The apartment smelled faintly of popcorn and old candles when Ava returned from campus. Lena was sprawled across the couch in one of Ava's oversized hoodies, her laptop open and a face mask cracking on her cheeks.
> "Hey," Ava called softly as she slipped her shoes off.
> "Don't hey me." Lena clicked her tongue and turned the laptop around. "You're busted."
Ava blinked. "What?"
On screen was a digital photo of Ava's sketchpad — open to the page she thought she had hidden under her pillow. It was him. Again.
The mysterious guy. Sharp jawline, furrowed brow. The same intense stare over and over.
> "I knew you were obsessed!" Lena grinned. "Do you know how many times you've drawn this guy? It's creepy in a romantic kind of way."
Ava's face flushed as she moved quickly to snatch the laptop.
> "Lena! That was private!"
> "Private my ass. You've got a damn portfolio of him. Who is he? Is he real? Is this like a sexy imaginary muse situation, or should I be worried you're stalking someone?"
Ava hesitated, then offered a half-lie. "He's... just someone I saw once. That's all."
> "You mean someone on campus?" Lena sat up, mask cracking more. "Like, in person?"
> "Lena." Ava's tone dipped in warning.
> "Okay, okay. But girl, the way you draw him — the detail? Either you've got photographic memory or he's more than a one-time glance."
Ava looked away. Her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her sweater. She couldn't explain it — how his image had carved itself into her thoughts, how her hand just moved when she thought of him.
Before Lena could press more, Ava stood.
> "I'm going out for a bit."
> "Now? It's almost eleven."
> "I'll be fine. Just… need some air."
She left before Lena could argue, slipping into the night with a hoodie pulled over her head.
---
Later That Night – Hidden Courtyard
Monica was already waiting when Ava arrived at the small stone bench tucked between abandoned buildings behind the library. They had found this place years ago when Monica first started college. It was their secret meeting point — far away from curious eyes.
Monica didn't smile, but she didn't glare either. That was something.
> "You look tired," she said.
> "You always say that."
> "You always do."
Ava sat beside her, their shoulders just barely brushing.
> "Thanks for showing up," Ava said after a moment.
> "You shouldn't keep coming here so late," Monica replied. "It's not safe."
> "I'm safer here with you than in that house."
Monica went quiet. The silence stretched until Ava couldn't take it anymore.
> "What's going on?"
Monica finally reached into her coat and handed over a sealed envelope.
> "Dad wants you to come home this weekend."
Ava stared at it like it might explode. "What?"
> "He says it's for dinner. Just a casual family gathering."
> "Nothing about our family is casual," Ava said sharply.
> "I know. But he asked for you specifically."
Ava's breath caught.
> "Why now?"
> "I don't know. But if he's asking, it's for a reason."
> "Do you think he knows—"
> "I don't think anything," Monica interrupted. "Just… be careful. Say as little as possible. Smile. Pretend to be the obedient daughter."
Ava clenched the envelope in her hands, heart pounding.
> "What if I don't want to go?"
Monica's voice was gentler than usual.
> "Then I'll make up an excuse for you. But you should come, Ava. You need to know what's going on."
Ava looked down at the paper. She already regretted opening it.
And somewhere, far off in the shadows, someone was watching.
---