Chapter 5
Sanctuary and Strategy
Harry finds solace with upperclassmen James and Roman, and his cousin Charlotte. Terry leans on her sister KC, while KC's unique connection with animals deepens.
The fluorescent lights of the student lounge hummed a low, insistent tune, a stark contrast to the muted anxieties that clung to Harry Strictler like a second skin. He sank into a plush armchair, the worn velvet a familiar comfort, and took a slow sip of his lukewarm coffee. James Taylor, a senior whose easy confidence had always been a balm to Harry’s more volatile moods, leaned back on the adjacent sofa, a textbook splayed open on his lap, though his eyes were fixed on Harry. Roman Kristen, ever the observer, sat at a nearby table, idly sketching in a worn notebook, his presence a quiet anchor.
“Rough start to the semester?” James asked, his voice a low rumble that cut through the ambient noise.
Harry offered a tight smile. “Just… a lot to process. Sabrina’s back. And Jacob.” He didn't need to elaborate. James and Roman knew the tangled history that wove through their shared academic space.
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