Lyra dropped her cardigan onto the chair beside the couch and sank into the cushions, still warm from the walk back. Robin, like always, had walked her home.
The living room was small, quiet, lit by that one dim lamp in the corner. It gave everything a soft, sleepy kind of glow.
Robin let out a sigh as he leaned back, stretching his arms with the ease of someone finally done for the day."Long day?" he asked, glancing at her with that gentle half-smile of his.
Lyra nodded, rubbing the side of her neck."Group work, solo assignments… Felt like it never ended."
He reached over, slipping an arm around her shoulders, fingers tracing slow circles through the fabric of her shirt. "Then you should rest. I can head out if you need space."
She shook her head before he even finished."You can stay, if you want. It's not that late. I'm too wired to sleep anyway."
Robin gave her a soft grin and pulled her closer. "Don't tempt me. I'd sleep here in a heartbeat."
That earned a quiet laugh from her—a short one, with a pause right after. Then she leaned against him, head resting on his shoulder. Her eyes drifted toward the far wall, unfocused.
Robin held her a little tighter, chin brushing the top of her head."Honestly… I could stay like this forever," he murmured, thumb stroking a slow line across her back.
She didn't answer. Just a small smile, barely there.
Then he kissed her—first her forehead, then lower. This one lingered, deeper than usual.
But she didn't move. Her eyes were closed, body still. She didn't pull away… but she didn't kiss him back either.
He felt it instantly.
He pulled back, eyes scanning her face."What's wrong?"
Lyra blinked, like she hadn't heard him at first. Then she smiled—small, tired. "Nothing. Just tired."
Robin hesitated, then smiled back, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Sorry. Guess I got a little carried away," he said softly, planting a quick kiss on her cheek.
"It's okay," she replied with a little shrug. "You're just… clingier than usual."
He chuckled, nudging her nose playfully."Can you blame me? You're kind of addictive."
She squinted at him in mock suspicion."Uh-huh. You sure you didn't mess something up?"
That caught him off guard, and he laughed—awkward, just a little. "Nope. I swear. I've just missed you. With everything piling up… it's been hard to come over."
She sighed, this time a little heavier. He wasn't wrong. Their schedules barely lined up anymore—different majors, different years. The distance was starting to creep in."I get it. Just… don't forget to eat and sleep, okay? You'll make yourself sick."
"I won't. I'm basically indestructible," he said, trying to sound confident. Then, nudging her lightly, "You eaten yet? Wanna order something?"
Lyra smiled. "Sure. What're you in the mood for?"
He checked his phone."Hmm… pizza? Or something soupy?"
"Maybe ramen," she said after a second.
He grinned. "From our usual place?"
"Yeah. The one with the thick broth."
As he pulled up the app, she leaned into him again. She felt lighter now. Looser.
"Wanna watch something later?" he asked, eyes on the screen.
She shrugged. "Sure. But nothing too brainy. I'm done thinking for the day."
"So something cute and romantic?" he teased, brushing a strand of her hair aside.
She shot him a look. "You're suggesting a romantic movie?"
He smirked. "If it means I get to watch it with you, I'll survive."
She laughed under her breath. He was full of it—and she loved him for it.
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"All right, I'll leave the market trend research to you," Mei said as she packed up her books and shut her laptop. "Just send me the file later, and I'll combine everything into one doc."
"Got it," Lyra replied with a nod, smoothing out her wrinkled shirt—she'd been sitting too long.
Mei paused, squinting at her."You okay? You look kinda… out of it."
Lyra blinked. "Huh? What do you mean?"
"You've been quiet. And your face—it's all gloomy and spaced out. You sure you've been eating and sleeping like a human?"
Lyra let out a short breath, half amused. "You're being dramatic. I'm fine. Seriously."
"Oh, come on. Don't forget, I was there during the festival chaos—you've got a habit of pushing yourself way too hard when responsibility hits."
Lyra gave a small scowl. "I said I'm fine."
"Okay, okay. I believe you," Mei said, grinning as she slung her bag over one shoulder. "Besides, you've got your own personal stash of vitamins, right?"
This time, Lyra got the hint. She let a faint smile slip."Yeah. I do."
"And you?" she shot back, eyes narrowing just slightly. "How's it going with Adam?"
Mei stiffened."What? What about him?"
Lyra chuckled. These days, even the mention of Adam's name made Mei go a little pink."I'm rooting for you two, you know. Hope it becomes official soon."
