Maya's arm throbbed under the fresh bandages as she and Ethan walked back from the infirmary. The sun was just starting to rise, painting the campus in shades of orange and pink. Neither of them had slept. Ethan had stayed outside the infirmary all night despite Agent Chen telling him to go back to his dorm.
"You didn't have to walk me back," Maya said quietly.
"Yeah, I did." Ethan's hand hovered near her elbow, protective but not touching. "Security detail doesn't start officially until this afternoon. Until then, you're not going anywhere alone."
They turned the corner toward North Hall. Maya was already dreading facing her dorm room, facing the blood-stained jersey that campus security had hopefully removed by now.
One step at a time. Just get through today.
Mateo was waiting outside her door.
He stood with his arms crossed, still in yesterday's clothes. His eyes were red-rimmed, hair disheveled. He'd been there a while.
