They walked side by side through the hallway, swallowed by the noise of students pouring out of classrooms. Backpacks hitting shoulders. Sneakers scraping. Laughter bouncing off the walls.
Mia stayed close to him, glancing at him every few seconds.
"Where are you going?" She tried to keep her voice light. "All of a sudden?"
Paul didn't reply. He didn't even look at her.
She waited a second, then two, then forced a small laugh. "Really? Nothing? You just… vanished."
He kept walking. Mia bit the inside of her cheek.
Fine. Next attempt.
"Anyway. Tomorrow." She said it louder, hoping he'd at least react to that. "Don't forget."
"Yeah," Paul replied softly.
"And come on time. No disappearing." She nudged his arm lightly. "You made me wait last time. I felt stupid."
"Yeah."
"I'm dead serious about it. You heard?" Her voice softened at the end, almost shy. "You will come, right?"
"Yeah." He didn't look at her even once.
Mia's smile began to shrink. A tiny crease appeared between her brows. Something heavy settled in her stomach, but she pushed it away.
Maybe he was just tired. Maybe he was thinking about something else. Maybe she was overthinking again.
They stepped outside. Warm sunlight hit her face.Crowds of students scattered across the grounds, laughter and noise everywhere.
Mia opened her mouth to say something else…
But Paul stopped walking. His eyes shifted toward the gate.
Mia followed his gaze… And saw her.
A woman standing by a black car.Arms crossed.
Expression calm. Looking straight at Paul.
A few students had already noticed her, whispering who she was.
Mia felt something pinch inside her chest. The uncomfortable tightening of confusion.
She looked at Paul again.There was a smile on his face.
Small and soft. Real.
A smile she had never seen from him.
"Hey… who is she?" Mia asked.
Paul didn't answer.
"I'm asking a question here."She stepped a little closer. "Do you know her?"
No reaction.
Her voice dropped. "Can you hear me?"
He kept walking toward the gate. Toward that woman.
Mia slowed down without meaning to. It was like her legs refused to follow him anymore.
"P—"she called again. But this time words got stuck in her throat.
He didn't turn around. Not even slightly.
And Mia realized. Even before she admitted it.
That he wasn't ignoring her because he didn't hear her.
He was ignoring her because she didn't matter at that moment. She didn't exist here.
Her footsteps stopped completely.
Students brushed past her, laughing and talking and not noticing her frozen in place. Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag. Her throat felt tight, but she forced her face to stay neutral.
Paul reached the black car. The woman said something to him. He nodded calmly. Then he got inside.
The door shut.
Mia didn't blink. She didn't move.
Just stood there, watching the car like she needed one more second to understand what just happened.
He didn't look back at her. Not even once.
A breath shook out of her chest, too quiet for anyone to hear.
Mia lowered her gaze to the ground, pulse thudding in her ears.
"Right," she whispered to herself. "I get it."
…
The door shut behind him.
The sound felt heavier inside the car than it should have. Paul settled into the passenger seat and tossed his bag in the back without looking.
Sara did not look at him at first.
She stood outside for a moment, scanning the students, watching every head turn, making sure no one saw more than they should. Only after she was satisfied did she get in and shut the door.
The click settled into the air like a weight.
Silence followed. The air inside felt colder than outside.
Sara adjusted the rear-view mirror. Then she started the engine. The car hummed softly as she pressed the accelerator.
"I." Paul's voice began to rise, then died the moment Sara looked at him. Her eyes were sharp. One glance was enough.
He leaned back into his seat. The silence filled the car again. For minutes they said nothing. Only the sound of their breathing moved through the space.
They passed by students walking home. The park on the right was empty. Everything looked normal, but the silence wrapped around them too tightly.
When they were finally far from any noise, Sara pressed the brake.
The engine went quiet.
She turned to Paul. He was still looking straight ahead, calm as always, but she could see the difference. Something was going on behind that calm. Something he was never going to admit first.
"What were you doing this week?" Her voice cut through the quiet.
"What do you mean?" Paul turned his head slowly, wondering.
"I asked what you did this week." Her voice cracked a little.
Paul did not speak at once. He watched her. His eyes moved up once, then down.
"Same as always. Apartment to school. Back to the apartment. Watching over Varsha. That was all."
Her gaze dropped to his bandaged hand. Her lips twitched. "And how did you get that?"
Paul glanced at his own hand, then back at her. "This. Just an accident. Nothing more."
"What accident exactly?" Sara asked again.
"Car accident. The guy was drunk and I did not notice. Nothing more, as you can see."
"And you did not think of informing anyone."
"I thought about it." Paul said, then paused. "I went to the office the other day. Did not see anyone. I guess everyone is busy. So things can wait until you are free enough."
"So nothing odd happened. That's what you are saying."
"Yeah. Nothing odd happened." He said it like he was talking about the Saturday news.
"You are lying." She whispered.
He heard it.
"Why do you think that?"
"Why." Sara looked right at him. "Are you really asking that? You left your door open. Bloody clothes in the washing machine. And you ask why I think that."
