The hallway outside Lyrelle's room smells like popcorn and anxiety.
Kyra stands there too long before knocking.
Jake opens the door almost immediately, like he was waiting.
"You okay?" he asks.
She shakes her head before she even realizes it.
He steps aside. "Come in."
The door clicks shut behind them.
Kyra paces once. Twice. Then stops so abruptly Jake almost runs into her.
"I did something," she blurts.
Jake blinks. "Okay."
"It was before," she rushes on. "Before you. Before all this."
His smile is soft. Encouraging. "Kyra, breathe."
She laughs weakly. Doesn't.
"I messed up," she says. "And I didn't know how to undo it."
Jake waits. He doesn't interrupt. That's his thing.
She looks up at him, eyes shining. "If I tell you… you might hate me."
He swallows. "Try me."
Her phone vibrates in her pocket.
She ignores it.
"I—" Her voice cracks. "I slept with someone I shouldn't have."
Jake's face stills.
The air shifts.
"Before us?" he asks carefully.
She nods quickly. "Yes. I swear. Before us. But—"
"But you never told me," he finishes.
She nods again, tears spilling now. "I was scared."
Jake looks away for a second. Just one. When he looks back, his eyes are wet too.
"That hurts," he says honestly.
"I know," she whispers.
Silence stretches. Then he exhales.
"But I'm glad you told me," he says. "Because if the game had done it for you… I don't think I'd forgive that."
She sobs, collapsing into him.
He hugs her tightly. "We'll deal with it. Together. Okay?"
She nods into his chest.
Outside the door, Kaida's phone lights up.
She doesn't touch it.
It lights up again.
And again.
Finally, she sighs and unlocks it.
"YOU ARE PROTECTING THE WRONG PERSON."
Kaida closes her eyes.
Another message.
"CHOOSE."
"SILENCE OR SACRIFICE."
Her throat tightens.
Across the living room, Summer is laughing too loud at something Zyren says.
"That's not even funny," she says, still laughing.
"You're laughing," Zyren replies smugly.
"That's because you're stupid."
He leans closer. "And yet you keep talking to me."
She opens her mouth to clap back, then freezes.
They're close. Too close.
Her laugh fades. His smirk softens.
For a second, neither of them jokes.
Summer tilts her head. "This is a bad idea."
Zyren nods. "Definitely."
They don't move away.
Instead, he bumps his forehead lightly against hers. "We can pretend this didn't happen."
She snorts. "We never pretend."
Their lips brush.
Not a kiss.
Just enough to feel it.
Summer pulls back first, eyes wide. "Okay. Nope. We're done."
Zyren grins. "You say that like you believe it."
She flips him off. "Shut up."
Her phone buzzes.
So does his.
They look at their screens at the same time.
"WISHES ARE DANGEROUS."
"THEY WANT TO COME TRUE."
Summer groans. "Can this thing chill?"
Zyren laughs. "It's jealous."
Meanwhile, Ryan sits on the arm of the couch, scrolling aimlessly.
His phone buzzes.
Unknown number.
He opens it.
A picture loads.
It's old.
Him. Georgina. Laughing. His arm around her waist.
His stomach drops.
Then the text.
"YOU WALKED AWAY."
"DID SHE?"
Ryan exhales a short laugh. "Oh, you've got jokes now."
He types back without thinking.
Not scared of you.
The reply comes instantly.
"GOOD."
"YOU'LL NEED THAT."
Across the room, Kaida watches all of them.
Kyra clinging to Jake.
Summer pretending nothing happened.
Zyren pretending everything did.
Ryan pretending he doesn't care.
Her phone vibrates one last time.
"DECISION REQUIRED."
She looks at Lyrelle laughing softly with Prince.
At how safe she looks.
Kaida's jaw tightens.
She turns the phone face-down.
Not yet.
But the game smiles anyway.
Because choices don't disappear.
They wait.