The hallways were too bright.

Too loud.

Jordan didn't look at anyone as he passed. Just shoved his hands deeper into his jacket pockets and kept walking, ignoring the sting in his throat, the way his heart felt bruised in his chest.

He was almost to his locker when Dominic's voice drifted out, not loud, but just sharp enough to carry.

"Guess loyalty doesn't mean much these days."

Jordan froze.

The words weren't even aimed at him directly, but they hit anyway.

Before he could react, Naomi stepped forward from where she stood with Declan and Bennett. Her voice was cool, steady.

"He didn't owe anyone every part of himself."

Tessa, who was leaning against the opposite wall with the rest of the Phantoms, pushed off it like she'd been waiting for a fight. "No?" she said, voice cutting. "When you build something on lies, don't act surprised when it falls apart."

Declan stepped between Naomi and Tessa almost instinctively. "He didn't lie," Declan said, jaw tight. "He just... didn't tell her everything."

Tessa scoffed, a bitter sound. "Yeah. So much better."

Tension crackled down the hallway like a live wire.

Tyler crossed his arms, stepping up behind his sister. "She trusted him," Tyler said, low. "He should've trusted her back."

Sky said nothing, standing rigid behind them, his hands clenched into fists.

It was the old lines again, being drawn sharp and fresh:

The Musketeers.

The Phantoms.

Davina was the one who cut through it.

She stepped forward, calm in the middle of the storm, and looked straight at Bennett.

It was a look that said: Fix this.

But Bennett didn't say anything.

Neither did Jordan.

For a long, brittle moment, it felt like the world had tilted again, the way it had after that first week, when everything was still sharp edges and mistrust.

Finally, Dominic shook his head. "Some people don't change."

Naomi flinched like he'd slapped her.

Declan pulled her gently back, and the Musketeers turned away first, walking off without another word.

The Phantoms stood still a moment longer then Sky muttered something under his breath and they followed.

Jordan stayed frozen in place.

The hallway emptied around him.

He didn't move.

Didn't breathe.

He didn't even realise he was still staring at the place Arya would usually be.