[The Dormitory — Val and Soda's Room]
The rain had stopped hours ago, but the cold weather still lingered on everybody. The dormitory was unusually quiet on nights like this.
The faint hum of the ceiling fan, the soft flicker of lamplight, and the low murmur of crickets outside the window gave the room a fragile sort of peace. It was the kind of silence that usually brought comfort— but tonight, it felt heavy.
Valkyrie sat on the edge of her bed, With her hands resting loosely on her knees. Her eyes were distant and uncertain, lingered on the floor. The others were gathered around— Soda lounging against a pillow, Rain cross-legged on the carpet, Tekna fiddling with her bracelet, Lily perched on the windowsill, May and Suki sharing a blanket on the couch, and Jaz flipping idly through a magazine she wasn't really reading.
