There’s no one on the step directly above me. Which means that when the student two steps ahead slips on the wet stairs and arcs backward, there’s no one between us to break his fall.

Several things happen at once. To a chorus of shrieks, he slams into me at full force, his arms flailing, as a friend of his grabs desperately at him. And even though his friend manages to latch on to him, it’s too late for me. I’m already falling, with only air to grab onto.

For a split second, it’s like time stops, and I imagine myself slamming into the students behind me—or, worse, the metal steps below them—when someone catches my arm and yanks me sideways. The force of the fall swings me around, and I brace to hit the steps hard as the world spins out of control, but then it all stops. Whoever grabbed me has me under both arms, and they hold me steady until I get both feet on the ground again.

“Are you okay?” Rose’s voice asks in my ear, and it’s only then I figure out she’s the one who has her arms around me. I feel like all the breath’s gone from my lungs, so I don’t have it in me to reply. I nod, though, and once I do, Rose turns to the student that fell. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you not to run in the rain?” she snaps. “Are you trying to kill someone?”

The guy, who’s leaning against the barrier and rubbing his leg, starts apologizing to me on repeat. Even though he’s talking to me, he keeps turning back to Rose like he thinks she’s gonna send him to jail or something.

Eleanor hovers above us. “Ahh, it was just an accident, Rose,” she says, holding out a hand to help her back up. “No harm done.”

I take in a shaky breath. I don’t bother pointing out that I’m pretty sure a lot of harm would’ve been done if Rose hadn’t caught me. “Thank you,” I say to Rose as I get up, and she gives me a short nod. I guess I inconvenienced her by making her save my ass.

Molly hurries back down the steps to us, fighting the mob of students weaving around the accident scene to get to their seats. “Shit, that was close,” Molly says, which I think is her way of checking I’m okay. I start climbing the stairs again, but this time, I hold nice and tight onto the handrail.

Molly waves her phone in the air and looks back at Rose. “You’ll be happy to know I got that whole save on camera. Live,” she says in a pointed tone. “That made you look like a hero. Your parents should be thrilled.”

“Well, good. I wouldn’t have bothered, otherwise,” Rose says dryly.