ROOM 7
Chapter Forty-One: The Festival
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The festival week announcement came on a Monday.
Flyers appeared on every door. Posters lined the hallways. Students stopped to read them, pointing at the dates, whispering about the events. The university was transforming—streamers, lights, banners. The courtyard was being prepared for something big.
Room 7 was chaos.
Yuri was running between beds, holding up shirts, asking opinions. Care and Cole were arguing about color coordination. Mica and Calix were ironing. Freya was testing her camera. Erdix was testing his phone. Ash was trying on jewelry. David was organizing snacks. Felix was sketching. Ci N was calculating the probability of everything going wrong.
Jay stood in front of her closet, staring at the dress.
It was navy blue. Floor-length. Backless. Sleeveless. Her mother had sent it. The note said: "For the festival. Don't argue."
She'd argued. Her mother had won. Her mother always won.
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Part One: The Dress
Keifer found her standing in front of the mirror, holding the dress against her chest, frowning.
"You're still looking at it."
"I'm still looking at it."
"You've been looking at it for an hour."
"It's a complicated dress."
He leaned against the doorframe. "It's a dress."
"It's backless."
He raised an eyebrow. "Backless?"
She turned. The dress was draped over her arm. The back was open. Nothing but fabric and straps and a lot of skin.
"You're not wearing anything underneath," he said.
She grabbed a pillow. Threw it at him. He caught it.
"I'm wearing things underneath."
"Things?"
"Normal things. Things people wear under dresses."
He smiled. "Can I help you put it on?"
She stared at him. "You want to help me put on my dress?"
"I want to help you put on your dress."
She looked at the dress. At him. At the dress. She handed it to him. "Fine."
She turned around. Her back was to him. Her hair was pulled to the side. Her shoulders were bare.
He stepped closer. His fingers found the clasp of her bra. He unhooked it. She went still.
"Keifer."
"You said you needed help."
"I said help with the dress."
"I'm helping."
He slid the bra off her shoulders. She didn't move. His fingers traced her spine. Slowly. Deliberately.
"Keifer."
"You have a nice back."
She shivered. "I know."
He lifted the dress. Held it open. She stepped into it. He pulled it up. His fingers were on her shoulders. Her waist. Her hips. He took his time.
"You're taking too long," she said.
"I'm being thorough."
"You're being annoying."
He zipped the dress. Slow. His knuckles brushed her spine. She shivered again.
"Done," he said.
She turned. The dress fit. Navy blue. Floor-length. Her shoulders were bare. Her back was bare. Her face was red.
"How do I look?"
He looked at her. At the dress. At her shoulders. At her face. "Like you need to get back in bed."
She grabbed a napkin. Threw it at him. He caught it.
"You have a catching problem," she said.
"You have a throwing problem."
"I have a Keifer problem."
He tucked the napkin into his pocket. "The worst kind."
He kissed her forehead. She pushed him away. He laughed. She tried not to smile. She failed.
---
Part Two: The Zip
Across the room, Lyra stood in front of her mirror. Her dress was emerald green. Strapless. Fitted. The zipper was halfway up her back.
She couldn't reach it.
She tried twisting. Tried stretching. Tried contorting. The zipper didn't move. She groaned. Dropped her arms. Stared at her reflection.
"Alex."
He was on his bed, reading. Or pretending to read. His book was open. His eyes were on the page. His ears were red.
"Alex."
He looked up.
"I need help."
He stood. Walked to her. Stopped behind her. His hands were in his pockets.
"The zipper," she said.
He looked at the zipper. At her back. At the straps. At the fabric.
"Turn around."
She turned. Her back was to him. Her hair was piled on her head. Her shoulders were bare. Her spine was a line down the middle of her back.
He didn't move.
"Alex."
He stepped closer. His fingers touched the zipper. Cold metal. Warm skin. He pulled it up. Slow. His knuckles brushed her spine. She shivered.
"Done," he said.
She turned. The dress fit. Emerald green. Strapless. Her shoulders were bare. Her face was red.
"How do I look?"
He looked at her. At the dress. At her shoulders. At her face.
"You look like—" He stopped.
She waited. "Like what?"
He stepped back. His hands went in his pockets. "Like you're going to the festival."
She stared at him. "That's not what you were going to say."
He didn't answer.
She stepped closer. "What were you going to say?"
He looked at her. His face was calm. His eyes were dark. His voice was low.
"I was going to say you look like you should stay here. With me. And not go anywhere."
She went still. "Alex."
He stepped back. "We should go. Everyone's waiting."
He walked to the door. She followed. Her heart was pounding. Her hands were shaking. Her back was still warm where his fingers had been.
---
Part Three: The Hallway
They walked out of the room together.
