When Bri wandered back into the main room, wrapped in a fluffy white robe that felt like a cloud, Bri’s gaze landed on the bed again. She gestured at it with her chin. “You seriously okay with sharing?”

Asune didn’t even blink. “Why wouldn’t I be? I snore a little, but not, like, chainsaw-level.”

Bri tried to play it cool. “I move around a lot when I sleep, and it gets worse if I have a nightmare.”

Asune shot her a look, half amusement, half challenge. “Great. You can take the left side; I’ll take the right. If you end up on top of me, I promise not to complain.”

Bri’s cheeks flared, but she forced a laugh. “You’re impossible.”

Asune grinned, victorious. “You like me that way.”

The room fell quiet. Bri broke the silence by opening the closet, its hinges creaking softly. Before she could even scan the hangers, Asune’s voice cut in from the bed. “Don’t bother. I already picked out some clothes for you.”

Bri turned around fast, flabbergasted. “Really? Boundaries, dude!

“It saved time. And you’ll look cuter.”

“Uggh. Come on. I’m not a toddler you know. I’ve been dressing myself every day for a while.”

Asune gestured to the bed, where a black-and-white checkered bikini with little skull hardware lay next to a black, frilly miniskirt. “Don’t kill me. You’re perfect, and I just want to dress you like my personal punk-rock Barbie.”

Bri grabbed a pillow and smacked her with it. “Fine. I’ll do it today, but next time, you ask. No surprises.” Her eyes caught a glint on the outfit. “Wait. Are those diamonds in the skulls?”

Asune sprawled on the bed, ignoring the question. Her voice softened. “I’m glad you came. I’d have been in a bad spot without you.”

Bri’s frustration melted, replaced by a wave of affection for her impossible friend. “Okay,” she sighed, picking up the bikini top. “I’ll wear it.”

“How often do you see skull bikinis? I have an alien one for you too.”

Bri feigned a punch in her direction. Asune dodged with a laugh and ran out of the room, delighted.

Bri caught a glimpse of her reflection in the wall mirror. She looked… good. The fresh clothes and the even lighting had scrubbed away most of the trauma from earlier. If you ignored the still-red line of her eyes.

There was a gentle knock at the door.

Asune sat up. “Probably Michael. Or a complimentary fruit basket. Ohh. Or more alcohol.”

Bri shook her head. “I got it.”

She walked to the door, bracing for anything, and opened it onto the brightly-lit corridor.

Noah stood there, hands in his pockets, eyes calm and direct. He looked different out of the school uniform—still crisp, but softened by a blue bathing suit and a white tee. He wore his signature white mask, and Bri watched it fog his glasses as he breathed. She wondered if he was a germaphobe or if he just preferred to keep half his face hidden from the world.

“Hey,” he said, like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Bri stared. “Uh. Hi.”

Asune peeked over Bri’s shoulder. “Wow, the prince himself. Want a tour of our luxury suite?”

Noah smiled, a small twitch at the corner of his mouth. “Nah. My suite is a few doors down. I wanted to check and make sure Bri was okay. I never found her again at the airport and was a bit worried.” Noah’s eyes caught on Bri’s bikini top. “Nice skulls.”

Bri’s face flamed to a ripe tomato shade. She turned around and launched a threat. “Asune…I’m going to kill you.”

Asune just laughed.

Turning back, Bri fumbled for an excuse. “Asune thinks I’m her own personal dress-up doll.”

Noah’s gaze didn’t waver from the skulls. He nodded slowly. “No objection here,” he said. “It’s designer punk. Kinda cool.”

Bri, still red, said, “Thanks! I was going to call you earlier, but I realized I didn’t get your number.”

“Don’t worry about it. I didn’t bring a phone on the trip. And my room is 1313, two doors down, so just knock if you need me.”

“Sure,” Bri said. Noah stood there looking like he wanted to say something but ultimately said nothing. The silence was loaded with more meaning than Bri could unpack.

Asune finally rescued her. “Why are you slumming on the lower floors? Shouldn’t you be in the Zeus suite level or whatnot?”

Noah shrugged his arms in a casual motion. “I just need a bed and a shower, and there are too many billionaires on board sucking up the oxygen.”

Asune’s face lit up at the possibility of good gossip.

“Ohh do tell. We were about to go check out the upper decks. And we have to check in for the lifeboat drill. You can tell us all about it on the way?”

Noah considered, then nodded. “Sure. Let’s do it.”

Bri glanced at Asune, who shot her a barely perceptible wink.

“I’ll get my shoes,” said Bri, ducking back inside and letting the door click shut. Leaning against the cool metal, she closed her eyes. Just for a second. Through the door, she could hear the low murmur of Asune’s voice and Noah’s even reply. It was nice, she realized, not being the only one holding the conversation. After a slow exhale, she grabbed her flip-flops from her bag, slid them on, and opened the door again.

