The sun was still high.
Light struck the garden hard, with not enough shadow near the wall. The grass looked shorter there, as if it had been trimmed again only along that strip. The stone path reflected pale points that stung the eyes.
Elara remained seated in the same place.
Her back pressed to the wall. Legs folded too close to her body. The space around her felt too large for someone staying still.
The other children played farther away.
Not all together. Small groups, separated by gaps that hadn't existed before. One group near the tree. Another by the path. Laughter burst and stopped quickly, as if someone had learned how to laugh without opening their mouth too wide.
The tutors were spread out.
None too close. None far enough. Their eyes reached Elara and slid away, over and over.
The wind passed once, lifting dust near the wall, then left quickly, as if it had chosen the wrong place.
Elara drew a small circle in the dirt with her fingertip. Dust clung under her nail.
She rubbed it on the side of her pants. The mark showed pale, then faded.
A gate creaked.
Elara turned her face.
A new child entered the garden, holding a tutor's hand. A small backpack bounced against her back. Hair tied crooked, a ribbon nearly falling loose.
The tutor let go.
The child looked around, eyes moving faster than her feet. She saw the ball. Saw the group by the tree. Saw Elara sitting alone, pressed to the wall.
She smiled.
Her body chose before her head did.
She ran straight over.
Light steps. Arms opened too wide. The smile growing mid-run, as if already decided.
"Hey—"
The child's name came from behind.
Short. Sharp.
The body braked before contact.
A foot slipped slightly on the grass. Arms dropped. The smile bent, caught halfway.
She didn't touch Elara.
She stopped a few steps away, chest rising and falling fast.
The child glanced back.
Uncertain.
A tutor lifted her hand.
She didn't call. Didn't point. Just made a small motion, almost invisible, like shooing something away.
The child understood.
She turned slowly, still looking at Elara over her shoulder, as if she had left something behind. The smile fell on its own. Her feet changed direction.
She ran toward another group.
Someone made space. Someone took her hand. The ball bounced again. Sound spread out, as if nothing had paused.
Elara stayed where she was.
Her body hadn't moved.
Her hands stayed on the ground. Her finger traced the same circle until the line vanished.
No one said her name.
No one introduced her.
The new child didn't look back.
The tutors returned to their places, filling the same spots as before, like pieces set back on a board after a small mistake.
The garden kept working.
Elara leaned her forehead against the wall for a moment. The sun's heat hadn't reached that spot.
She pulled her head back.
The space around her stayed wide.
Too wide to be just empty.
Noise went on. Laughter. Footsteps. Ball.
But now everything passed through her without touching.
She hadn't frightened anyone.
But someone had warned them.