After the awkward tension at the mall and Ellie's unwanted interruption, Elise slowly rejoined the group, trying to shake off the lingering warmth of Davon's touch and the sting of their almost-kiss. Patricia waved her over, but something felt off. Elise glanced around — someone was missing.
"Where's Anastasia?" she asked.
Patricia frowned. "And Devin too…"
Davon looked around the crowd, his expression unreadable, but Elise could feel the faint worry beneath his calm. "They probably went back to the dorm," he said quietly, though his tone carried a flicker of uncertainty.
— ✦ —
Meanwhile, in the quiet of the dorms, Anastasia winced as she sat on the edge of the bed. Her ankle had twisted during their earlier rush, the pain pulsing softly. Devin knelt in front of her, his usual confident demeanor replaced by rare gentleness.
"You should've said something," he murmured, wrapping a cool cloth around her ankle.
"I didn't want to worry anyone," Anastasia said, avoiding his gaze. But when his hand brushed her skin, a soft shiver betrayed her composure. Devin paused, eyes locking with hers — golden meeting hazel — and the silence grew thick with unspoken words.
He smiled faintly. "You're terrible at hiding pain."
"And you're terrible at pretending you don't care," she whispered back.
Something shifted — the air, the world, everything stilled for a heartbeat. Devin's hand rose, brushing a strand of hair from her face, his thumb lingering against her cheek. Anastasia's breath hitched, heart racing as if the whole world had narrowed to just the space between them.
"Anastasia…" he whispered her name like a vow.
And before she could reply, he leaned in, closing the distance. Their lips met — soft, hesitant at first, then deepening with all the emotions they'd kept buried since the chaos began.
When they finally parted, Anastasia's cheeks burned crimson. Devin smiled gently. "Guess I'm terrible at pretending after all."
She laughed softly, resting her forehead against his. "Yeah," she whispered, "but so am I."