Rain hammered against the dorm windows, turning the world outside into a blur of grey and silver. Eli's reflection wavered in the glass — pale, tired, and holding more questions than he could answer.
Riven hadn't come back last night.
He hadn't sent a message. No call. Not even a word to any of his so-called friends. It wasn't unusual for Riven to disappear, but this time, something in Eli's gut twisted with a sense of wrong.
He tried to focus on the textbook in front of him, but the words blurred. His mind kept replaying their argument from yesterday — the sharp tone in Riven's voice, the way his eyes had been distant, like he was already halfway out the door.
"You don't get it, Eli. You don't know what you're walking into."
And Eli had snapped back, "Then let me! Stop deciding for me what I can or can't handle."
He had expected another smirk, maybe an eye roll. Instead, Riven had looked at him like someone staring at a sinking ship they couldn't save.
And then he left.
A knock broke through his thoughts. When Eli opened the door, Kai stood there — raincoat dripping, hood half-covering his face.
"You need to come with me," Kai said without preamble.
"What? Why—"
"It's about Riven." Kai's tone was grim. "And you're not going to like it."
The walk across campus was silent except for the rain slapping against their shoes. Kai led him to the abandoned music building, where the broken glass windows rattled in the wind.
Inside, the smell of damp wood and dust filled the air. And in the middle of the empty room, Riven sat on the floor, back against the wall, a cut on his lip and bruises shadowing his cheekbone.
Eli's heart lurched. "Riven—what happened?"
Riven didn't answer right away. His gaze flicked to Kai, then back to Eli. "You shouldn't be here."
"I've been hearing that since the day we met," Eli shot back, kneeling beside him. "And yet, here I am."
The corner of Riven's mouth twitched, but the tension in his shoulders didn't ease. "It's worse than you think."
Kai shifted uncomfortably. "I'll give you two a minute." He slipped out, leaving them with the sound of the rain.
Eli reached out but hesitated before touching Riven's face. "Tell me who did this."
Riven's eyes held that same storm Eli had seen before — dangerous and unsteady. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that I told you to stay away. You're in the middle of it now, Eli. And I can't protect you if you keep standing this close."
"I didn't ask for protection," Eli said, voice tight. "I asked for the truth."
Silence stretched. Then, finally, Riven exhaled. "The people after me… they don't care who they hurt. You're leverage, Eli. And if you keep ignoring me, you're going to get yourself hurt—or worse."
Eli's pulse pounded in his ears. "So that's it? You push me away because you're scared? You think that's going to make me stop caring?"
"You should stop caring." Riven's voice cracked on the last word, and for a moment, the mask he wore slipped. "Because if something happens to you… that's on me. And I can't—" He cut himself off, looking away.
Eli swallowed hard. He wanted to yell, to demand answers, but the sight of Riven trembling — just barely, like he was holding himself together by threads — kept him quiet.
Instead, he sat beside him, shoulder brushing his. "Then let's figure it out together. I'm not leaving you to fight this alone."
For the first time all day, Riven looked at him fully. And despite the rain, the bruises, and the danger hanging over them, something unspoken passed between them — a fragile, dangerous understanding.
Outside, the storm raged on.
Inside, the lines between them blurred even further.
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