Noah and Asune were there waiting in the living room, both looking at her as if she were the missing piece of a puzzle.

“Ready?” Asune asked, eyes bright.

“Yeah,” Bri said. “Let’s go.”

Their exclusive hallway had a few students coming in now. Asune waved at Ashai and Sera who looked to be checking in along with some non-students. There were several new robots manning the desk all with completely different looks. Eros waited at the back. He waved at them as they passed. Surprised, Bri found herself waving back. Bri walked between Asune and Noah, her flip-flops silent on the white carpet, the world reduced to a tunnel of silver doors and the occasional blink of an exit sign.

Bri risked a sidelong glance at Noah. He seemed… calmer, somehow. Less like he was scanning the room for threats, more like he was content just to walk at their pace.

She cleared her throat. “You said you were at the airport earlier? I didn’t see you.”

Noah nodded, lips pressed in a thin line. “I waited by the arrivals for half an hour. Security said the flight was on time but that one passenger was delayed.” His eyes met hers, not accusing, but holding her gaze. “I figured you got caught up.”

Bri’s heart hammered. “Yeah. Baggage claim was a nightmare. Long story.”

Noah held her gaze a second longer, something unreadable in his eyes, before he finally looked away. “Glad you made it,” he said, but the words didn’t feel like a resolution.

They reached the elevator, and Asune jammed the button with more force than necessary. When the doors slid open, Asune gestured with a grand sweep. “All aboard the party car.”

Bri stepped in. Noah followed, hands in his pockets, gaze fixed on the lit panel. “Our muster station is at the sky pool on deck 14. We can check in and try out the bar and the pool at the same time.”

Bri commented, “I think I’m good on drinks. I’ve drunk more already than I have in my entire life.”

Asune waved away her concerns. “Nonsense. We just got here.”

The elevator shot up. Asune leaned back against the mirrored wall and watched the two of them.

“So, Noah,” she said, voice light and coaxing, “give us the deets on all the superstars.”

“I was invited to a relatively small private event after dinner tonight, hosted by Marcello Visconti, the cruise owner. I’m sure a few of the other well-connected students got invited as well. It’s a who’s who of the rich and powerful. Gabriel Ishikawa and his business nemesis Kage are both invited—so there may be fireworks. Some other big names in business you may know: Selena Rocco of TeraSteel, Aden Allman of Allman Distributors, and Seojun Chung of Telesat.” He stopped for a moment to think. “Oh yeah. Jazz and Kureiji Kuriya are on the entertainment side.”

The elevator eased to a stop. The doors opened onto a different world: sunlight pouring in from glass skylights, the crash of water from the pool, and the smell of chlorine so strong it almost erased the ship’s antiseptic scent.

Bri stepped out, half-blinded by the change in light. The pool deck sprawled before them—all fake palm trees (though they could have been real) and oversized daybeds—populated mostly by other students already half-dressed for the occasion. A bar ran the length of one wall, staffed by bartenders in sequined vests, both human and silver. Mini bots roamed with drinks.

Noah trailed after her, taking in the crowd with a single, practiced glance. He didn’t seem fazed by the stares—or the fact that, as soon as they arrived, half the VIA contingent clocked them as a unit.

Bri felt it immediately: the group gaze, a collective hum of judgment and envy. She tried to shrink into her barely there shirt, but Asune was already at her side, wrapping an arm around Bri’s shoulder.

“Own it girl. You look hot.” Asune said, loud enough for at least three girls to overhear.

Bri stifled a laugh. “You’re such a liar.”

“It’s all confidence, baby girl.” Asune wrapped an arm around her and squeezed.

Noah found a table by the glass railing and gestured them over. “Want to sit?”

Asune hesitated, but Bri nodded. “Yeah. Let’s.”

They wove through the deck, passing groups of Diamonds and Golds cliques clustered in their own corners. At the table, Noah slid into a chair and folded his hands. He looked at Bri like he had a question, but waited for her to speak first.

She beat him to it. The weight of all those eyes was suffocating, and suddenly the cool blue water looked less like a stage and more like an escape. “I’m going to go swim,” she announced, the decision surprising her as much as him. Before she could overthink it, she peeled off her clothes and tossed her flip-flops under the table.

Noah considered. “I’ll be there in a minute.”

Bri smiled. “Ok.”

Bri hopped in. The cool, refreshing water soothed her. She looked back at the table.

Asune sprawled across from Noah, her posture aggressively casual. Bri watched them talk. She couldn’t hear their words over the splashing and music, but she could read the tension in the set of Asune’s shoulders and the way Noah leaned forward, his expression serious. Asune gestured sharply, and Noah responded with a calm that seemed to only agitate her more. He said one last thing, then gave her a mock salute before peeling off his shirt and diving into the pool. Asune watched him go, then snatched a drink from a passing bot and drained it in one swallow. Bri swam closer, a knot of unease tightening in her stomach.