The early morning sunlight filtered through the thin curtains of Gianna's room, casting a soft glow on the cluttered space. Gianna lay in bed, her eyes half-open, still groggy from the events of the previous night. The images replayed in her mind—Adrian, bruised and battered, crumpled on the ground, and the fury she had felt as she fought off those guys.
She had never fought like that before, not with such urgency. Her training had always been for discipline and self-defense, not for real situations like the one she had just faced. But last night was different. It had felt… necessary. And Adrian—her thoughts drifted back to him.
A faint rustling sound beside her brought her back to reality. Mia, who had crashed on the floor in a makeshift bed of blankets, stirred awake, yawning as she rubbed her eyes.
"Morning," Mia mumbled, sitting up and stretching her arms. "You sleep at all?"
Gianna shook her head slightly, sitting up against the headboard. "Not really. I kept thinking about Adrian. You think he's okay?"
Mia frowned, glancing at the empty spot where Adrian had slept on the couch the night before. "He didn't look okay last night," she said softly, "but he seemed stable when we got back here. I just… I can't believe he's gone."
They had found him lying unconscious, bleeding in the alley, and after Gianna had managed to chase off his attackers, they'd brought him back to her apartment. He'd been barely awake by then, and she'd been too rattled to think clearly. They had done what they could—bandaged him up, made sure he was comfortable, and then, exhausted, the two girls had fallen asleep, certain that he'd still be there in the morning.
But now, as Gianna scanned the room, she realized something was wrong. Adrian wasn't there.
"Maybe he just left early…" Gianna murmured, standing up and looking around, almost hoping she had missed something—maybe a note, or any sign of where he might have gone. But there was nothing.
Mia stood up as well, walking over to the window. "Why would he leave without saying anything? I mean, after what happened, you'd think he'd want to explain."
Gianna's heart sank as she surveyed the empty room. She had no way of reaching Adrian—no phone number, no address, nothing. He was a mystery, someone who had wandered into her life, only to disappear as quickly as he had come. She crossed her arms, her mind racing.
"We don't know where he lives, do we?" Mia asked, her brow furrowing.
"No," Gianna replied, her voice laced with frustration. "I don't even know his last name."
Mia sighed, leaning against the windowsill. "I guess he didn't want to get us more involved than we already are. But seriously… why didn't he say something?"
Gianna moved to the couch where Adrian had spent the night, her fingers tracing the creased fabric where his body had lain. "He must've left early… maybe he didn't want us to worry about him." She could hear the uncertainty in her own voice. Deep down, though, she felt a pang of worry. Adrian had been in bad shape, and the fact that he was out there alone, hurt, didn't sit right with her.
Mia grabbed her phone off the dresser, checking the time. "If only we had his number. Then we could at least call him. But for now… I guess we just have to hope he's okay."
Gianna nodded, but the unease didn't fade. She could still remember the cuts on Adrian's face, the way he winced when he moved. Whoever those guys were, they hadn't been messing around. And now, he was gone. Alone. Possibly still in danger.
Mia flopped back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling. "I mean, how are we supposed to help someone we can't even find?"
Gianna sat down next to her, staring blankly at the wall. "I don't know," she admitted quietly. "I just… I hope he's not in more trouble. He seemed like he was running from something, but he didn't exactly tell us what it was."
Mia propped herself up on one elbow, glancing over at her friend. "You're worried about him, aren't you?"
Gianna nodded slowly. She barely knew Adrian, and yet there was something about him that tugged at her—a vulnerability hidden beneath his quiet, distant demeanor. It wasn't just his looks, though Mia had made more than enough comments about how good-looking he was. It was something deeper. The way he always seemed on edge, like he was carrying a weight too heavy for him alone.
"I am," Gianna confessed. "But what can we do? We don't know where he went, and we don't have any way of contacting him."
Mia exhaled softly, sitting up again. "Look, if he shows up again, we'll make sure we get his contact info this time. He can't just go disappearing on us like that. But for now… maybe we should just head to work, go about our day. There's nothing else we can do, right?"
Gianna sighed, feeling the heaviness in her chest. Mia was right. They couldn't do anything if they didn't know where Adrian had gone. But that didn't stop the worry gnawing at her gut. She felt like she was missing something—like there was more to the story than Adrian had let on.
With a deep breath, she stood up, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling that clung to her.
"Yeah, let's just get through the day," Gianna agreed, though her mind would undoubtedly wander back to Adrian.
As the girls got ready for the day, the thought of Adrian leaving without a word gnawed at Gianna. She hoped—really hoped—that wherever he was, he was safe. But part of her couldn't help but wonder if their paths would cross again.
And if they did, what kind of trouble would follow him next time?