The hallway was a blur of motion Kael usually navigated by looking at nothing but the floor tiles three feet ahead of him. He was a looming, dark shape in the crowd, his shoulders hunched to hide his height and his hands buried deep in the pockets of a thick, thrift jacket. He was in his own head, mentally debugging a line of code, when the air shifted violently.

The impact was sudden and heavy. A body collided with his chest, the force of the runner’s momentum nearly knocking the wind out of him despite his solid frame. Kael stumbled back, his long legs tangling as he scrambled to find his footing.

His first instinct wasn't anger, but a cold, lightning-strike of panic. Because he had been looking down, the sudden proximity felt like an ambush. His heart hammered against his ribs—a frantic, uneven rhythm that made his throat tighten. He didn't look up to see who it was; he couldn't bring himself to meet their eyes. Instead, he instinctively pulled his hoodie sleeves over his knuckles and tucked his chin, his jagged black hair falling forward like a curtain to shield his face.

"Don’t look at me. Just keep going," he thought desperately.