ROOM 7
Chapter Thirty-Two: The Fall
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The second week without Alex was worse than the first.
Lyra stopped waiting by the door. She stopped making two cups of coffee. She stopped looking at his bed. She went to class. She took notes. She ate when Mica put food in front of her. She slept when her body gave out. She moved through the room like a ghost, present but not there, breathing but not living.
The room moved around her. Yuri kept his voice down. Mica made her favorite food. Care stopped arguing when she was nearby. Freya stopped taking photos of her. David left snacks by her bed. Everyone watched. Everyone waited.
Alex didn't come back.
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Part One: The Morning
It started like any other day.
Lyra woke on her bed. Her eyes were swollen. Her head was heavy. She looked at the table. No coffee. She looked at Alex's bed. Empty. The sheets were still rumpled from the night he left. No one had touched them. She couldn't bring herself to wash them. Couldn't bring herself to let anyone else wash them.
She sat up. The room was quiet. Jay was at the window, coffee in hand. Keifer beside her. Yuri was in the kitchen. Mica cooking. Calix helping. Care and Cole at the table. Freya looking at her camera. Erdix beside her. Ash on the couch. David with his chips. Felix at his desk. Ci N on his bed, notebook open, pen moving.
She stood up. Her legs felt strange. Heavy. Like they weren't hers. She walked to the kitchen. Made coffee. Black. No sugar. She made one cup.
She drank it standing up. Stared at the wall. The coffee was bitter. She didn't taste it.
"You should eat something," Mica said.
Lyra shook her head. "I'm not hungry."
"You haven't eaten in two days."
She set the cup down. "I'm not hungry."
She walked back to her bed. Sat down. Picked up her book. The same book she'd been holding for two weeks. Page 87. She hadn't turned it since Alex left.
Jay appeared beside her. "Lyra."
"I'm fine."
"You're not fine."
"I'm fine, Jay."
"You haven't eaten. You haven't slept. You haven't—"
Lyra stood up. "I said I'm fine."
The room tilted.
She grabbed the bedpost. The wood was cold under her fingers. The walls moved. The floor shifted. Jay's face was pale. Keifer was moving toward her. Yuri was saying something. Mica was saying something. The voices were far away. Underwater. She couldn't hear them.
She tried to say something. Her mouth opened. No sound came out.
The floor came up to meet her.
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Part Two: The Crash
She didn't feel herself hit the ground.
She was standing. Then she wasn't. The world went dark. Voices came from somewhere else. Far away. Echoing.
"LYRA."
Jay's voice. Sharp. Scared.
"She's not breathing."
Keifer's voice. Low. Controlled.
"Call someone. Call—"
Ci N's voice. Numbers. Distances. Times.
The darkness pressed in. She tried to move. Her body wouldn't listen. Her eyes wouldn't open. Her hands wouldn't move. She was floating. Falling. Sinking.
She heard her name again. Over and over. Fading.
Then nothing.
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Part Three: The Room
She was on the floor.
She didn't know how she got there. The ceiling was above her. White. Blurred. Faces appeared above her. Jay. Keifer. Mica. Yuri. Care. Cole. They were talking. She couldn't hear them.
Someone touched her face. Jay. Her hand was cold.
"Lyra. Can you hear me?"
She tried to nod. Her head wouldn't move.
"Lyra. Squeeze my hand."
She tried. Her fingers wouldn't close.
Jay's face was white. Her lips were moving. Keifer was on the phone. His voice was low. Fast.
"We need an ambulance. Room 7. Mariano-Watson dorm. She collapsed. She's not—" He stopped. Listened. "Yes. She's breathing. Barely."
Mica brought a blanket. Covered her. Calix moved the chairs. Made space. Care brought water. Cole brought ice. Freya stood in the corner, camera down, hands shaking. Erdix held her. Ash was on her knees beside Lyra, holding her hand. David stood by the door, waiting. Felix was at the window, watching for the ambulance. Ci N was on his bed, notebook open, pen still, fox in his lap.
Yuri was pacing. "Where's Alex? Someone call Alex."
Jay looked up. Her face was blank. "His phone is off."
"What do you mean, off?"
"I called him. Twice. It goes straight to voicemail."
Yuri grabbed his phone. Dialed. Held it to his ear. His face went pale. "Straight to voicemail."
"Try again."
"I'm trying. It's not—" He stopped. "It's not connecting."
Keifer hung up the phone. "Ambulance is five minutes out." He looked at Lyra. At her white face. At her still hands. At her closed eyes. "We need to find him."
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Part Four: The Search
Ci N stood up. His notebook was closed. His fox was on his bed. His face was blank.
"I'll find him."
Yuri stared at him. "How?"