"Lyra! Don't just say stuff like that!" Mei groaned, cheeks warming by the second.
Funny how things flipped over time. Mei used to be the one teasing her nonstop—now it was Lyra's turn. And honestly? She was kind of enjoying it. Especially the way Mei couldn't hide how flustered she got.
"Good luck," Lyra said with a wink as she walked off, leaving Mei muttering complaints behind her, still calling her name with mock frustration.
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Lyra leaned back in her chair, the soft knit of her sweater catching faint traces of the evening chill that had started to slip into the lounge. The space wasn't too crowded—just a few scattered students, the low murmur of conversations, and the fading sunlight bleeding in through the tall windows. Just quiet enough to breathe.
She glanced at the time on her phone and let out a small sigh. There was still so much left to do.
A voice cut in beside her. Familiar."Didn't expect to find you here."
She looked up."Walter?" Her tone was neutral, but not cold. "Hey."
He took a sip from a can in his hand before settling into the chair across from her."That's it? Just 'hey'? You still mad at me or something?"
Lyra gave a tired laugh, shaking her head."No. Just… drained. Sorry."
"Yeah, everything's been piling up lately. Especially for you—you've got Student Council stuff on top of everything else."
"Pretty much," she said with a laugh that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Feels like all I do now is meetings and assignments. I haven't had time for… anything else."
Walter nodded in quiet agreement."Even I'm swamped, and I'm only in a chill club. Can't imagine what it's like for you."
She smiled faintly in response. Their conversation drifted on—light and easy. They talked about the workload, upcoming events, random gossip. It felt like a break, a pause in motion.
Until another voice interrupted. "Oh, so this is where you two disappeared to."
They both turned at the same time.
Arlo stood there, one hand shoved into his jacket pocket, his expression unreadable except for a slight arch in his brow.
"Arlo," Lyra said, surprised.
"You guys meet up or something?" he asked, half teasing.
Walter shook his head. "Nah, I just ran into her."
"I was doing group work with a friend nearby," Lyra added.
"Right," Arlo nodded, then turned to Walter. "Weren't we supposed to meet in front of the faculty building?"
"I stopped for a drink. My bad," Walter replied, casually lifting his can.
"Well, since we're all here anyway—hey, Lyra, have you eaten?"
She shook her head without thinking, her stomach answering for her before her brain did.
"Then come with us," Arlo offered. "Walter and I were just about to grab food."
Walter raised a brow at him."Careful, man. Her boyfriend might not be thrilled about her hangout with two other guys."
Arlo snorted. "True. Robin's got that scary 'pop out of nowhere' energy."
Lyra rolled her eyes, but couldn't help the laugh that escaped."You two are ridiculous. But sure, I'm in."
That made both of them pause.
"Wait—seriously?" Arlo blinked. "You wanna eat with us?"
"Why not? We're friends. Or is that illegal now?"
Walter joined in, a little amused."Just surprised, that's all. Isn't Robin still in class?"
Lyra shrugged. "Probably. He said he'd be stuck there until late."
"Ah, makes sense," Arlo said, smirking. "If he were free, no way we'd be this lucky."
She gave them a look. "You guys are impossible."
They both laughed, clearly satisfied with themselves.
"All right then, let's go," Arlo said, pushing off the wall.
The three of them left together, heading toward the campus café that, once upon a time, had been their usual hangout spot—back when things were simpler. Before time, responsibilities, and relationships quietly rearranged everything.
--------
As the evening wore on, the café grew quieter. A few students were still hunched over laptops and notebooks, but most had packed up and gone. Soft music played low in the background, blending into the stillness.
Lyra, Walter, and Arlo had taken the corner table by the window—the one they used to claim all the time.
After placing their orders, the conversation picked up again. Walter launched into a story about some ridiculous thing that had happened in class that morning. Lyra laughed along, her smile warm but... off. Arlo noticed.
Usually, she'd be the one steering the banter—sharp remarks, quick comebacks, that signature sass of hers lighting everything up. But tonight? Just quiet smiles. A few nods. The occasional one-word reply.
When the food arrived, Lyra stirred her drink absentmindedly. She took a couple bites, but her appetite clearly wasn't in it.
Arlo watched her. He didn't say anything at first—but something wasn't sitting right.
After a few minutes, he leaned back in his chair, arms folded loosely across his chest."What's up with you?" he asked, tone easy but eyes sharp.
