The next day of class felt different before Ronan even stepped through the door.
He arrived later than most students, deliberately so, and the moment he crossed the threshold the weight of attention pressed against him like something physical. Eyes tracked him from every corner of the lecture hall.
It wasn't just him.
Every student who entered after the mass purge received the same treatment. They wanted to see who entered, and who was left.
But Ronan noticed the looks directed at him carried something a little sharper.
They didn't think he belonged here.
It amused him more than it really bothered him.
He descended the stone steps slowly, scanning the room.
He noticed Aura in the top corner of the room, sitting there with a considerable amount of space between her and the other students. Her face was in her arms, and she appeared to be sleeping.
Irene was also there, and she was staring at him. Blatantly.
