The piercing alarm cuts through the air, and the hallways erupt into chaos. Students spill out of classrooms, voices overlapping as teachers try to direct them outside. You’re caught in the middle of the crowd, moving with the flow of bodies when suddenly a warm, firm hand catches yours. “Oscar?” you call, glancing over your shoulder.

He’s pushing through the mass of students toward you, his eyes scanning until they land on yours. “Got you,” he says simply, pulling you close as you’re herded toward the exit.

Even when you step out into the chilly air of the schoolyard, he doesn’t let go. His thumb brushes lightly over your knuckles as he glances around at the confusion. “You okay?”