*Kieran*
As I pace the common room, my agitation mounts. The faces of my friends… my schoolmates… blur together, each one a mask of innocence or potential deceit. My fists clench at my sides, the urge to shake someone until the truth spills forth is almost overwhelming. I need to know who would dare harm Ariella.
Just then, Silas enters, his expression tight. “You should go talk to Ariella,” he says, his voice low. “She needs you.”
I nod, a sudden urgency propelling me forward. The tension of the past hours weighs heavily on me, but I can’t ignore the pull toward Ariella. I need to hear her voice, feel her presence.
I stride down the corridor, each step echoing my determination. When I reach her dorm room, I find the door slightly ajar. I knock softly, pushing it open to find her seate
