"Are you sure you should be walking home alone at this hour?" Maia's voice crackled through the phone, concern clear in her tone.
Avery chuckled, pulling her coat tighter around herself as the evening air grew colder. "I'm fine, Maia. I've done this a hundred times. Besides, the library's only a few blocks away from my apartment."
"You've been acting weird lately, Avery. And after everything with the gathering, and those creepy messages… I don't like it."
"I know," Avery said, her voice softening. "I'll be careful, I promise. I'm almost home anyway."
"Alright," Maia sighed reluctantly. "Just text me when you get in, okay?"
"Will do. Talk to you soon." Avery hung up, slipping her phone into her pocket as she continued down the empty street. The quiet of the evening felt different tonight—thicker, heavier. She couldn't shake the sensation that she was being watched, but she tried to brush it off.
