THE FIELD – 6:00 AM
Aaron woke up before his alarm.
He'd been dreaming about drowning. Not Oliver's drowning. His own. Water filling his lungs, his hands reaching for a surface that kept moving higher. He sat up, gasping.
Charlie was still asleep. Wesley's bed was empty. Oliver's too.
Aaron checked his phone. No messages from Vicky. No messages from Mandy. Nothing from the unknown number.
He got up, dressed, and walked to the field in the dark.
---
The team arrived an hour later. Femi was the first. He'd been coming early every day since his mother's funeral. He didn't talk. He just ran. Laps. Sprints. Drills. Anything to keep moving.
"You're going to burn out," Aaron said.
"I'm going to burn through."
"That's not healthy."
"Neither is losing."
Coach Okafor arrived. He looked at Femi, then at Aaron, then at the rest of the team trickling in.
"Today we scrimmage," he said. "First team against second. Winner starts the qualifier."
The team groaned. Scrimmages were brutal.
"Captain," Coach said. "Choose your side."
Aaron looked at his teammates. Femi. Kehinde. Kosi. The rest.
"We're not first team or second team," Aaron said. "We're one team. We play together."
"That's not how scrimmages work."
"Then we'll make it work."
Coach stared at him. Then he nodded. "Fine. Run it."
They ran.
---
THE GIRLS' DORM – 8:00 AM
Vicky was staring at her phone when Zuru walked in.
"You're still in bed?"
"I'm thinking."
"You've been thinking for three days."
"I've been trying to figure out who put my name on that list."
Zuru sat on the edge of the bed. "What if it doesn't matter?"
"It matters."
"Why? Because someone wants to hurt you? People always want to hurt you. That's life."
Vicky looked at her. "You're not helping."
"I'm not trying to help. I'm trying to tell you to let it go."
"I can't."
"Then you're going to drive yourself crazy."
Vicky threw her phone on the bed. "Rose knows. She told me someone I know did it. Someone who wants to hurt me."
Zuru's face went still. "Did she say who?"
"No. She wants me to earn it."
"Earn what?"
"The information. She wants me to come to a meeting. Prove I'm not a liability."
Zuru stood up. "Don't go."
"Why not?"
"Because Rose doesn't give information. She collects it. If you go to that meeting, you become hers."
Vicky stared at her. "How do you know that?"
Zuru's jaw tightened. "Because I've been to one."
The room went quiet.
"You?" Vicky said.
"Last year. Before everything. She wanted something from me. I didn't give it. She's been waiting ever since."
"What did she want?"
Zuru looked at the door. Then at Vicky. Then at the floor.
"She wanted to know who else was in The Garden."
"And you told her?"
"No. I didn't know anything. That's why she left me alone."
Vicky sat up. "But you know things now."
"I know a lot of things. That's why I stay away from her."
Vicky picked up her phone. Stared at Rose's contact.
"Don't," Zuru said.
"I won't."
"Promise me."
"I promise."
Zuru nodded. She walked to her bed and lay down.
Vicky put the phone away.
---
THE BASKETBALL COURT – 12:00 PM
Oliver was in the zone.
He'd scored seventeen points in the first half of the scrimmage. His teammates were finally passing to him. Finally trusting him.
At halftime, Coach Ogun pulled him aside.
"You're playing well."
"I'm playing hungry."
"Good. Keep it up."
Oliver walked back to the court. Peculiar was in the stands, watching. He didn't wave. He just played.
Second half, he scored twelve more points. His team won by nine.
After the game, he sat on the bench, sweat dripping down his face. Peculiar sat beside him.
"You're going to make the starting lineup," she said.
"I already made it."
"That's not what I mean."
He looked at her. "What do you mean?"
She touched his face. "I mean you're going to be someone. Not just a player. Someone."
He didn't know what to say. So he didn't say anything.
---
THE CAFETERIA – 2:00 PM
Mandy was eating alone when Vicky sat down across from her.
"Can I help you?" Mandy asked.
"Someone put my name on The Watchmen's list."
"Good."
"Fuck you."
"You already did. Metaphorically."
Vicky leaned forward. "I know you didn't do it. You're too busy fucking Aaron to care about lists."
Mandy's face didn't change. "What do you want, Vicky?"
"I want to know who did it."
"And you think I know?"
"You know everything. That's your problem."
