The cafeteria did not carry the same quiet grace as the garden, for it thrummed with noise that rose and fell like restless tides, and Ella stepped within that space with a calm that seemed almost out of place, her posture composed, her gaze lowered just enough to avoid direct attention, though the shift in the room was immediate, subtle yet undeniable, as conversations dipped and eyes turned in ways that pretended not to.
Olivia walked beside her with a slower step, her shoulders slightly tense as she felt the change ripple outward, her fingers tightening faintly around her tray, her gaze flickering toward nearby tables where whispers gathered too quickly to be coincidence.
"…yeah," Olivia muttered under her breath, her tone edged with irritation, her lips pressing together faintly, "…they're at it again," she added, her brows drawing together, "…seriously, don't they get tired," she finished, frustration threading through.
