7. Chapter Seven - Unlikely Anchors #3
It vanished almost instantly, smoothed over with forced calm, but the damage had already been done, and a cold heaviness settled low in my stomach.
I hadn’t spoken to him or done anything that should’ve sparked a reaction like that, and yet the way he carried himself afterward felt painfully measured. Every movement was controlled. His gaze carefully avoided mine. His shoulders stayed tense, drawn tight as though he were bracing for something.
Why would a grown man look at me as though I were the one capable of hurting him when I could barely throw a punch?
Oliver leaned sideways against Sienna’s shoulder and stage-whispered, “Oi, what’s his deal?”
She scrunched her nose and shoved him away with a quiet huff. “Don’t look at me,” she muttered. “Just get on with the project, yeah?”
She turned back to me, irritation tightening her mouth. “Come on then, Ira. What’s your verdict on that sentence?”
I blinked, dragging myself out of the spiral, and glanced down at the page still clutched in my hand. “Honestly?” I said, forcing my voice back into something casual. “I think it’s fine.”
Sienna rolled her eyes with an exaggerated sigh. “Why am I not surprised? Team Olive-Boy strikes again.”
“Olive-Boy?” I repeated, narrowing my eyes as Oliver’s ears turned bright red.
“Oh, you don’t know?” Sienna said, her eyes lighting up with mischief. “He’s got some properly shady little secrets tucked away.”
Oliver’s eyes widened in horror. Before she could elaborate, he lunged forward and clapped a hand over her mouth.
“I–It’s nothing!” he blurted, panic bleeding into his voice. “Seriously, don’t worry about it!”
Before he could pull his hand back, his entire body recoiled as though he’d touched a hot stove. “Did you just lick me?!”
Sienna smoothed her hair back as though she hadn’t just committed a crime and shrugged. “Yeah. What of it? You were the one begging for trouble.”
I laughed, the sound bubbling out unexpectedly because the two of them were ridiculous in the most comforting way.
I’d half-expected Sienna to keep things distant, the type to size me up and keep me at arm’s length without a second thought, but instead she was loud and cheeky, completely unapologetic about who she was.
And Oliver, well, he was all chaos wrapped up in sunny energy that made it hard not to get pulled in.
“You two should start a comedy duo,” I said between chuckles, shaking my head as Oliver dramatically wiped his hand on his trousers as though it were contaminated.
“You think?” he grinned, hopping up to perch on the armrest as though he were pitching the idea to an invisible executive. “With my comedic genius and her fortunate good looks, we’d take the world by storm.”
Sienna groaned and leaned back with the long-suffering expression of someone forced to listen to a toddler discovering language for the first time.
I smiled to myself, warmth spreading quietly through my chest. Sitting with them made everything feel lighter somehow. Less as though I were stumbling through unfamiliar territory alone and more as though I might actually belong here if I gave myself enough time.
The class dragged on with the professor barely contributing, clearly too exhausted to pretend he cared. And yet, his unease never left. Every so often, I caught him glancing in my direction, his expression tight and wary, as though he were afraid I might break something just by existing.
It made no sense because I couldn’t hurt anyone. I knew that much with certainty. But the way he kept looking at me as though I was capable of it anyway was what truly got under my skin.
When class finally wound down, I gathered my things and slung my bag over one shoulder, eager to escape the strange tension clinging to the room. Sienna and Oliver watched me expectantly.
“What’s up?” I asked, zipping my bag closed.
“You never answered us,” Sienna said, folding her arms. “About the park.”
“Of course I’ll go with you guys,” I said, a genuine smile tugging at my lips. “I don’t have anything better to do anyway.”
Her shoulders relaxed visibly, relief softening her expression, while Oliver broke into a triumphant grin.
The look they exchanged warmed something in me.
I could already picture it: wandering through a park, dogs darting around us while we laughed over absolutely nothing.
The thought felt good in a way I hadn’t realized I needed.
For the first time since landing here, excitement flickered through me, breaking through the confusion and unanswered questions that had been dragging me down. Maybe this was the start of things settling into place. Maybe people like them were exactly what I needed to stop feeling so out of place.
“Ehm, Ira,” Oliver said suddenly.
I turned, brows lifting, only to catch Sienna wearing the same knowing smile she’d had earlier.
“Lover boy’s here,” she whispered with a giggle.
I followed her gaze to the doorway.
Oh goodie. Right on schedule.
Culver stood there, untouched by the movement of students brushing past him, as though he weren't entirely real. His eyes moved slowly over me from head to toe, and cold awareness slid beneath my skin instantly.