Phones glow in their hands.
"FULL ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIRED."
No one speaks.
The weight of it sits heavy in the room.
⸻
Then—
A ringtone cuts through.
Sharp.
Unexpected.
⸻
Everyone flinches.
⸻
Thorian looks down.
"…Mom."
⸻
He hesitates… then answers.
"Hello?"
⸻
Her voice comes through, worried.
"Thorian, we're almost there. What is going on? You didn't explain anything properly."
⸻
Thorian glances at the others.
No one says anything.
⸻
"It's nothing," he says quietly.
⸻
"Nothing?" she repeats.
"You're in the hospital, your school called, and your friends have been acting strange."
⸻
That lands.
⸻
"You kids have been… off," she continues.
"For weeks now."
⸻
Silence fills the room.
Because she's not wrong.
⸻
"Are you in trouble?" she asks.
⸻
Thorian's grip tightens slightly.
"…no."
But it doesn't sound convincing.
⸻
"We're coming upstairs," she says.
"Stay there."
⸻
The call ends.
Ryan exhales. "Great."
⸻
Jake mutters, "We can't do this with parents here."
⸻
Zyren nods. "We don't have time anymore."
⸻
Phones vibrate again.
Harder.
⸻
"DELAY DETECTED."
⸻
Footsteps echo faintly from the hallway.
Getting closer.
⸻
Aurora watches the door.
"…this is the window," she says quietly.
⸻
Silence.
Tense.
⸻
Then—
Kyra speaks.
⸻
"…why haven't we told the police?"
⸻
The question cuts through everything.
⸻
Lyrelle turns slowly.
Stares at her.
Then lets out a short laugh.
⸻
"You must be joking."
⸻
Kyra doesn't look away.
⸻
Lyrelle steps closer.
"Are you dumb dumb… or just dumb?"
⸻
Jake shifts. "Lyrelle—"
⸻
But she keeps going.
⸻
"So we should just barge in there like psychos?" she says.
"And say what exactly?"
⸻
She scoffs, then mutters:
"와, Kyra, 진짜…"
(Wah, Kyra, seriously…)
⸻
Kyra's expression hardens.
For the first time—
She doesn't back down.
⸻
"I just asked a question," she says.
Calm.
Steady.
⸻
Then:
"No need to feel threatened."
⸻
Silence.
Everyone notices.
⸻
Aurora tilts her head slightly.
"Well… didn't expect that from you," she says.
"Guess people do change."
⸻
Kyra ignores her.
Still looking at Lyrelle.
⸻
Ryan lets out a small breath.
"Because you're Duolingo's best learner doesn't mean you should insult your friend like that."
⸻
Lyrelle gives a dry laugh.
"Joke's on you."
A pause.
"Kyra isn't my friend."
⸻
That hits.
⸻
Jake goes still.
Kyra's jaw tightens.
⸻
Prince exhales. "Can we not do this right now?"
⸻
Ryan snaps, "No, this is exactly what we keep doing!"
⸻
Kaida rubs her temples. "We're going in circles…"
⸻
Zyren's voice is low.
"Focus."
⸻
But tension is rising again.
Voices overlapping.
Same pattern.
⸻
Then—
Summer cuts in sharply.
⸻
"Man."
Everyone looks at her.
⸻
"You guys act like kids."
⸻
Silence.
Immediate.
⸻
She gestures to their phones.
"Can we focus on the game?"
⸻
That lands.
⸻
Phones vibrate again.
Stronger.
⸻
"SYSTEM INSTABILITY CRITICAL."
⸻
Footsteps are closer now.
Right outside.
⸻
Aurora looks at the door.
Then back at them.
⸻
No smile this time.
⸻
"…decide," she says quietly.