Jay and Keifer were in the hallway. Jay in navy blue. Keifer in a matching suit. His hand was on her back. Her hand was on his arm. They were arguing about something. She was holding a napkin. He was holding his hands up. Ci N was watching, notebook open.
Freya and Erdix were at the end of the hall. Freya in gold. Erdix in matching gold. Her camera was around her neck. His phone was in his hand.
Felix was by the stairs. Ash was beside him. She was wearing silver. He was wearing gray. His sketchbook was under his arm. Her hand was on his sleeve.
They all looked up when Lyra and Alex walked out.
Jay stopped arguing. Keifer stopped dodging. Freya lowered her camera. Felix closed his sketchbook. Ash turned.
Ci N's pen moved. "Page 301. Lyra and Alex exiting. Probability of teasing: 98.7 percent."
Jay was the first to speak. "Alex helped you with your zipper."
Lyra's face went red. "What?"
"Your zipper. It's up. You couldn't reach it. Alex helped."
Lyra opened her mouth. Closed it. "I asked him to help."
"I didn't say you didn't."
"You implied—"
"I didn't imply anything." Jay smiled. "I'm just observing."
Lyra grabbed a napkin from Jay's hand. Threw it at her. Jay caught it.
"You have a catching problem," Lyra said.
"You have a throwing problem."
"I have a Jay problem."
Jay tucked the napkin into her pocket. "The worst kind."
Freya raised her camera. "Smile. Both of you. This is for the folder."
Lyra grabbed Alex's arm. Pulled him down the hall. Her face was red. His ears were red. Everyone was watching.
Felix closed his sketchbook. "That was interesting."
Ash looked at him. "What was interesting?"
He looked at Lyra. At Alex. At the way she was holding his arm. At the way he was letting her. At the way neither of them was letting go.
"The zipper," he said.
Ash smiled. "The zipper."
Ci N wrote in his notebook. "Page 302. Zipper incident recorded. Probability of more incidents: 94.2 percent."
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Part Four: The Courtyard
The courtyard was transformed.
Lights strung between trees. Lanterns hanging from posts. A stage at the far end. Tables covered in white cloth. Flowers everywhere. Students in gowns and suits, laughing, taking photos, walking arm in arm.
Lyra and Alex found a bench near the fountain. She sat. He sat beside her. Her hand was still on his arm. She let go.
"Everyone was watching," she said.
"Everyone was watching."
"They know you helped with my zipper."
He looked at her. "I helped with your zipper."
She looked away. Her face was red. "They're going to talk about it."
He didn't answer.
She looked at him. "Does that bother you?"
He looked at her. At her face. At her shoulders. At the way the light caught the green of her dress.
"No," he said.
She stared at him. "No?"
He leaned closer. "I helped with your zipper. That's what best friends do."
She opened her mouth. Closed it. He was still close. His face was inches from hers. His eyes were dark. His voice was low.
"Best friends help with zippers."
She swallowed. "Best friends help with zippers."
He smiled. She tried not to smile. She failed.
Ci N appeared beside the fountain. "Page 303. Best friends help with zippers. Probability of more than best friends: 89.2 percent."
Lyra grabbed a napkin from the table. Threw it at him. He caught it.
"You have a catching problem," she said.
"You have a throwing problem."
"I have a Ci N problem."
He tucked the napkin into his pocket. "The worst kind."
He walked back to Jay and Keifer. They were standing by the fountain. Keifer's hand was on Jay's back. Her back was bare. His fingers were tracing her spine.
"You're doing it again," she said.
"Doing what?"
"Touching my back."
He smiled. "I'm helping."
She grabbed a napkin. Threw it at him. He caught it.
"You have a catching problem," she said.
"You have a throwing problem."
"I have a Keifer problem."
He tucked the napkin into his pocket. "The worst kind."
He kissed her. She kissed him back.
Ci N wrote in his notebook. "Page 304. Festival night. Kisses recorded. Probability of more kisses: 100 percent."
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Part Five: The Night
The festival went on late.
Music played. Lanterns glowed. Students danced. Yuri was on the dance floor, arms in the air, shirt untucked. Mica and Calix were at the edge, watching, laughing. Care and Cole were arguing about the music. Freya was taking photos. Erdix was filming. Ash was dancing with David. Felix was sketching.
Ci N sat at a table, notebook open, pen moving. Rakki was beside him, watching the crowd.
"You're not dancing," she said.
"I'm calculating."
She looked at his notebook. "Calculating what?"
He showed her. Probabilities. Kisses. Zippers. Dances. "The probability of Alex kissing Lyra tonight is 43.2 percent. The probability of them talking about it is 12.7 percent. The probability of—"
She closed his notebook. "Dance with me."
He looked at her. "I don't dance."
She pulled him up. "You're dancing."
He followed her to the floor. His arms went around her. Her arms went around him. They swayed. His notebook was on the table. His pen was on the notebook. His fox was in his pocket.
