It was a late morning wrapped in gray clouds, the kind that whispered the promise of rain but never quite delivered.
The breeze was soft, threading through campus like a secret.
Thomas walked ahead, his strides long and determined, the soles of his shoes crisp against the pavement. He didn't look back once.
Behind him, Julian trailed at a leisurely pace, hands buried in his hoodie pocket, whistling some vaguely familiar tune with maddening cheerfulness. His steps were lighter, less urgent—like someone on a stroll through a park instead of a student heading to class.
Thomas stopped in the middle of the pathway. His back remained turned as he spoke, voice clipped but not angry—just tired.
"Can you please stop that?"
Julian blinked and halted, a few paces behind. "What? You're not even studying right now."
Thomas turned his head slightly, enough to show the irritation in his eyes. "So? Just be quiet."
Julian made a face, puffing his cheeks like a child about to argue. "Hmmp."
"Just walk," Thomas added flatly, already facing forward again.
Julian fell silent—for all of five seconds. Then he began to hum instead.
Thomas didn't respond this time, but his posture was stiffer. His hands twitched slightly in his coat pockets, like he was deciding whether to turn back and snap or just endure it.
They walked a little further. Julian, now behind again, slowed as he took out his phone, completely distracted by something on the screen. When he looked up, Thomas had turned down a side path without saying a word. Not their usual route. Not even close.
Julian squinted. "Seriously?"
He stood there for a moment, hands on his hips.
"Cool. Abandon me. Typical."
Still, he didn't follow. He let Thomas go ahead and walked his own route, headphones slipping over his ears, eyes rolling to the sky.
By the time midday classes ended, Julian looked like he'd aged ten years.
He pushed open the classroom door with a blank expression, eyes wide in silent horror. He staggered into the hallway like someone who had just watched an apocalyptic film in 4D.
Rain, followed Julian, took one look at him and started laughing.
Julian leaned against the wall and slid down it slowly, his backpack thudding to the floor beside him.
"Bury me alive already," he groaned, dragging his hands down his face.
"You look like you just fought God."
Julian peeked between his fingers. "The professor assigned a fifteen-minute video project. Solo. No groups. No partners. Just us. Alone. With editing. With subtitles. And citations."
Rain blinked. "That's not that bad."
Julian stared at him in silence, then said with dramatic clarity, "Do I look like a tech person to you?"
"You're a communications major. We are."
"That means we communicate. Not that I'm Spielberg."
Rain snorted and nudged Julian's knee with the tip of his sneaker. "You'll be fine."
"I'll be dead."
"You'll be fine."
Julian slumped sideways. "Play my funeral song at lunch."
Rain crouched and gave his shoulder a rough shake. "Get up. You're embarrassing us both."
After a beat, Julian sighed and let himself be hauled upright. He dusted himself off dramatically. "Ugh. If I pass out in the cafeteria, it's your fault."
Rain was already walking ahead. "You're being so dramatic."
"Thank you, I try."