Clark POV:
"Hey," I whispered, even though I knew he wouldn't answer. "Whatever happened... I'm not gonna ask again. Just... you're safe here, alright?"
No response.
I didn't expect one.
But I thought—maybe, just maybe—I saw the covers shift slightly. A twitch. Like maybe he heard me.
I turned toward him, my whisper barely audible.
"Hey… you never told me your name."
No answer.
A minute passed. Then two.
And then, from beneath the blanket, a soft whisper, hoarse and quiet:
"…Lucas."
I nodded in the dark. "I'm Clark."
A pause. Then another whisper, barely more than a breath.
"We shouldn't have come here."
A chill ran through me. I pulled my covers higher, heart thudding in my chest.
This place… this wasn't just about bullies.
It was something else.
Something worse.
And I had no Clare here to fight for me.
Just me.
*********
