After lunch, we left the cafeteria together.
The noise faded behind us.
But the tension didn't.
No one spoke for a while.
Which was… rare.
Especially with Kiara around.
"…I'm bored," she finally said.
There it was.
"I was wondering how long you'd last," I replied.
"Not long."
"Clearly."
She walked ahead of me, then suddenly turned and started walking backward.
Facing me.
"Entertain me."
"I'm not your personal entertainer."
"Debatable."
"I'm serious."
"So am I."
Meera giggled softly.
At least someone was enjoying this.
Luna walked quietly beside us.
But something felt off.
Different from before.
Her gaze was sharper.
More alert.
Like she was paying attention to something we couldn't see.
"…Hey," I said, lowering my voice slightly, "are you okay?"
No response.
"Luna?"
She suddenly stopped.
Right in the middle of the corridor.
I almost bumped into her.
"What—?"
Her expression changed.
For the first time since I met her…
There was tension.
Real tension.
"…Someone's watching," she said quietly.
My body froze.
"What?"
Kiara's playful expression faded slightly.
"…You felt it too?" she asked.
Luna didn't answer.
But that was enough.
Meera looked confused.
"Wait… what are you guys talking about?"
No one replied.
Because now—
I felt it too.
A strange sensation.
Like a gaze.
Heavy.
Unseen.
Watching.
From somewhere.
I slowly looked around.
Students were walking normally.
Talking.
Laughing.
Everything looked fine.
But it didn't feel fine.
"…This isn't funny," I said.
"I'm not joking," Luna replied.
Kiara crossed her arms, her eyes scanning the area.
"Yeah… this doesn't feel normal."
Meera stepped closer to me.
"Ayaan… what's going on?"
"I… don't know."
And that was the problem.
I really didn't.
Luna took a small step forward.
Her eyes narrowed.
"It's gone," she said after a few seconds.
"Gone?" I asked.
"For now."
That didn't sound reassuring.
At all.
Kiara exhaled slowly.
"Well… that's new."
"You're way too calm about this," I said.
"I'm not calm," she replied. "I'm just used to weird things."
That was not comforting.
Meera still looked confused.
"I don't understand anything…"
I looked at her.
And for a moment—
I realized something.
She really didn't.
She was completely unaware.
Of whatever this was.
"…It's nothing," I said finally.
"Just… forget it."
Luna glanced at me.
But didn't say anything.
Kiara just smiled faintly.
Like she knew I was lying.
We started walking again.
But this time—
Something had changed.
The air felt heavier.
The silence felt deeper.
And that strange feeling…
It didn't completely go away.
"…What is happening?" I whispered.
No one answered.
But deep inside—
I knew.
This wasn't random.
This wasn't normal.
And whatever it was—
It was getting closer.