Lyra glanced up, clearly thrown."What do you mean?"
He motioned toward her barely touched plate with his spoon."You said you were starving. This doesn't look like starving. You sick or something?"
She gave a short laugh and picked at her food like she'd just remembered it was there."No, I'm fine. Just thinking about that tado assignment."
"Doesn't seem like that's all," Arlo said, narrowing his eyes.
She paused mid-bite. Didn't look up."There's nothing wrong," she said, too quickly, too flat.
Walter, who'd been quiet and focused on his food, finally looked up."You're a terrible liar, you know that?"
Lyra sighed softly, sipping from her glass before answering."I'm just… tired."
That wasn't untrue. But it wasn't the whole truth either—and both of them knew it.
Arlo and Walter exchanged a quick look, but neither of them pushed—yet.
"Tired from classes and Student Council stuff?" Arlo asked, a little more carefully this time. "Or is it... something else?"
Lyra gave a vague shrug. Her expression didn't shift much."Maybe both."
Walter stared at her a second longer, then turned back to his food. A quiet signal: okay, we'll let it go… for now.
Arlo, though, wasn't ready to drop it completely. Not with that look still lingering in her eyes.
"Just saying… if something's bothering you, you don't have to bottle it up," he said, voice softer now.
"I know," Lyra said, offering a faint smile. This one looked a little more real.
He almost said something else—almost—but stopped himself. She clearly wasn't ready to talk, and pushing her wouldn't help.
So the conversation drifted back to safer topics. They joked a little, gossiped a bit. But Arlo couldn't shake the feeling.
Something was bothering her. And he was almost sure... it had something to do with Robin.
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Arlo couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that had settled in his chest since that dinner. Something was off. And even if Lyra didn't want to talk about it, he had a pretty good guess what—or rather who—might be behind it.
If there was anyone who could throw a wrench into Lyra and Robin's relationship, it was Suzie.
Cliché? Maybe. But not without reason. Suzie had openly said she didn't approve of Lyra dating Robin. She'd even once joked—barely—that she wanted to take Lyra back.
So when Arlo spotted her sitting alone at a table outside the campus café, he didn't hesitate.
"Busy?" he asked, pulling out the chair across from her.
Suzie looked up, her brows pinching slightly."Arlo?"
He didn't answer. Just sat back, arms folded across his chest. The confident girl with the sharp mouth and sharper eyes looked a little less steady than usual.
After a beat, she spoke."What's this about?"
"Did you do something to Lyra?" he asked, skipping the small talk.
Her eyes narrowed, though something flickered there—tension."What's that supposed to mean?"
"She's not herself. And if I had to guess who might've had a hand in that, your name would be at the top of the list."
Suzie scoffed, leaning back in her seat."Of course. Of course. It's always my fault, huh?"
"I'm just asking."
"Asking?" she let out a short, bitter laugh. "Right. Because whenever something's wrong with Lyra, everyone suddenly remembers I exist. Must be nice being everyone's favorite villain."
Arlo said nothing. Let her talk.
"I've known her longer than Robin has. I've been there. But ever since they started dating, I'm the bad guy. Always." Her gaze hardened. "Even you. Aren't we friends too? Or does that only apply when I play nice with Lyra?"
His expression didn't change."I'm not taking sides," he said quietly. "I just want to know if you did anything."
Suzie stared him down, jaw clenched."Why is it always her happiness that matters? What about mine? Am I not allowed to be upset? Am I not allowed to want something for myself?"
There was silence between them. And in that stillness, Arlo saw it—real emotion in her eyes. Anger, hurt, loneliness.
But it didn't change the fact that Suzie was capable of damage—especially when she wanted something.
"I never said you don't deserve to be happy," Arlo replied, voice calm now. "But if your happiness depends on tearing someone else down... is that really fair?"
Suzie didn't blink. Just kept staring at him, until suddenly she stood, grabbing her bag with a huff."Talking to you is a waste of time."
Arlo didn't flinch. He stayed where he was, eyes steady. Then he said, simply,"Poor you, Suzie."
She froze, turning slowly."What's that supposed to mean?"
"You act like the world owes you something," he said, voice still even. "Like everyone else is the reason you're miserable. Robin. Lyra. Whoever else. But you never stop to think maybe—just maybe—it's you."
Her hand tightened at her side."You don't know anything."
He shrugged. "Maybe not. But I know this—it's not really about Lyra, is it?"
