The bell jolts me free of half‑sleep. For a second, I’m still in the dream, catching fireflies with Leila. Then the ache in my ribs reminds me where I am.
For a full minute, I lie still. Then I remember, it’s the day of the exam.
Jax’s bed is already empty, the blankets in their usual parade-ground order, not a single pillow out of line. I hold my breath, waiting for him to step out from the washroom or behind the privacy partition, but the silence is total—no trace of him. Just cold, stone, and the faint musk of last night’s sweat.
I scrub a hand over my face, drag myself upright, and reach for a new uniform. It’s still oversized, cuffs flapping over my hands, but that’s better than anything that hugs my frame. I cinch the belt tighter, ignore the bruise blooming up my side, and yank t