Ci N walked to the door. "My brain works at one hundred sixty percent. I notice things. I remember things. I calculate probabilities."
He walked out. The door closed behind him.
Rakki stood up. "I'm going with him."
Felix was at the door. "I'm coming too."
Ash was on her feet. "I'll check the library."
Yuri grabbed his jacket. "I'll check his department."
Mica grabbed her keys. "I'll drive. We can cover more ground."
They moved. Fast. The door opened and closed. Voices in the hallway. Footsteps fading.
Lyra lay on the floor. Her eyes were closed. Her chest was rising. Falling. Rising. Falling.
Jay knelt beside her. Her hand was on Lyra's face. Her voice was steady.
"You're going to be okay. He's going to find him. He's going to come back. You're going to be okay."
She didn't know if Lyra could hear her. She didn't know if Lyra was still there.
She kept talking anyway.
---
Part Five: The Search
Ci N walked fast.
His feet knew where to go. His brain was already there. Calculating. Eliminating. The library. Empty. His department. Empty. The café. Empty. The courtyard. Empty. The bench where they used to sit. Empty.
He kept walking. His feet moved faster. His brain moved faster.
Alex wouldn't be in the obvious places. He'd been avoiding those places for two weeks. He'd been hiding. Finding corners. Disappearing.
Ci N thought about the messages. The threats. The way Alex had been looking over his shoulder. The way he'd been watching the door. The way he'd been scared.
Where would he go? Where would he hide?
He thought about Alex. About the way he folded his clothes. The way he made coffee. The way he watched Lyra sleep. The way he held her hand in the dark. The way he'd been holding everything in for weeks.
He thought about the note on the table. I'm okay. Don't worry.
He'd lied. He wasn't okay. He was hiding. He was scared. He was alone.
Ci N stopped walking.
The rooftop. The place where Jay had chased Keifer. The place where Lyra and Alex had held hands for the first time. The place where Alex had watched Lyra sleep on the couch through the window. The place where he'd been going when he needed to think.
He ran.
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Part Six: The Rooftop
The door was unlocked.
Ci N pushed it open. The wind hit his face. The city spread out below. Gray. Cold. The sky was low. The clouds were thick.
Alex was sitting on the edge.
His legs were dangling over the side. His hands were flat on the concrete. His head was down. His shoulders were shaking.
Ci N walked toward him. His footsteps were quiet. The wind covered them.
"Alex."
Alex didn't move. "Go away."
"Lyra collapsed."
Alex's hands stopped shaking. His head came up. His body went rigid.
"She's at the dorm. On the floor. She's not moving. Her eyes are closed. Her hands are cold."
Alex stood up. Turned. His face was white. His eyes were wild. His hands were fists.
"What?"
"She collapsed. She hasn't been eating. She hasn't been sleeping. She's been waiting for you. She's been making coffee. Two cups. Every morning. She pours one down the sink."
Alex stared at him. His face was breaking. His hands were shaking.
"She's been waiting for you to come back. She told you not to come back. She said if you left, don't come back. But she's been waiting anyway."
Alex walked toward the door. Fast. Ci N stepped in front of him.
"She's been waiting for you to come back. And you've been hiding. On a rooftop. Alone."
Alex stopped. His hands were fists. His jaw was tight. His eyes were wet.
"I was trying to protect her."
"You were hurting her."
"I was trying to—"
"You were hurting her." Ci N's voice was flat. His face was still. "You left. You didn't leave coffee. You didn't say goodbye. You didn't answer her messages. You walked past her in the hallway like she was a stranger. You told her you can't be near her. You told her you can't make her coffee. You told her you can't sit beside her. And then you left."
Alex's face crumpled. "I was trying to keep her safe."
"She's not safe. She's on the floor of Room 7. Her eyes are closed. Her hands are cold. She's not moving."
Alex grabbed the door. Pulled it open. Ran down the stairs.
Ci N followed.
---
Part Seven: The Return
The ambulance was in the parking lot when they got back.
Red lights flashing. Doors open. Paramedics inside. Alex ran through the hallway. Pushed through the door.
Lyra was on the floor. Blanket under her head. Blanket over her body. Jay was beside her. Keifer was beside Jay. Mica was at the door. Calix was behind her. Care was holding Cole. Freya was holding her camera. Erdix was holding Freya. Ash was on her knees. David was by the door. Yuri was pacing.
Lyra's eyes were closed. Her face was white. Her chest was rising. Falling. Rising. Falling.
Alex fell to his knees beside her.
His hands touched her face. Her cheeks were cold. His hands were shaking. His voice was broken.
"Lyra. Lyra, I'm here. I'm here. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
She didn't move.
His hands were on her face. Her shoulders. Her hands. He was checking. Touching. Making sure she was real. The way she'd done for him. The way he'd done for her a hundred times.