Mandy put down her fork. "I don't know who put your name on the list. But I know someone who might."
"Who?"
"Your friend."
"I have a lot of friends."
"The one who's not your friend."
Vicky's stomach dropped. "Zuru?"
Mandy picked up her fork. "I didn't say anything."
"Yes, you did."
"I said someone who's not your friend. You said Zuru. That's on you."
Mandy went back to eating.
Vicky sat there, her hands shaking.
---
THE DORM – 4:00 PM
Charlie was pacing.
Josephine had texted him: I need space.
He'd replied: Space for what?
She'd replied: Space to think.
He hadn't replied. He was trying to give her space. It was killing him.
"You're going to wear a hole in the floor," Wesley said.
"Shut up."
"You're making me dizzy."
"Shut up."
Wesley closed his book. "You want to know what I think?"
"No."
"I think you're scared."
"I'm not scared."
"I think you're scared she's going to realize she can do better."
Charlie stopped pacing. "That's not—"
"It is. And it's okay. Everyone's scared of that."
Charlie sat on his bed. "How do you deal with it?"
"I don't. I just keep moving."
"That's not helpful."
"It's not supposed to be. It's just true."
Charlie lay back on his bed. Stared at the ceiling.
His phone buzzed.
Josephine (4:15 PM): I don't want space. I want you. I'm just scared.
He typed back: Me too.
She replied: Then let's be scared together.
He smiled.
---
THE PARKING LOT – 6:00 PM
Jon was waiting.
Ese walked across the lot. Her boots were loud. Her face was blank.
"You're late," he said.
"You're early."
"Same thing."
"It's not."
She got in the car. He drove.
They didn't talk. They didn't need to.
---
THE APARTMENT – 7:00 PM
They sat on the couch. Not touching. Not talking.
Jon broke the silence. "I told my brother about you."
Ese's heart stopped. "You told Oliver?"
"No. My other brother. The one who doesn't go to MU."
"Why?"
"Because I wanted someone to know."
"Know what?"
"That I'm happy."
Ese looked at him. His face was open. Vulnerable.
"I'm not happy," she said.
"Then what are you?"
"I don't know."
He took her hand. "Then let's figure it out together."
She didn't pull away.
---
THE ABANDONED STUDIO – 9:00 PM
Rose stood alone in the dark.
Kelly had texted her the new list. Twelve names. Vicky's was still there. Someone had added Mandy's.
Rose stared at the wall. The garden was growing. But so were the threats.
She picked up her phone.
Rose (9:05 PM): Meeting tomorrow. Everyone. No exceptions.
Kelly (9:05 PM): What about Vicky?
Rose (9:06 PM): Especially Vicky.
She put down the phone.
The garden needed pruning.
---
THE DORM – 10:00 PM
Aaron sat on his bed, staring at the wall.
Oliver walked in. His face was tired. His eyes were clear.
"You made the starting lineup," Aaron said.
"News travels fast."
"Charlie posted it."
Oliver sat on his bed. "How's Vicky?"
"I don't know. We don't talk."
"That's probably for the best."
"Probably."
They sat in silence.
Oliver lay back on his bed. Aaron picked up his phone.
A message from Mandy: I saw Vicky today. She thinks Zuru put her on the list.
Aaron stared at the screen.
Aaron (10:05 PM): Did Zuru do it?
Mandy (10:05 PM): Does it matter?
Aaron (10:06 PM): Yes.
Mandy (10:06 PM): Then find out yourself.
He put the phone down.
The room was quiet.
---
THE GIRLS' DORM – 11:00 PM
Vicky lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling.
Zuru was on the floor, painting her nails.
"Did you do it?" Vicky asked.
"Do what?"
"Put my name on the list."
Zuru's hand stopped moving. "No."
"Then why did Mandy say you did?"
"Mandy is trying to get in your head."
"Is it working?"
Zuru put down the nail polish. "I would never do that to you."
"How do I know that?"
"Because I'm your friend."
"Are you?"
Zuru stood up. Walked to Vicky's bed. Sat beside her.
"I'm the only one who stayed. When you were crying over Aaron. When you were fighting with Zizi. When you were losing your mind. I stayed."
Vicky's eyes were wet.
"I'm not your enemy, Vicky. I never was."
Vicky reached for her hand. Zuru took it.
They sat like that until the lights went out.