VOICEOVER
When you're young, you think secrets are safe. You think you can carry them forever. But secrets are heavy. They press on your ribs, your lungs, your throat. And eventually, something gives. A word said too quickly. A look held too long. A question asked in the dark. That's when the cracks start to show. And once they're there, you can't unsee them.
THE GIRLS' DORM – MORNING AFTER
Zizi hadn't slept.
She lay in her bunk, staring at the ceiling, replaying the conversation with Ese. The smile. The whisper. The cold.
"Then maybe you should forget you saw anything."
She couldn't forget. That was the problem.
Vicky was already up, braiding her hair in front of the mirror. "You look like shit."
"Thanks."
"You're welcome. What's wrong?"
Zizi sat up. She wanted to tell her. About Ese. About the pool. About the way Ese had watched Oliver sink.
But something stopped her. Loyalty. Fear. The memory of Ese's eyes.
"Nothing," Zizi said. "Just bad dreams."
Vicky nodded. She didn't push. She never pushed.
Zuru stumbled in, still in last night's clothes. Her makeup was smeared. Her hair was a disaster.
"Good morning, trash can," Vicky said.
"I was with a guy."
"We know. You texted us seventeen times."
"He was tall."
"They're always tall."
"And rich."
"They're never rich."
Zuru flopped onto her bed, groaning. "Why do I do this to myself?"
"Because you're a slut with low self-esteem," Zizi said.
"Accurate."
Vicky laughed. Zizi laughed. Even Zuru laughed, eventually.
But Zizi's laughter was hollow.
She couldn't stop thinking about Ese.
AARON AND JON – THE FIELD, AFTERNOON
MU's football field was a patch of dry grass surrounded by rusted bleachers. Students gathered for an informal match; no jerseys, just anyone who wanted to play.
Aaron didn't want to play. But Charlie had dragged him out, and Wesley was already on the field, and Oliver was sitting on the bleachers, watching.
Jon was playing too. He was good; fast, precise, ruthless. He scored three goals in the first twenty minutes.
On a break, Jon jogged over to Aaron, who was standing on the sideline.
"You're not playing," Jon said.
"I'm not good at football."
"Neither is Charlie, but he's out there."
"Charlie has delusions of grandeur."
Jon laughed. Then his face sobered. "We need to talk."
"About?"
"Mandy."
Aaron's stomach dropped. "What about her?"
"She's been different. Distant. I asked her if something was wrong. She said no. But she's lying." Jon looked at Aaron. "Do you know why?"
Aaron held his gaze. "Maybe she's just going through something. People do that."
"People don't do that with me. I'm her person. She tells me everything." Jon paused. "Or she used to."
The ball rolled toward them. Jon kicked it back onto the field.
"I'm not accusing you of anything," Jon said again. "I'm just... I'm scared. Of losing her. Of losing you. Of losing both."
"You won't."
"You keep saying that."
"Because it's true."
Jon stared at him for a long moment. Then he jogged back onto the field.
Aaron stood there, his hands in his pockets, his heart pounding.
He knows, Aaron thought. He doesn't know. But he knows something.
His phone buzzed.
Mandy (2:15 PM): Jon asked me if I'm happy. I said yes. I'm not sure if I was lying.
He didn't reply.
He couldn't.
VICKY – HER DORM, LATE AFTERNOON
Vicky sat on her bed, scrolling through Aaron's Instagram again. He hadn't posted in months. She was looking at old photos; him at a party, him in the library, him with Charlie and Oliver and Wesley.
She zoomed in on his face. His smile. His eyes.
He looks lonely, she thought. Even when he's surrounded by people.
She put down her phone and looked at the ceiling.
Something was wrong. She could feel it. The way he pulled away when she touched him. The way he looked at his phone when he thought she wasn't watching. The way he said "I love you" like he was reading from a script.
Is it me? she wondered. Am I not enough?
She thought about Mandy. The way Mandy looked at Aaron. The way Aaron didn't look away.
No, she told herself. You're paranoid. You're being crazy.
But the feeling didn't go away.
It never did.
THE SMALL GET-TOGETHER – THE APARTMENT, EVENING
It wasn't a party. Just a few people. Drinks. Music low. The kind of gathering that happens when everyone needs to be around people but no one wants to admit it.
Aaron came with Vicky. Mandy came with Jon. Charlie came with Cynthia. Wesley came alone. Oliver came because Nelly made him.
Rose was there, angel wings long discarded, wearing a black dress and a bored expression. Zuru was there, cat ears gone, flirting with a guy who looked terrified. Zizi was there, quiet, watching. Ese was there, in the corner, reading a book.
The room was tense. Everyone felt it.
"So," Rose said, breaking the silence. "Anyone want to play a game?"
"No games," Vicky said.
"I wasn't asking you."
"I wasn't answering."
Rose smiled. "Touchy."
"Fuck off."
"Ladies," Jon said, raising his hands. "Peace. We're all friends here."
"Are we?" Vicky looked at Mandy. "Are we friends?"
Mandy met her gaze. "I thought we were."
"Then why do you keep looking at my boyfriend?"
The room went silent.
Aaron's face went pale. "Vicky."
"What? I'm just asking."
"I'm not looking at your boyfriend," Mandy said. Her voice was calm. Too calm. "I'm looking at the room."
"You're looking at him."
"You're imagining things."
"Am I?"
Jon stood up. "Mandy. Let's go."
"I'm not leaving because she's paranoid."
"Now," Jon said. His voice was hard.
Mandy stood up. She looked at Aaron for a second. Just a second. Then she walked out.
Jon followed. The door closed.
Vicky was breathing hard. "I'm not crazy," she said.
No one answered.
Charlie cleared his throat. "So... anyone want to see a picture of my plant? It's growing really well."
Cynthia put her hand on his knee. "Not now, Charlie."
"Oh. Okay."
The silence stretched.
Ese turned a page.
THE PARKING LOT – LATER
Aaron found Vicky sitting on the hood of his car, crying.
"Vicky."
"Don't."
"I'm not going to yell at you."
"Then what are you going to do?"
He sat beside her. "I'm going to sit here. And I'm going to listen."
She looked at him. Her eyes were red. "Do you love me?"
"Yes."
"Then why do I feel like I'm losing you?"
He didn't have an answer.
She leaned her head on his shoulder. "I'm scared, Aaron. I'm scared you're going to wake up one day and realize you can do better."
"I can't do better. You're the best thing in my life."
"Then act like it."
He put his arm around her. Held her close.
He wanted to mean it.
He wasn't sure if he did.
ESE AND ZIZI – THE BALCONY, SAME NIGHT
Zizi found Ese on the balcony, alone, staring at the stars.
"You're always here," Zizi said.
"I like the view."
"Ese."
"Zizi."
"What are you hiding?"
Ese turned to look at her. The moonlight caught her face; soft, unreadable.
"Everyone hides something," Ese said. "You hide your guilt. Vicky hides her fear. Aaron hides his emptiness. Mandy hides her desire." She paused. "I hide my patience."
"Patience for what?"
Ese smiled. "For the right moment."
She walked inside.
Zizi stayed on the balcony, shivering.
She didn't know what Ese meant.
But she was afraid to find out.
VOICEOVER
That night, no one slept well. Vicky cried until her eyes were dry. Aaron stared at the ceiling, counting his failures. Mandy lay beside Jon, pretending to be asleep. Jon lay beside Mandy, pretending not to know. And Ese sat in the dark, waiting. The cracks were widening. The floor was shifting. And somewhere, in the quiet, a clock was ticking. No one heard it. But everyone would feel it when it stopped.