~~BEYOND THE BINARY~~

Chapter - 3

Chapter 3 – Fractured Signals

The tram hummed along the tracks, Nova District shrinking behind them in a haze of neon and exhaustion. City lights flickered against the window, stretching into warped reflections as the train sped forward.

Iris barely noticed.

Her mind was still caught in the moment.

The flicker. The distortion. That single second where everything lagged.

No one else had reacted.

No one else had seen it.

Across from her, Arden stretched out, completely at ease. "Well, that was fun. Can't wait for my bank account to start sending me threats."

Cassian scoffed. "Your bank account? Mine just texted me 'it's not you, it's me' and blocked my number."

Ash smirked. "We were in Nova for three hours. How much did you two even spend?"

Selene, scrolling through her phone, sighed. "Too much. Arden tapped their card so many times I thought the machine was about to propose."

Arden groaned. "Joke's on you. It rejected me, just like my last three situationships."

Cassian smirked. "That's crazy, because I was just thinking about how rejection builds character."

Arden grinned. ""Oh, I have character, Cass. Enough to be a case study."

The conversation was easy, effortless. The kind of banter they had a hundred times before.

But Iris wasn't listening.

Something was off.

Not just back in Nova. Not just the glitch.

Now.

Here.

She pressed her fingers into her palm. She wasn't spiraling. She wasn't imagining things.

But the feeling didn't leave. It sat in her chest, heavy, unmoving.

She glanced at the others. They were laughing. Normal. Unbothered.

A cold prickle crawled up her spine.

The tram slowed. The lights overhead flickered.

It lasted one second too long.

Iris's stomach twisted.

She turned to the window.

Her reflection stared back.

And then—

Just for a fraction of a second, her reflection lagged behind the movement of her real body. A blink too slow. A frame too late.

Iris went cold.

The tram jerked to a stop.

"End of the line," NOXIS's voice chimed. "Please exit safely."

Iris stood, pulse thudding against her ribs.

She told herself to let it go.

But something told her—

It wasn't going to let her go.

.......................................................................

 Author's note:

~~Tell me Darlin-

How can you be sure the face in the mirror is yours?"