After the classes ended, I found myself walking alongside Thalira. Her demeanor was as composed as ever, but there was an undercurrent of something I couldn't quite identify. She was unusually quiet, and the silence between us felt heavy, like an invisible wall we couldn't breach.
"Thalira," I began, breaking the silence, "are you okay? You seem... different today."
She glanced at me, her eyes sharp but not unkind. "I'm fine, Eileen. Just a lot on my mind."
I nodded, not wanting to press her, but the curiosity gnawed at me. What could be troubling someone as composed as Thalira? We continued walking in silence until we reached a secluded spot on campus, under the shade of an ancient oak tree. Thalira stopped and turned to face me, her expression serious.
"Eileen, there's something I need to tell you," she said, her voice low. "You need to be careful with Lise."
I blinked, taken aback. "What do you mean? Why?"