"Lyra. Please. Please open your eyes. Please—"
Her eyelids fluttered.
He went still. His hands were on her face. His breath was caught. His heart was stopped.
Her eyes opened.
She looked at him. Her eyes were blurry. Her voice was hoarse. "You came back."
He couldn't speak. His hands were on her face. His eyes were wet. His voice was gone.
She touched his face. Her fingers were cold. Her hand was shaking.
"You came back," she said again.
He pulled her up. His arms were around her. His face was in her hair. His whole body was shaking.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
She held him. Her hands were on his back. Her face was against his chest. Her eyes were closed.
"Don't leave again."
"I won't."
"Promise."
He pulled back. Looked at her. Her face was white. Her eyes were red. Her lips were dry. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.
"I promise."
She closed her eyes. Her hand was in his. Her breathing was steady. She was sleeping.
He held her. Didn't move. Didn't let go.
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Part Eight: The Aftermath
The paramedics checked her. Low blood sugar. Exhaustion. Dehydration. She needed rest. She needed food. She needed water. She needed time.
Alex carried her to her bed. Pulled the blanket over her. Sat beside her. Didn't move.
The room was quiet. The ambulance left. The lights stopped flashing. The sirens faded.
Yuri sat on his bed. His hands were shaking. Mica brought him water. He drank it. Calix stood behind her. Care was on the couch, Cole beside her. Freya had her camera down. Erdix was holding her. Ash was on her bed, watching. David was by the door, waiting. Felix was at his desk, notebook open, not writing.
Jay sat on her bed. Keifer beside her. His arm was around her. Her head was on his shoulder.
"She's going to be okay," he said.
She looked at Lyra. At Alex beside her. At his hand in hers. At his eyes on her face.
"She's going to be okay," Jay said.
Ci N stood in the doorway. His notebook was closed. His fox was under his arm. His face was still.
He walked to his bed. Sat down. Picked up his fox. Held it.
Rakki sat beside him. "You found him."
He nodded. "On the rooftop."
"You brought him back."
He looked at Lyra. At Alex. At the way he was holding her hand. At the way she was sleeping. At the way his eyes were open, watching her breathe.
"She needed him to come back."
Rakki took his hand. "She needed you to find him."
He looked at his notebook. At the closed cover. At the numbers he didn't need to calculate.
"I calculated the probability of finding him on the rooftop. 87.4 percent."
She kissed his cheek. "You're impossible."
He smiled. "You like it."
She didn't answer. She sat beside him. Watched the room settle. Watched the people breathe.
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Part Nine: The Night
The room was quiet.
Lyra was on her bed. Alex beside her. His hand was in hers. His eyes were open. He was watching her breathe. The way she'd watched him. The way he'd always watched her.
She stirred. Her eyes opened.
"Alex."
"I'm here."
"You came back."
He touched her face. Her skin was warm now. Her eyes were clear. Her hand was steady.
"I came back."
She looked at his face. At his eyes. At the shadows under them. At the lines she hadn't seen before.
"You haven't been sleeping."
"No."
"You haven't been eating."
"No."
She touched his face. Her fingers traced his cheekbone. His jaw. His lips.
"Don't leave again."
He covered her hand with his. "I won't."
She closed her eyes. His hand was in hers. His voice was in her ear.
"I'm not leaving," he said. "I'm not leaving. I'm not leaving."
She slept.
He held her hand. Watched her breathe. Counted her breaths. The way she'd counted his. The way he'd always counted hers.
Across the room, Ci N sat on his bed. His notebook was open. His pen was moving.
Page 272. Alex returned. Lyra sleeping. Hand-holding observed. Probability of them being okay: 100 percent.
He closed the notebook. Picked up his fox. Held it.
Rakki watched him. "You're not calculating anymore."
He looked at Lyra. At Alex. At the way he was holding her hand. At the way she was sleeping.
"I don't need to."
She took his hand. He held it.
---
Jay lay on her bed. The shark was beside her. Keifer was beside her. His arm was around her. Her head was on his chest.
"He came back," she said.
"He came back."
She looked at Lyra. At Alex. At the way he was holding her hand. At the way she was sleeping.
"She told him not to come back."
Keifer's hand was in her hair. "She didn't mean it."
She looked up at him. "How do you know?"
He looked at her. "Because I've been in love with you since I was fourteen. And I've said a lot of things I didn't mean."
She smiled. "You're impossible."
"You like it."
She closed her eyes. His heartbeat was under her ear. His hand was in her hair. The shark was beside them. The room was quiet.
From across the room, Ci N's voice: "Page 273. 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 were going to be okay.
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End of Chapter Thirty-Two