"Told you it was from the accident."
"No." Sara said. "Just no. It was not. I know it."
She leaned closer. "But you will not tell anyone what happened. Not what you did. Not where you went. You will not tell what happened this week."
Paul stayed silent.
Sara's hands suddenly reached up, grabbing his cheeks, pulling his face toward her. "You will not tell us anything, right."
Her hands trembled against his skin. She did not want an answer. She wanted the confirmation he refused to give.
Paul looked down at her hands. His lips twitched once, but no words followed.
"So I will ask something else." Sara breathed. "Are you fine?"
Paul looked at her face. Was she always like this? Or did he cross a line?
No.
She was always like this. And he felt strangely relieved about that.
He nodded slowly. Her hands held his face in place, so the movement came stiff and small.
Sara closed her eyes for a moment.
She breathed out. Her worry did not fade. Not even a little.
But she knew him. If he said he was fine, then he was. She just did not know for how long.
Her hands loosened. She pulled away slowly.
Then she slapped him. Both cheeks. A clean sandwich slap.
Paul's head barely moved, but his eyes widened a bit.
She pulled her hands back fast and sat straight again, sighing loudly.
"That hurt." Paul said softly, rubbing his red cheeks. But something in him looked lighter.
"Nothing compares to me." Sara muttered, finally back to her usual tone.
Paul nodded slightly, without any complaints.
Just the two of them breathing in the calm that came after a storm no one wanted to acknowledge.
Then Sara finally asked.
"Cecilia Everin. What do you know about her?"
"She was the teacher here. But why are you asking?" Paul asked. His voice carried only a faint curiosity.
"First answer. Then ask." Sara's reply was firm. She obviously can't mention Simon here. "How much did you know about her?"
Paul thought for a moment, then said, "Not much. She was a teacher, doing her job. That's all. Though… I could tell she had her own problems. Not sure what, but anyone can see. And yeah, I talked to her the other day. Before the accident."
Sara's eyes narrowed slightly. She'd heard this before, but never from his mouth.
Paul continued calmly, "It wasn't much. I just told her to not think about other people… and focus on her own life."
Silence stretched between them.
"That was all," he added.
"Anything about her family? Relationships?" Sara asked.
"No." Paul's answer came quickly.
Sara exhaled slowly.
Next topic.
"Alright, moving on…" She hesitated for half a second. She already knew giving him more details wasn't ideal. But he'd learn sooner or later.
"How much updated are you on Varga's case?"
"Nothing." Paul answered casually. "Last time we talked in the room, that was it."
"Right." Sara looked forward, then sideways at him. "We discovered blood…"
She went through everything. Hector's blood on Varga. The car crash. Rechel. The boyfriend they suspected. The guy hiding in her apartment.
A bit of Vinchi's family.
She watched him with every detail she dropped.
But he didn't react.Not a twitch. Not a muscle out of place.
Either none of this shook him… or he already knew.
"We found the coffin at the old abandoned clinic," Sara continued. "Raul was laid dead inside. And nothing after that."
Paul listened without interrupting. His mind was already moving. She could see it.
Then he finally spoke.
"So the killer first killed Hector… then used his blood on Varga. And pointed you toward the coffin."
"Yeah. Something like that." Sara nodded.
Paul muttered under his breath, only audible to himself. "The coffin and the dead guy walking."
He recalled the files he read yesterday.A faint smile touched his lips. A knowing smile. Acknowledgement.
Sara's eyes sharpened. "Do you get anything?"
"Nothing." Paul replied softly. "Though I think the play will be over quicker than you expect."
"Is that so?" Sara murmured. "Simon said something similar."
Because he knows. Paul didn't say it out loud.
Only inside his mind. Only for you. To Sara, he simply nodded.
Sara took her time to refresh mind. Eyes opened and closed. Her head moved front and back. Hands loosely in the staring wheel.
"So... Why do you wanna meet with me?"
"Shopping." Paul replied quickly.
Sara turned her head in quick motion. Her mind was still processing what she just heard. "What? Shopping."
"I wanted to buy some clothes." Paul answered. Glancing at her slightly.
"You?" Sara didn't know what to say. "What are you even talking about?"
Paul turned his head fully towards her. "I wanted to buy some new clothes. That's why I called you last night." He said slowly.
"Yeah I heard that." Sara said. Her hands gripping the staring wheel tightened. "But why? All of a sudden?"
"I just noticed this morning that I don't have anything good to wear , that's all."
"For what?" Sara asked. Still thinking what's going inside his head.
"I'm meeting someone tomorrow." Paul said calmly. Then quickly added. "From school."
"Guy or girl?" She blurted out.
"Is that even relevant?" Paul raised brows.
"I just..." Sara's voice echoed inside her head. Is this a good sign? Or is he just making up things again? But still... "Nothing. It's also good if you socialize more."
"Who said I'm socializing?" He replied faintly.
"Then?" Sara's hands dropped from the staring.
"Nothing."
"Whatever."