The house was quiet when I woke up the kind of quiet that felt too big for one person. Aunt Mira and her husband had left early that morning for a business trip, leaving only me and Aiden in the entire place. The silence hummed around the walls like a secret.
I dragged myself out of bed, rubbing sleep from my eyes, and headed to the kitchen. The smell of toast and coffee slowly filled the air. I ate in silence, staring at the steam rising from my cup, trying not to think about Aiden or how strange it felt knowing he was just down the hall.
My phone buzzed, snapping me out of my thoughts.Maren:"Let's go out today. Restaurant? My treat!"
I typed back, "Not in the mood."
But Maren, being Maren, wouldn't let it go."Come on, Elara. You've been locking yourself up too long. It's the weekend. You need air, not walls."
So I sighed, threw on a light sweater, and agreed.
The restaurant was warm and filled with laughter. Maren was talking about something funny that happened at work, and I was trying to listen I really was but my mind kept wandering. I stirred my drink, pretending to care about her coworker's drama, until my eyes caught someone across the room.
Someone familiar.
My breath hitched.
It was Aiden sitting at a corner table with Isla. She was laughing, leaning a little too close, touching his sleeve like it was a habit.
For a moment, everything blurred the sound, the laughter, the soft jazz playing overhead. It all faded, leaving just him.
I forced my gaze back to Maren and smiled like nothing happened. "You were saying?"
But my stomach twisted. He knew I was here. He must've known. Maybe he wanted me to see. Maybe he wanted me to hurt.
I wasn't going to give him that satisfaction.
After lunch, we walked out, the sunlight was almost too bright. Near the exit stood a street mascot some over sized bear waving a bunch of plushies. Maren laughed and dared me to buy one. I rolled my eyes but ended up picking a small pink plushie with a bow.
It was… cute. Soft. Safe, somehow.
We went shopping after that. I didn't plan to buy anything, but the moment I saw a short, pale pink dress with matching socks and a little bow, I gave in. It wasn't my usual style maybe that's why I liked it.
By the time we were done, the sky had already turned violet. I hugged Maren goodbye and opened my phone to book a cab.
The car arrived in minutes. I was sleepy eyes half-open when I noticed the driver's reflection in the mirror. He was smiling. But not the polite kind. It was the kind that crawled under your skin.
Something about it felt… wrong.
I told myself I was imagining things. That he was just being friendly. But then, without warning, he took a U-turn.
My chest tightened.
"This isn't the route," I said quietly.
He didn't answer. Just kept driving, eyes fixed ahead. The streetlights disappeared, replaced by trees tall, dark, whispering.
And suddenly, I was back there.Back in middle school.Back in that dark road where everything had gone wrong.
My hands started shaking. "Please… please, can you change the route?"
He didn't react. My voice broke. "Please! I just want to go home."
The car slowed. He finally looked at me through the mirror his face unreadable. Then, softly, he said, "Sometimes, people should learn to trust others blindly."
I froze.
He turned the car around without another word. My tears didn't stop until we reached my street. When I paid, my fingers trembled so hard I could barely hold the phone.
"I'm sorry," I whispered before stepping out.
He nodded once, and drove off into the dark.
The house lights glowed softly when I walked in. But the peace didn't last.
Because there they were.Aiden and isla
In the living room. Together.
For a second, none of us moved. Aiden's expression was cold unreadable, as always. Isla tried to smile, but her eyes darted everywhere but mine.
"Hi, Elara," she said quickly.
"Hi." My voice was flat. I didn't stop walking until I reached my room.
First the restaurant. Now here.
I changed into my new dress, brushed my hair, and unpacked my bag. The plushie sat on my bed, small and harmless. But then I noticed a small black box inside the shopping bag.
I frowned. I hadn't bought this.
Inside was a letter."I'm coming for you."
My heart stopped. But beside the note was a little fidget toy pastel and harmless.
I exhaled shakily and called Maren. "Did you put something in my bag?"
Her laugh came through the speaker. "Yeah! You noticed! It's just a small prank. Did I scare you?"
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. "You're insane."
She giggled. "Love you too."
After hanging up, I did my assignment to distract myself. By the time I finished, it was almost 3 a.m. The house was silent again. I went downstairs to grab water, the floor cold under my feet.
My phone buzzed. Ethan.
"I brought you food. Come outside."
I texted back: "It's late."
He replied instantly. "I'm already here."
So I went.
The night air was sharp, and the porch light flickered faintly. Ethan stood near the gate, holding a small paper bag and smiling gently.
But before I could reach him, Aiden walked out.
Of course he did.
I ignored him, crossing my arms. "What are you doing here?"
He didn't even glance at me. "None of your business."
My jaw clenched. I bit back every word I wanted to say.
Ethan handed me the bag. "Chicken and sushi. And juice. You looked tired today."
"Thank you," I said softly, ignoring Aiden's burning stare.
As I turned to leave, I heard Aiden's footsteps behind me. He was still following.
"What is your problem?" I snapped.
He looked at me then finally. His voice was low, sharp, almost cruel."You're my problem."
I froze.
He walked past me and into the house, leaving those three words echoing like a wound.
I set the food on the counter, trying to calm the storm inside my chest. There was a little note inside the bag."Enjoy it. :)"
I smiled despite everything. The food was warm, comforting. I ate quietly, letting the flavors drown out the noise in my head.
When I finally lay down, I pulled the plushie close. Its softness pressed against my chest, and for a brief moment just before sleep I let myself imagine that everything was okay.
But it wasn't.
Not with him still in the next room.Not with a thousand unspoken words between us.
And somewhere deep down, I knew this weekend had only just begun.