Against the Edge

Whispers Over Lunch

The mid-morning sun cast long beams through the windows as Professor Gwen's lecture came to a close, students shuffling out of the classroom in the usual end-of-class rush. Ethan, James, and Louis gathered their things, exchanging glances as they noticed Miguel's absence.

"Is it just me, or is it strange that Miguel didn't show up?" Louis murmured, looking around as if he might catch a glimpse of Miguel slipping in late.

"He probably got caught up with the campus Olympiad paperwork," James suggested, trying to brush off Louis's concern. "Remember? He mentioned it in the team chat last night."

"Yeah," Ethan nodded, though a trace of worry lingered. "I'm sure he's fine, just swamped. Knowing Miguel, he'll catch up later."

Two hours passed before they found themselves drifting toward the cafeteria for lunch. The familiar hum of chatter greeted them as they entered, the line snaking long with students picking up trays, the air thick with the smell of warm food.

As Ethan and James focused on choosing their meals, Louis noticed Jake waving him over. Curious, he left his friends at the counter and walked toward Jake, who looked around before leaning in close.

"Hey, what's up, Jake?" Louis asked, casually folding his arms.

Jake's expression was serious, his tone low. "I saw something earlier... with Miguel and Nick. It wasn't the usual rivalry stuff. Looked way worse."

Louis raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "What do you mean? They're always throwing digs at each other. That's pretty normal for them."

Jake shook his head. "Nah, man. This was different. I was in the parking lot this morning, saw them go at each other, words, then fists. It got heated, like seriously. Miguel looked..." He hesitated, choosing his words. "He looked hurt, not just mad. Never seen him like that."

Louis's face tightened as he processed this. "Miguel didn't mention anything to us," he muttered, glancing back at Ethan and James, who were still busy picking their lunches. "Thanks for telling me, Jake. I'll look into it."

Meanwhile, Blanca, Mia, William, and Niall finished up their meeting and headed toward the cafeteria. Blanca glanced around, spotting the familiar faces of Ethan, James, and Louis across the room, chatting near the tables. She steered their group toward them, eager to join her friends and hopeful for a relaxing break after the long meeting.

As she approached, she noticed the slight furrow in Louis's brow, his usually playful expression replaced by something more serious. She exchanged a quick glance with Mia, sensing the same unease.

"Hey, guys!" Blanca greeted as she slid into a seat beside Ethan, giving him a quick smile. "How was class?"

James shrugged, trying to keep things light. "Same as always. Louis here has the latest cafeteria gossip, though."

Louis shot him a look, managing a grin despite his lingering thoughts. "More like Jake just filling my head with rumors," he said, but his eyes flicked briefly toward Blanca, a silent indication that they'd talk more once things were quieter.

Blanca looked from one friend to the next, feeling the subtle tension in the air. Whatever was happening, it involved Miguel, and if there was one thing she knew, it was that anything affecting Miguel would eventually bring them all together, ready to have his back.

—

The group sat together, but a cloud of tension lingered over their lunch table. Forks clinked against plates, but the usual friendly chatter was muted.

James, glued to his phone, scrolled through campus updates, barely looking up. Across the table, Ethan and Mia exchanged sidelong glances, both feeling the strange awkwardness that had settled between them since yesterday. Every time their eyes met, one of them quickly looked away, an uneasy silence filling the space between them.