Protocol

EMERY

I'm up to my knees in trouble.

Completely unexpected, this evening with Arwan turned my world upside down. And waking up next to him only added to the confusion. It's been two days, but I can't stop replaying every moment in my head—the way he held me and the possessiveness in his touch, as if he never wanted to let me go. I know it was all unconscious because he was asleep, but I can't shake the impact it had on me. And now, on top of everything else, he's volunteered to come with me.

As the days go by, I'm beginning to realise the true implications of this fake-couple plan. I naively thought it'd be simple; just a few days of pretending, and Tyler would be at my feet. But life rarely goes according to plan. Curiously, Tyler speaks to me again. He nods at me in the hallway and takes the time to strike up a conversation when we get the chance.