my stomach that wouldn't untangle, no matter how deeply I breathed.
The morning was clear, almost too clear. The sun had driven away the fog, but it brought the cold with it. Clouds of breath rose from our mouths as our steps crushed the gravel on the sidewalk. Everywhere the familiar sounds of the city—engines, bird calls, the squeak of a bicycle arriving late to school.
I felt Alaric's presence like a soft humming, a constant amid everything that wavered. His hand briefly brushed my sleeve, as if checking whether I was still there.
"How are you feeling?" he asked eventually, without looking at me.
I considered. The honest answer would have been empty. Instead, I said: "Okay."
