Everything felt... far.

The room, the voices, the sound of his own breath-it all blurred into a dull hum.

Then nothing.

Just black.

His head throbbed like a bad speaker with the bass turned all the way up. His body wouldn't move. His brain was trying to wake up but got stuck halfway.

A finger tapped his cheek. Wet. Cold.

A voice-shaky and close. "Angelo, wake up. Come on. Don't mess with me right now."

Adrien?

A groan slipped past his lips before he could stop it.

His eyes fluttered open slowly. The lights stung. His body felt like it had been yanked out of sleep and slammed back into reality.

He blinked, dazed, then locked eyes with Adrien kneeling over him, looking like he'd seen a ghost.

"You good?" Adrien asked, voice soft but cracked.

Angelo tried to sit up. His heart was still racing like it had no brakes. He rubbed his temple, groaning.

His eyes drifted past Adrien to the phone on the desk-the screen was black now, but he knew what was playing.

That dumb video.

"You were watching that?" he asked, voice dry.

Adrien nodded. "Yeah. It popped up. And you fainted 'cause of that?"

"No," Angelo muttered. "Don't watch it again."

"Why?" Adrien frowned.

Angelo looked at him. "It's cringe. And the guy kinda looks like me. It's weird."

Adrien nodded slowly. "Alright. I won't play it when you're around."

A short silence.

Then Adrien said, deadpan, "The boy in it was kinda cute though."

Angelo turned like a possessed doll. "Wait, what?"

Adrien shrugged. "I don't know. He had this energy. And a cute body, I think."

Angelo squinted. "Are you gay?"

Adrien tilted his head with a smirk. "Maybe."

Angelo gasped, full drama mode. "MAYBE???"

Adrien sat up fast. "I didn't mean it like that-ugh, forget it."

Angelo laughed. "Nah, you said what you said."

"You fainted. I should be bullying you," Adrien said, pointing.

"You literally said he was cute," Angelo teased.

Adrien groaned and collapsed back on the bed. "I hate myself."

Angelo smiled quietly.

---

THE MONROE'S DORM>>>

Scarlett had her phone glued to her hand like her life depended on it. Her fingers danced over the screen, texting Adrien. Again.

"Yunno what," Lyra said from her side of the room, not even looking up.

"I keep wondering how bitchy you could ever be. Why break up with a guy when you still love him?"

"I didn't break up with him! He did," Scarlett snapped without thinking.

Lyra flipped a page in her magazine. "Yeah, 'cause he caught you on a bed with a girl like you. I warned you that sh*t was a bad influence, but you didn't listen."

Scarlett sighed, locking her phone. "It wasn't intentional."

"I didn't say it was," Lyra replied, rolling her eyes.

There was a beat of silence before Scarlett sat up, staring her little sister down.

"Yunno it's because of my condition. Ashley was there to help. Adrien wasn't always around. It was just once and he had to show up at the worst time."

Lyra crossed her arms. "First time indeed. And you're the one that keeps worsening your 'condition.'"

She dragged the word with sarcasm like it was soaked in bleach.

"Whatever. He's just being dramatic because of that babyish boy."

Lyra gasped. "I hope you're not talking about Angelo. That's Adrien's roommate."

"Oh, that's his name? I hate that guy. Adrien once defended him at a café."

"That's my bestie," Lyra said with pride. "And good thing I hate Adrien too."

Scarlett looked at her for a second, then burst out laughing. "Seriously? That creep?"

Lyra gave her a death stare.

Scarlett laughed harder.

But then her phone lit up. She grabbed it fast.

ASHley: Hey babe I'm coming back to New York, get a strong bed wink emoji

Scarlett shrieked like a banshee and threw the phone on her pillow, blushing hard.

Lyra didn't even flinch. "You're disgusting."