VOICEOVER
There's a moment in every disaster when things feel normal. The sky is still blue. The birds are still singing. People are still laughing at stupid jokes. And you think, maybe it's not happening. Maybe you imagined it. But the disaster doesn't announce itself. It creeps. It waits. And then, without warning, it's everywhere.
THE GIRLS' DORM – MORNING
Vicky sat on her bed, scrolling through Aaron's Instagram again. She'd stopped posting weeks ago. She was looking at old photos. A picture of him and Charlie making stupid faces. A picture of him studying, his hair a mess. A picture of them together, her head on his shoulder, both of them smiling.
She didn't feel like smiling anymore.
Zuru was painting her nails on the floor. Zizi was reading. Ese was in the corner, her book open, her eyes moving.
"You're quiet," Zuru said.
"I'm thinking."
"Dangerous."
Vicky put down her phone. "Do you think Aaron loves me?"
Zuru stopped painting. "What kind of question is that?"
"The kind I need an answer to."
Zizi looked up. "Yes. I think he loves you. I think he's just... bad at showing it."
"Or maybe he's good at hiding it."
Ese turned a page.
Vicky looked at her. "What do you think, Ese?"
Ese didn't look up. "I think love is a distraction."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one I have."
Vicky stared at her for a long moment. Then she lay back on her bed and stared at the ceiling.
Something is wrong, she thought. Something is very wrong.
THE BOYS' DORM – AFTERNOON
Charlie was trying to teach Wesley how to dance.
It was a disaster.
"No, no, no," Charlie said, grabbing Wesley's shoulders. "You have to move your hips. Like this."
He demonstrated. It looked like a dying fish.
Wesley watched, his face completely blank. "I'm not doing that."
"Come on. For Cynthia. She loves dancing."
"She loves me. There's a difference."
"You're insufferable."
"I'm efficient."
Charlie threw his hands up. "Aaron, help me."
Aaron was sitting on his bed, staring at his phone. He didn't look up.
"Hello? Earth to Aaron?"
"What?"
"I said help me teach Wesley to dance."
"I don't know how to dance."
"Neither does he. That's the problem."
Aaron put down his phone. "Why are you so obsessed with this?"
"Because Cynthia said she wants to go clubbing this weekend. And I want to impress her."
"By making Wesley look bad?"
"By making myself look good in comparison."
Wesley shook his head. "I'm leaving."
"No, wait—"
Wesley walked out.
Charlie sighed. "Why is friendship so hard?"
Aaron didn't answer.
He was thinking about Mandy.
MANDY AND JON – THEIR APARTMENT, EVENING
Jon sat on the couch, staring at the wall. Mandy was in the kitchen, making tea. The kettle whistled.
"Can we talk?" Jon asked.
"About what?"
"About us."
Mandy walked into the living room, two mugs in her hands. She set one on the table in front of him. Sat across from him.
"What about us?"
Jon rubbed his face. "I feel like I'm losing you."
"You're not."
"Then why do you feel so far away?"
Mandy was quiet for a moment. She wanted to tell him the truth. She wanted to say I slept with someone else. I'm sorry. I don't know why I did it. I don't know if I regret it.
But she didn't.
"I've just been tired," she said. "School. Life. Everything."
Jon looked at her. His eyes were sad. "Is that all?"
"That's all."
He nodded. He didn't believe her. She could see it in his face.
But he didn't push.
That was the worst part. He never pushed.
CHARLIE AND CYNTHIA – THE CLUB, NIGHT
The club was loud. The bass thumped in Charlie's chest like a second heartbeat. Colored lights swept across the crowd. Bodies moved together, apart, together.
Cynthia was dancing. She was good. Natural. Her hips moved like water.
Charlie was... trying.
"You're doing great," Cynthia shouted over the music.
"I look like an idiot!"
"You look like you're having fun!"
"I'm not!"
She laughed. Grabbed his hands. Pulled him closer.
"Just feel the music," she said. "Don't think."
"That's impossible for me."
"Then pretend."
He closed his eyes. Let the bass move through him. Let his body sway.
When he opened his eyes, she was smiling at him.
"Better," she said.
"I'm still terrible."
"But you're trying. That's what matters."
She kissed him. Quick. Sweet. Her lips tasted like strawberry lip gloss.
Charlie's heart soared.
Maybe, he thought, maybe I'm not a total disaster.
THE ABANDONED STUDIO – LATE NIGHT
Aaron didn't mean to go back.
But there he was.
The door was unlocked. The room was dark. The dust was thick on the floor.
He sat against the wall, his knees pulled to his chest.
He thought about Vicky. About her smile. About the way she said "I love you" like it was the only truth she had left.
He thought about Mandy. About her hands. About the way she said "I see you" like she was looking through his skin.
He thought about Jon. About his trust. About the way he said "I'll have to kill you" like a joke that wasn't a joke.
His phone buzzed.
Mandy (11:47 PM): Are you okay?
He stared at the screen.
Aaron (11:48 PM): No.
Mandy (11:48 PM): Where are you?
Aaron (11:48 PM): The studio.
Mandy (11:49 PM): Stay there.
He put down the phone.
Ten minutes later, the door opened.
Mandy walked in. She was wearing sweats. No makeup. Her hair was messy.
She sat down beside him. Didn't touch him. Just sat.
"I'm not here to sleep with you," she said.
"Then why are you here?"
"Because you said you weren't okay."
He looked at her. "Why do you care?"
She was quiet for a moment. "I don't know. I wish I didn't."
They sat in silence. The dust settled around them.
"I can't keep doing this," Aaron said.
"Then stop."
"I can't."
"Then don't."
"That doesn't make sense."
"It doesn't have to." She leaned her head on his shoulder. "Nothing makes sense, Arie. Not love. Not friendship. Not the way we hurt each other and call it caring. The only thing that makes sense is right now. This room. This floor. This moment."
He put his arm around her. Pulled her close.
"This is wrong," he said.
"I know."
"We're bad people."
"Probably."
He rested his chin on her head.
"I don't want to be bad," he said.
"Then be better. Tomorrow. Start tomorrow."
"Will you?"
She didn't answer.
They stayed like that until the sun came up.
VOICEOVER
That night, two people who should have been apart held each other in the dark. They didn't make promises. They didn't make excuses. They just existed. Together. In the quiet. And for a moment, that was enough. It wasn't right. It wasn't good. But it was enough.