|Javier|
I tugged at the edges of my gloves, smoothing them out as I strode toward the sports lounge. The place was livelier than usual—crowded, humming with chatter and bursts of laughter. It felt strange for a moment, almost out of place, until the obvious dawned on me. It was the weekend. Of course.
Without sparing the room much attention, I made a beeline for the counter, intending to grab a bottle of water and keep to myself. But I didn’t even make it halfway.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught movement—a subtle shift in energy. A group had gathered in one corner of the lounge, voices overlapping in light conversation and flirtatious laughter. I normally wouldn’t have bothered to look. Whatever scene was unfolding had nothing to do with me.
That is, until I heard my name cut th
