𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭

thirty nine

Kaiden

The room was quiet except for the rustling of pages and the faint scratching of pencils on paper.

We'd been hunched over notebooks, highlighters scattered around us, with a mountain of sports science information spread out like a battlefield. I had no idea how much time had passed, but judging by the way everyone's heads were bobbing and their notes were starting to look more like doodles, we were all feeling it.

I glanced around, seeing Ethan rubbing his eyes and Eliza yawning dramatically, stretching her arms over her head.

"Alright, I think that's about as much sports science as my brain can handle," Eliza finally announced, closing her book with a sigh of relief. "We've been at this for hours, people. I say we reward ourselves with some serious couch time."

I leaned back, stretching my arms until I felt my shoulders crack. "I could get behind that," I said. "What are we watching?"

Ethan and Eliza shared a look, grinning in that way that made it obvious they were plotting something. "Horror movie," Eliza declared, already pulling out her laptop to scroll through the options.

"Of course it is," I muttered with a smirk. Horror movies were Eliza's go-to, and it was almost a tradition by now.

As Eliza sorted through the options, Ethan hopped up and said, "I'll make popcorn," heading over to the little microwave in the corner of the dorm's kitchenette.

The room instantly started to fill with that warm, buttery smell, and I leaned back, letting the scent hit me. But my gaze drifted to Delphine, who was still staring at her notes, chewing her lip like she was trying to memorize every last fact. She looked a little lost in her own world.

"Hey, Delphine, we're taking a break," I said, trying to pull her out of whatever mental rabbit hole she'd fallen into.

She blinked a few times, looking up at me as if just remembering where she was. "Oh, yeah. Right. A break."

Ethan came back over, dumping the popcorn into a giant bowl, and we all shuffled around on the couch, trying to make enough room for everyone.

Ethan and Eliza ended up side by side, instantly snuggling into each other in that way that made them look like they'd been dating for years.

I sat down next to Delphine, a bit surprised that she was willingly squeezed into the middle seat between me and the armrest. It was a tight fit, but I wasn't complaining.

Eliza dimmed the lights, and as soon as the movie started, Ethan handed the popcorn bowl to Delphine, offering her the first grab. She hesitated, just looking at it for a second before shaking her head. "I'm good," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ethan shrugged and dug in himself, but I couldn't help noticing how tense she seemed, her hands clutching her knees like she was holding herself back.

I'd seen her eat before, but mostly salads or something small. Tonight, she was avoiding even popcorn. I nudged the bowl toward her, hoping she'd feel more comfortable if I was the one offering.

"Come on, it's popcorn," I whispered, flashing her a half-smile, trying to keep it light. "Not exactly a four-course meal."

She gave me a look, but her eyes softened just a little. She finally took a few pieces, chewing them slowly, almost like she was trying to convince herself it was fine. I leaned back, pretending not to notice how little she'd taken, but it stuck with me.

It wasn't like I knew her well enough to pry, but there was something there, something just under the surface that didn't add up.

As the movie played, I found myself stealing glances at her more than at the screen. Her eyes would flicker in surprise or widen during a jump scare, and once or twice, I caught her covering her mouth, trying not to laugh at something absurd in the plot.