That stopped her.
"You hate Robin. You're trying to drive a wedge between him and Lyra. Why? Did he hurt you? Or…" he leaned forward slightly, voice low, almost amused,"...are you just mad that Lyra doesn't need your permission to be happy?"
Her expression sharpened, but she still said nothing.
"You talk about what's fair. About who deserves what. But the truth is, you just want control. You can't stand the idea of people moving on without you."
She didn't move. Didn't even breathe.
Arlo rose slowly from his chair, gaze locked on hers."You're not the victim here, Suzie. You're just someone who can't let go. And if you keep going like this… if you can't even admit to yourself what you've become—"
He paused. Just for a second. Then his voice dropped, quiet and clear.
"—I'm gonna end up hating you. For real."
That landed. Hard.
For a moment, something cracked behind her eyes—not rage this time, but something deeper. Something scared.
Arlo didn't wait for her to respond. He walked past her without another word, leaving her standing there in silence, too stunned to speak.
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That night, Suzie lay in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Her eyes were wide open, even though every part of her felt exhausted. The dim glow of her bedside lamp softened the room, but her thoughts were anything but calm.
Arlo's words kept echoing in her head—on loop, like a broken record she couldn't shut off.
"You're not the victim, Suzie."
You're the villain.
You just hate losing control.
Her lips trembled. She clenched the blanket in her fists.
No. That was wrong. All of it. Just Arlo running his mouth. He didn't know anything. None of them did.
So why did it feel like something had split open inside her?
She sat up, padded across the room to the mirror. The girl staring back looked like a stranger—shoulders tense, eyes dull, no trace of the flawless, composed Suzie everyone always saw.
"I didn't do anything wrong," she whispered. "Why should I feel guilty?"
But something deep inside her refused to agree.
If she was truly innocent, why did it feel like everyone was slowly drifting away? Why did Arlo, the one person who always stayed neutral—look at her now like he didn't recognize her?
Why did she feel so… alone?
She shut her eyes, took a deep breath. Tried to trace it all back. When had things started to unravel?
Her thoughts snapped to the person she used to toy with, the one she thought she had all figured out. Robin.
He was irritating. Not someone anyone should fall for. She hated that she ever let him get close. Or maybe… maybe she hated that he never saw her the way she wanted to be seen. Even when they were "dating," he never looked at her the way he looked at—
Lyra.
That's when everything had started slipping out of her hands. Robin came back into their lives, and suddenly, everything shifted. Suddenly, he was the good guy. The one people rallied behind. The one Lyra chose.
And her?
Suzie let out a bitter laugh.
Was this what it meant to be wrong all along? That maybe Robin wasn't the issue—she was?
No. Hell no.
If she were the problem, why did it hurt so damn much? Why did it feel like the entire world had turned against her?
She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to silence the noise in her head. But all she saw were memories—laughing with her friends, being adored, admired. Center of the circle.
Now? Walter wanted space. Arlo barely looked at her. Lyra kept drifting further and further away. And Arlo… Arlo looked at her like she disgusted him.
It wasn't fair. None of this was her fault.
So if they wanted Robin to be the hero, if they wanted to crown him the perfect boyfriend, she'd make damn sure he never got his happy ending.
Somewhere deep down, a voice whispered:
Is this really about Robin… or are you just trying to feel in control again?
She didn't have an answer. And that made her even angrier.
But she did have a weapon—words.
Words had always been her strength. She knew how to plant ideas without people even realizing. Make them doubt, second-guess. Make them believe it was their choice, their thought, their fear.
And this time, she'd use it for one thing only:
To ruin Robin.
Not for Lyra. Not to win her back. That was just a bonus.
No, this was about watching Robin fall. Piece by piece. Turning him into the insecure wreck he used to be. Pulling him back into the fog of doubt, until he crumbled from the inside out.
And she wouldn't strike him directly.
Robin had changed. He was confident now, grounded. If she went for him head-on, it would only make people defend him harder.
No, his downfall needed to come from within.
"And for that," she muttered, eyes locked on her reflection, "I'll need Lyra."
Lyra, who seemed strong. Unshakable. But Suzie knew better—no relationship was airtight. No trust came without cracks.
And all she needed… was one.
Just one small crack. Enough to plant something invisible. Quiet. Slow-burning.
Until Robin destroyed everything himself.
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*** TO BE CONTINUE ***