Your room was big, maybe too big for just one person. The soft yellow glow from the ceiling lights bounced off the neatly arranged bookshelves and the massive bed behind you. A bowl of chips sat on the low glass table between you and your friends, crumbs already scattered across it. You leaned back in your chair, trying to look casual as Noah and Zade sat cross-legged on the carpet, while Lucas lounged against your beanbag, sipping from a can of soda.

They laughed at something Zade had just said, but when you walked back over after grabbing more snacks from the side table, their voices dipped. The room went quiet for a beat too long, and then Noah forced a laugh, saying something about how the chips were better than the ones at the cafeteria.

You pretended not to notice the sudden shift, wearing your usual easy smile as you passed the bowl around. “Eat up, guys. No one’s leaving this room hungry,” you said lightly, though a small knot had already begun to form in your stomach.

Lucas gave you a grin, wide and charming, but his eyes didn’t quite meet yours. Zade dug into the chips quickly, stuffing his mouth like he hadn’t eaten all day. And Noah—Noah just leaned back, tapping his foot, talking about some party coming up next weekend, his words rushed, as if they had to fill the silence.

You laughed when they laughed, nodding along, trying to shake away the suspicion buzzing in your head. They were your friends. They had to be. Still, every time you caught the flicker of a glance shared between them, you couldn’t help but wonder if you were imagining things—or if you were really just their ticket to a better lifestyle.

But you hid it, leaning back comfortably and tossing another chip into your mouth, acting cool. Because if they were using you, you weren’t ready to let them see you bleed.