By the time dinner was ready, the kitchen smelled like home—roasted chicken, fresh vegetables, and the comforting scent of garlic. Uriana set the plates on the table, her movements smooth and confident. Jayden could never quite understand how she made cooking look so effortless.
"So, how's school going?" she asked as she sat down across from him, twirling her fork through her pasta. She always had a way of getting him to talk, even when he didn't want to.
"It's fine. Same as usual," Jayden said, cutting into his chicken. He glanced at her, noticing the way her golden hair fell around her face. It was strange sometimes; how much they looked alike. They didn't talk about it much, but it felt like a reminder that, despite everything, they were the only two left in their family.
"And you?" he asked, taking a bite. "How's Mark?"
Uriana's smile grew wider, her eyes lighting up. "You know him—still the same." She leaned back in her chair. "Actually, we've been talking about going away for the weekend. Just the two of us. You should come too, if you're free."
Jayden raised an eyebrow. "Really? A weekend trip?"
"Yeah, why not? You could use a break from your books. We could head to the beach or something."
He chuckled, taking another bite of his food. "I think I'll pass. I have a lot of stuff to catch up on. You two can have your fun." Besides, he wouldn't want to become a third wheel in their trip.
Uriana pouted slightly but didn't press him. "Fine. I'll let you be the boring one this time." She shot him a playful wink.
As they finished eating, the conversation shifted to more mundane topics—plans for the week ahead, upcoming exams, and the usual banter about their friends and classmates. For a moment, it felt like things were just as they had always been.
But, just as Jayden was about to get up from the table, his phone buzzed. He glanced at it, it was a message for Uriana.
"I'll be home in an hour, don't wait up. Love you!"
Jayden frowned, feeling a small twinge of concern. "Where's Mark? Thought you two were going to hang out here tonight?"
"Oh, we were, but we decided to go meet some friends instead," Uriana explained with a shrug. "I'll be home soon. Don't worry about it."
Jayden nodded, though a part of him, for some reason still felt uneasy. "Alright. Just be careful, okay?"
"I will," she assured him, giving him a smile before standing up and gathering the dishes. "You should really relax, Jay. It's just a night out. We'll hang out more soon."
He watched her as she cleaned up, her movements calm and casual. But he couldn't shake the odd feeling that had settled over him. Maybe it was just the stress from school, or the fact that things had been so routine lately. But deep down, something didn't sit right.
As the evening wore on, Jayden found himself still sitting at the table, mindlessly scrolling through his phone. The quiet hum of the apartment felt too still, too empty. He checked the time—it was almost 9:00 PM. Uriana was supposed to be back by now.
He tried calling her, but the phone went straight to voicemail.
"Where is she?" he muttered under his breath, standing up and pacing the room. Maybe she got caught up with Mark and the others. He didn't want to overreact.
But when the minutes dragged on, his concern grew. It was unlike Uriana to not keep him updated. She always let him know if she was running late, no matter what.
Jayden pulled on his jacket and grabbed his keys. "I'm just going to check in on her," he murmured to himself, his voice tense with unease. It was nothing to worry about—just a busy night out with friends, probably—but his gut told him something was off.
As he stepped out of the apartment, he tried to shake off the feeling. It was probably nothing. Uriana was tough. She could take care of herself.
But as he walked through the dimly lit streets of their neighborhood, his mind kept replaying the last few conversations they'd had. He had no reason to feel this way, but still, he couldn't shake the feeling that tonight was different.