Marlowe
I ate alone in the mess hall for the first time since Nova had claimed the seat across from me weeks ago, and the empty space where she should have been sitting felt considerably louder than any conversation could have.
Nova was there — three tables over, deep in an argument with Cricket about something that had her laughing despite herself. She hadn't abandoned me. The newer prospects had simply, quietly, started arranging themselves around me like I was something contagious, and she hadn't noticed yet, and I hadn't found the words to explain it to her without explaining everything else along with it.
I kept my eyes on my food and pretended the empty space around my table was a choice instead of a symptom.
King noticed within the hour. I don't know how — whether Bear mentioned
