The dorms were quiet. Most students had gone home for the weekend, leaving the common areas hollow and still.

You were sitting on the couch in the common room, a textbook open but unread on your lap. The words blurred together. The silence felt heavy, like a blanket you couldn’t shake off.

The front door clicked open, then shut with a soft thud. Heavy, familiar footsteps crossed the entryway tile, then paused at the edge of the common room carpet.