Xu Hua

Atticus emerged from the coliseum, the cheers of the crowd a distant echo in his ears. He navigated the throngs of students, their excited chatter a meaningless buzz against the backdrop of his churning thoughts. His steps were mechanical, his gaze fixed on a point far beyond the bustling campus grounds. As the seconds ticked by, the light in his eyes seemed to fade further, replaced by a chilling remoteness.

"Atticus."

The voice, laced with a hint of concern, pierced his introspective fog. He stopped abruptly, his head snapping towards the source. There, framed by the afternoon sunlight dappling through the trees, stood Xu Hua. Her usual self-assured demeanor was replaced by a flicker of unease, a subtle shift in her carefully constructed facade.

"Are you okay?" she inquired softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Atticus hesitated, the question hanging heavy in the air. A simple "no" escaped his lips, a single word that spoke volumes of the turmoil within. He wasn't sure how