"You're impossible," she said.
He smiled. "You like it."
She didn't answer. She held him. He held her.
---
Across the courtyard, Lyra sat on the bench. Alex beside her. Her head was on his shoulder. His arm was around her. Her eyes were closed. His eyes were open.
"Alex."
"Yeah."
"Thank you. For helping with the zipper."
He looked at her. Her eyes were still closed. Her face was calm. Her hand was in his.
"You're welcome," he said.
She opened her eyes. Looked at him. "Everyone was teasing us."
"Everyone was teasing us."
She smiled. "They think something happened."
He looked at her. "Something did happen."
She went still. "What happened?"
He looked at her face. At her eyes. At her mouth. At the way the lantern light caught the green of her dress.
"I helped with your zipper."
She stared at him. "That's what happened?"
He nodded. "That's what happened."
She leaned closer. Her face was inches from his. Her hand was on his chest. His heart was pounding.
"Alex."
"Lyra."
She kissed him.
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Part Six: The Kiss
It wasn't like Jay and Keifer's kiss. It wasn't planned. It wasn't expected. It was soft. Gentle. The way she'd been wanting to kiss him for years. His hand was on her face. Her hand was on his chest. Her lips were soft. His lips were soft. The courtyard was full of people. No one was watching. They were the only two people in the world.
She pulled back. Her face was red. His ears were red. Her hand was still on his chest. His hand was still on her face.
"I kissed you," she said.
"You kissed me."
"In the courtyard."
"In the courtyard."
She looked at his face. At his eyes. At his mouth. At the way he was looking at her like she was the only thing in the world worth seeing.
"I've been wanting to do that for years," she said.
He pulled her closer. "I've been wanting you to do that for years."
She kissed him again. He kissed her back.
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Part Seven: The Aftermath
They walked back to the room together. Hand in hand. The courtyard was behind them. The lights were dimming. The music was fading. The night was ending.
The door opened. The room was quiet. Everyone was there. Yuri on his bed. Mica and Calix in the kitchen. Care and Cole at the table. Freya and Erdix on the couch. Ash and David by the window. Felix at his desk. Ci N on his bed. Jay and Keifer on her bed.
They all looked up when Lyra and Alex walked in.
Yuri saw their hands first. "YOU'RE HOLDING HANDS."
Lyra looked at Alex. Alex looked at Lyra.
"We're holding hands," Lyra said.
Yuri stared at them. "You're holding hands and you're best friends?"
"We're best friends."
He grabbed his hair. "I CAN'T. I CAN'T WITH THEM."
Ci N was writing. "Page 305. Hand-holding confirmed. Probability of more hand-holding: 100 percent. Probability of kissing: already recorded."
Lyra grabbed a pillow. Threw it at him. He caught it.
"You have a catching problem," she said.
"You have a throwing problem."
"I have a Ci N problem."
He tucked the pillow under his arm. "The worst kind."
Lyra laughed. Alex laughed. The room laughed.
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Part Eight: The Night
The room was quiet that night.
Lyra was on the couch. Alex beside her. Her head was on his shoulder. His arm was around her. Her eyes were closed. She was sleeping. He was watching her breathe.
Ci N was on his bed. Notebook open. Pen in hand.
"Page 306. Lyra sleeping. Alex watching. Probability of more kisses: 100 percent."
Rakki closed his notebook. "You need to sleep."
He looked at her. "I'm not tired."
"You've been calculating all day."
He looked at Lyra. At the way her hand was in Alex's. At the way his thumb was tracing circles on her palm.
"They kissed," he said.
Rakki looked at them. "They kissed."
He picked up his fox. Held it. "Good."
She kissed his cheek. He closed his eyes.
---
Across the room, Jay lay in her bed. The shark was beside her. Keifer was beside her. His arm was around her. Her head was on his chest.
"She kissed him," Jay said.
"She kissed him."
"In the courtyard."
"In the courtyard."
She looked up at him. "He helped with her zipper."
He smiled. "I helped with your zipper."
She grabbed his shirt. Pulled him down. Kissed him.
From across the room, Ci N's voice: "Page 307. Goodnight recorded. Probability of more goodnights: 100 percent."
"Ci N," Jay said.
"I'm sleeping."
"You're talking."
"I'm sleeping and talking. My brain works at one hundred sixty percent. I can do both."
"Ci N."
"Goodnight, Mother. Goodnight, Father."
She smiled into Keifer's chest. "Goodnight, Ci N."
The room was quiet. Sixteen people. Sixteen people who were something to each other. Something that didn't need a name.
Jay closed her eyes. Keifer was beside her. The shark was beside her. Lyra was sleeping. Alex was watching. They kissed. They were figuring it out.
She slept.
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End of Chapter Forty-One