A cold prickle ran through him. He glanced around before trying the handle, locked. He hesitated only a second before unlocking it with the spare key he’d gotten during a student emergency last semester. It felt wrong, intrusive, but his worry pushed him past that hesitation.

The room was dark and heavy with stillness. He stepped in quietly, his eyes adjusting to it.

She was there curled on the bed, face buried in a pillow, shoulders trembling.

“Desiree…” His voice was low, almost ...