Ava's POV
I kept trying to reach Edward - call after call,text after text.
Nothing.
He didn't reply. Didn't even acknowledge me.
His silence hurt move than any answer ever could.
All I wanted was an explanation.
My heart was already heavy,but when I saw a message from an unknown number,chills crawled down my spine.
Who would send something like that - especially now,when everything between Edward and me was falling apart?
I pushed the thought aside, trying to stay calm. Maybe it was just someone messing around. But deep inside l felt uneasy…watched,even.
And then it hit me again.
Edward never used to post me.
Not even once.
But now,out of nowhere,he posts my cousin?
"Ava,our ride is here!" Kylie's voice broke into my thoughts.
"Okay",I said quietly,still shaken.
When l got home,I rushed in, hoping to find my cousin. I needed to see her face,to clear the storm in my head.
But she wasn't there.
I checked every room, calling her over and over.
Nothing.
Now panic started crawling under my skin.
What if….?
Hours passed. I had calmed down a little,but l kept trying Edward.
Again, nothing.
That's when l know something was definitely wrong.
A sharp pain hit my chest - like a crack through my ribs.
I tried to move,but everything felt heavy.
My eyes burned.
I closed them for just a moment.
And then…
Darkness
Kylie's POV
I knew something was wrong with Ava.
This wasn't her.
They way she spoke tonight, it was like someone else had taken over.
Her voice held panic not pain like usual.
Fear.
I could see it in her eyes. The life in her- the spark she always had - it was fading.
And the only person could blame was Edward.
Honestly, I've always found him strange.
The way he avoided us,the way he kept her hidden.
And now, getting close to her cousin? In the same house?
Disgusting.
The thought alone made me sick.
And yet Ava still tried to smile,like she was okay.
She always does that.
She's strong,but this…this could break her.
She's the kind of girl who makes men chase her - who walks in and owns the room.
But tonight,that girl was gone. Completely.
She even spoke to me with a cold tone l wasn't to - like she was trying to protect herself….or shut down.
I wanted to talk to her,ask what was really going on.
But it was late.
Tomorrow. I told myself. I'll do it tomorrow.
The Next Morning
Birds sang. The sun was up.
But Ava felt nothing.
She woke with a pounding headache and swollen eyes.
Her phone buzzed.
One message.
It was from Fred.
Are you okay?
Her heart skipped. She stared at the screen, unsure what to say.
After a while,she typed:
I'm okay.
That was all she manage.
She dragged herself to the bathroom, took a quick bath,and dressed causally.
She wasn't in the mood for anything extra.
Today,she just wanted to survive.
Kylie's POV
I was almost at the school entrance when l saw someone.
It felt…familiar and yet unfamiliar at the same time.
I stopped. My heart raced.
But l said nothing. It wasn't the right time.
Still, I couldn't keep it to myself. Something felt off.
So I messaged Ava:
Ava, there's something I haven't told you.
Can we talk during break?.
Ava's POV
I read Kylie's message and frowned.
What could she possibly want to say now?
Before I could respond,my phone rang.
My heart jumped.
Edward
I smiled without thinking - finally.
But the moment l answered,the smile died.
His voice was cold. Flat.
"Ava,we need to talk".
Then….
Click.
He hung up.
I stared at my phone, frozen.
My heads were shaking.
What now?
Before she could even breathe,another notification flashed on her screen - a new message from the same unknown number.
This time,it wasn't just a warning.
You should've listened.