Evelyn woke with a sharp gasp, her heart pounding as the remnants of her recurring dream faded. Every year, on her birthday, it was the same—a forest bathed in eerie moonlight, the sound of distant howls, and glowing eyes that seemed to pierce through her. It always left her feeling unsettled, but this morning, the unease lingered longer than usual.

She pressed her fingers to her temples, trying to ease the dull throb of her migraine. Swinging her legs off the bed, she muttered, "Not today." It was her birthday, after all. A day that should have been filled with excitement, she needed the right mood to lit the camping plans- yet the nagging feeling of something amiss wouldn't let go.

She sighed, pushing her curtains aside as she got to her window. Allowing in the warm morning sun bath her room as she took in her surroundings.

Just then, her phone buzzed on the nightstand. Without hesitation, she grabbed the phone, expecting his warm birthday wishes. It was a ritual—his thoughtful messages always came first thing in the morning.

But as she snatched the phone, her heart sank. It was just a group chat notification from her friends, excited about the evening's camping plans.

"Seriously, Liam?" she muttered, unlocking her phone. She scrolled through her messages—nothing. No missed calls, no texts. Not even a simple "Happy Birthday."

The knot of disappointment tightened in her stomach. Liam wasn't the most punctual guy, but this? This was unusual, even for him. They'd been friends for 5 years, and officially started dating for almost a year now. While he could be forgetful, he'd never missed her birthday.

Determined to shake off the uneasy feeling, Evelyn grabbed her phone and headed down the hallway. There was not much to be done due to the mid-semester break. Her door slammed gently behind her as she headed down.

The sunlight streaming through the windows felt too bright, worsening the dull ache in her head. She squinted against it, rubbing her temples as she punched Liam's number into her phone.

The line rang once. Twice. Three times.

Voicemail.

Evelyn lowered the phone, her thumb hesitating over the call button. Could she be overreacting? He could probably be busy. But on her birthday?

She sighed and dialed again, leaning against the wall. This time, it went straight to voicemail. Her stomach twisted.

"What's he up to?" she whispered, staring at the blank screen.

The sound of footsteps from behind made her glance up. Her mum stood at the end of the hallway, a knowing smile on her face. "Morning, birthday girl," she said brightly, holding a cup of coffee in her hands. Her face carried the weariness of a late night spent editing news stories. "Everything okay?" She asked.

"Yeah," Evelyn lied, pocketing her phone. "Just tired."

Her mom gave her a skeptical look but didn't press. "Well, try to relax. It's your day, after all. And I don't want to hear you complaining about staying up too late at your party tonight."

Evelyn forced a smile and nodded, though her thoughts remained stuck on Liam's silence.

"When are you guys leaving?" her mother asked as she headed into the kitchen. She had promised to prepare some dishes and cookies for the camping trip.

"By noon," Evelyn called after her.

"Roger that," her mom's voice echoed, already busying herself in the kitchen.

Evelyn lingered in the hallway, staring at her phone again. The unease from her dream, coupled with Liam's unusual silence, felt like a weight she couldn't shake.

Her phone buzzed again, pulling her attention back. This time, the name "Riley" flashed across the screen. She swiped to answer.

"Morning, birthday girl!" Riley's cheerful voice came through. "You all packed and ready for the big day?"

"Hey, Riles," Evelyn said, forcing a smile into her voice. "Yeah, just about. You on your way?"

"Almost there. Traffic's not terrible, for once." Riley paused, her tone softening. "You okay? You sound... off."

Evelyn hesitated, biting her lip. "I'm fine. Just... Liam hasn't called yet. Not even a text."

Riley sighed, her exasperation clear. "Ev, it's Liam. You know how he is. He's probably planning something big or just being his usual scatterbrained self. Don't let it ruin your day."

"Yeah," Evelyn murmured, though her chest tightened at the thought.

"Look, don't overthink it. Today's about you. We're going to have an amazing time, and by tonight, this'll all be forgotten. I'll be there in ten, okay?"

Evelyn nodded, even though Riley couldn't see her. "Okay. Thanks, Riles."

"Anytime. Now get your stuff together, birthday girl!"

As the call ended, Evelyn sighed, glancing at the bags she'd packed. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, but Riley was right—this was her day, and she needed to focus on the celebration ahead.

She just hoped that nagging feeling wouldn't follow her into the woods.

-------

The cab idled in front of Evelyn's house as she emerged, her bag slung over her shoulder, a lunch bag packed with food and a tin of cookies her mom had prepared tucked under her arm. She hurried to the waiting car, where Riley waved impatiently from the backseat.

"Finally!" Riley exclaimed as Evelyn slid in. "You know we're already running late, right?"

"Relax," Evelyn said, settling into the seat. "It's my birthday. They can wait a little."

Riley raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. Instead, she studied Evelyn's face. "Still no word from Liam?"

Evelyn shook her head, her gaze dropping to her phone in her lap. "Not a single call or text. It's weird, Riley. He's never like this, especially not on my birthday."

Riley frowned, clearly trying to think of something reassuring to say. "Maybe he's just... busy?" she offered weakly.

Evelyn didn't respond, her lips pressing into a thin line. After a moment, she leaned forward and spoke to the driver. "Can you take us by Pinewood Apartments before heading to the campus yard? It's on the way."

The driver nodded, adjusting his route. Riley watched her with a mixture of concern and hesitation. "Ev, are you sure? What if he's just sleeping or something?"

"I need to know, Riley," Evelyn said quietly. "It's not like him to go radio silent, especially today."

Riley sighed but didn't argue further, instead pulling her phone out to scroll through their group chat. The cab ride was mostly silent, save for the hum of the engine and the occasional ding of Riley's notifications. Evelyn stared out the window, her thoughts a jumble of worry and frustration.

When they pulled up in front of Liam's building, Evelyn's pulse quickened. She fidgeted with her phone, hesitating for a moment before stepping out of the car.

"Wait here," she said to Riley, who gave her a hesitant nod.

Evelyn walked up to the building's entrance, glancing at the familiar set of buzzers by the door. She pressed the one for Liam's apartment, waiting as the seconds dragged on. No response. She tried again. Still nothing.

With a frustrated sigh, she pulled out her phone and called him. The line rang twice before going to voicemail.

"Liam, it's me," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "I'm outside your place. Are you okay? Call me back."

She hung up and turned back toward the cab, her shoulders slumping. Riley leaned out the window, her expression concerned.

"Nothing?"

Evelyn shook her head as she climbed back into the car. "No answer. He's not picking up, and he's not home."

Riley reached over and squeezed her hand. "Maybe he's already on his way to the meeting spot. He wouldn't miss your birthday, Ev."

"Maybe," Evelyn said softly, though the sinking feeling in her chest told her otherwise.

As the cab pulled away from Liam's building, Evelyn tried to push her worries aside. Riley kept the conversation light, chatting about the evening's plans, but Evelyn's mind kept wandering back to Liam.

By the time they arrived at the campus yard, where their friends were waiting with the van, Evelyn had resolved to focus on the night ahead. If Liam wasn't going to explain himself, she resorted to keeping in wait until he shows up.