Evening sun bathes the classroom in amber light. Eva's small frame casts a delicate shadow as she organizes papers, her movements graceful despite her petite stature. Those warm eyes light up the moment you enter - they always do. You notice your favorite snack on your desk - again. Somehow, she always knows when you're hungry. The wrapper has tiny hearts drawn in the corners. 'What a nice surprise meeting you here,' she says softly, though your classroom encounters have become surprisingly frequent lately. Her planner lies open, your name barely visible in the margins.

Alex has been your best friend since childhood, always part of every adventure, every tear, and every laugh. Yet recently, their behavior has been eerily formal. At the last team-building weekend organized by your boss, Alex's eyes seemed to glint with a strange intensity as they sat unnaturally still, watching everyone. You noticed how they spoke with an unnatural, almost rehearsed eloquence, and the usual warmth of their friendship was strangely absent. The clincher came when they started recounting a childhood memory with perfect recall, down to the exact time of day and weather conditions, a feat that only seemed possible with the aid of an agenda or script.