6:13 AM.
Cade woke up before the alarm.
He stared at the ceiling.
The stain was still there. Same shape. Same brown edge.
He blinked.
It looked smaller today.
He sat up.
No—same size. He'd just imagined it.
6:13.
Alarm set for 6:15.
He turned it off anyway.
Just in case.
He checked his phone.
Tuesday.
He locked it.
Unlocked it again.
Still Tuesday.
For a second he thought maybe it wasn't. Maybe he'd lost a day.
He checked the calendar app.
Tuesday.
"…Right."
He threw the blanket off harder than necessary.
6:46 AM.
Kitchen.
Lira was already there.
Hair messy. Hoodie too big for her. Spoon in mouth. Watching him.
Lira: "You were staring again."
Cade: "No."
He opened the fridge.
Empty.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
Still empty.
Lira: "You think food appears if you check twice?"
Cade ignored that.
Milk out. Smelled it.
Paused.
It smelled slightly off.
He poured it anyway.
Lira watched the cereal pour. Exact amount.
He stopped mid-pour.
Added a little more.
Spilled a few flakes.
He stared at them like they'd insulted him.
Lira: "You gonna fight the cereal?"
Cade: "Shut up."
Too sharp.
She blinked.
He picked up the flakes with his fingers. Threw them in the trash.
Lira: "…You're weird."
Cade: "Eat."
She rolled her eyes.
Lira: "Did you sleep."
Cade: "Yeah."
Lira: "How long."
Cade: "Enough."
She stared.
Cade: "…Three hours."
Lira: "That's not enough."
Cade shrugged.
He took a bite.
The milk was sour.
He swallowed it anyway.
7:02 AM.
They walked.
Cold air. Wet pavement.
Lira walked half a step ahead.
Not intentional.
Still annoying.
Cade slowed down.
She didn't notice.
Lira: "You're meeting Ash today."
Cade: "Maybe."
Lira: "That's not an answer."
Cade: "Then don't ask."
She looked at him.
Longer than usual.
Lira: "You've been acting different."
Cade: "No."
Lira: "Yes."
Bus roared past. Wind hit them.
Lira: "You come home late. You don't talk. You just—"
She gestured vaguely.
"Stand there."
Cade: "I'm handling things."
Lira: "That's what Dad used to say."
He stopped walking.
She took two more steps before realizing.
Turned around.
Cade: "Don't."
Lira: "Don't what?"
Cade: "Don't compare me to him."
Too fast. Too defensive.
She stared.
Lira: "…I didn't."
Silence.
He looked away first.
"…Just drop it."
She didn't argue.
But she didn't walk next to him after that either.
7:17 AM.
School gate.
She adjusted her backpack strap.
The orange cat keychain was missing.
He noticed.
Almost said something.
Didn't.
Lira: "Bye."
Flat.
She walked in.
Didn't look back.
He watched longer than usual.
Teacher near the gate stared at him.
Cade stared back until she looked away.
Petty.
He left.
7:33 AM.
Corner store.
Ash was already there.
Energy drink. Unbrushed hair. Same stupid confidence.
Ash: "You look like death."
Cade: "Morning."
Ash: "No seriously. You look worse."
Cade leaned against the wall.
Ash: "You thought about it."
Cade: "No."
Ash: "You always say no before thinking."
Cade: "…I thought about it."
Ash waited.
Cade: "Still no."
Ash sighed.
Ash: "You don't even know what you're saying no to."
Cade: "Territory. Hollows. Some idiot trying to expand."
Ash: "It's not that simple."
Cade: "It is."
His right hand started shaking.
He shoved it deeper into his pocket.
Ash noticed.
Didn't comment.
Ash: "I don't want you alone in this."
Cade: "I'm not alone."
Ash: "Name one person."
Cade opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Ash crushed the can in his hand.
Cade snapped.
Cade: "There's a trash bin."
Ash blinked.
Ash: "What?"
Cade: "You're not five."
Ash stared at him.
Then laughed once.
Not amused.
Ash walked to the bin and threw it away.
Cade immediately regretted saying anything.
Didn't apologize.
4:52 PM.
Home.
Keys went on the second hook.
He froze.
Second hook.
He stared at it.
Slowly moved them to the third.
Better.
Phone.
No messages.
He refreshed.
Still nothing.
He sat down.
His right hand trembled again.
Worse.
He slapped it with his left.
It stopped.
For a few seconds.
Rain memory came out of nowhere.
Eight years old.
Lira crying.
His father on the ground.
His mother saying something—
He stood up too fast.
Chair scraped.
He hated that sound.
Kitchen.
Turned on the tap.
Water ran.
He forgot why he came in here.
He stared at the sink.
Lira's voice echoed in his head.
"That's what Dad used to say."
He punched the counter.
Not hard.
Enough.
Knuckles stung.
He didn't feel better.
5:26 PM.
Door opened.
Lira walked in.
Backpack dropped.
She looked at him.
At his hand.
Lira: "What happened."
Cade: "Nothing."
Lira: "You're bleeding."
He looked down.
Small cut on his knuckle.
He hadn't noticed.
Cade: "It's fine."
Lira: "You always say that."
He almost said something.
Didn't.
She walked to her room.
Stopped.
Turned back.
Lira: "…You don't have to handle everything."
He stared at her.
Cade: "Yes I do."
She held his gaze.
"…No. You don't."
Door closed.
Not slammed.
Worse than a slam.
3:41 AM.
He woke up.
No idea why.
Heart racing.
Room dark.
He checked the time.
3:41.
He thought it was 3:44.
He'd dreamed something.
Rain.
Always rain.
He sat up.
His hands were shaking.
Both.
He pressed them between his knees.
Waited.
Nothing changed.
He counted seconds.
Lost count at thirty-two.
Started again.
Somewhere outside, a dog barked.
Same one.
Normal.
He didn't fall asleep again.
Not really.