Chapter 1: The Vanishing Act
The café buzzed with laughter and clinking coffee cups, a lively contrast to the unease stirring within Aria Malik. Her eyes swept the room, searching for the familiar face that should have been there already—Samir Aziz, their so-called "glue," the friend who had always pulled them back together, no matter how far they'd drifted.
"Maybe he's just late, as usual," Zayn muttered, leaning back in his chair. His dark eyes glimmered with impatience, a trace of annoyance crossing his face. Zayn was never good with waiting—especially when it came to Samir.
"He hasn't picked up my calls for two days," Nadia said, her fingers tapping anxiously on the table. She adjusted her glasses, her eyes flitting to the entrance. "He wouldn't miss this. Not after we planned it for weeks."
Imran, sitting beside Zayn, chuckled lightly. "The guy's probably off with some girl, forgot all about us." His easygoing smile didn't reach his eyes.
Aria forced a smile, though the tension in her shoulders wouldn't ease. It had been nearly a year since they all sat together like this, a group of friends whose paths had diverged but whose roots ran deep. Samir had been the bridge, the one to reconnect them whenever they drifted apart.
Zayn checked his phone for what must have been the tenth time. "I've texted him, called him—nothing. Maybe we should just go."
"No," Aria said firmly. "Let's wait a bit longer."
Her gaze lingered on the empty chair that should have been Samir's. The last conversation she'd had with him played in her mind—Samir had sounded distracted, almost paranoid. She hadn't pressed him then, but now she wondered if she should have.
Another twenty minutes passed. The group's chatter dulled, fading into awkward silences. Eventually, Zayn stood up.
"I'm done," he declared, grabbing his jacket. "If Samir wants to ghost us, fine. I'm not wasting my time here."
"Wait." Nadia's voice cut through the air, sharp and urgent. Her phone screen glowed in her trembling hand. "I just got a message. From Samir."
The group leaned in, their eyes on the screen.
"I'm sorry. I didn't want to drag you all into this. Stay away. Trust no one."
A chill crawled up Aria's spine. Zayn snatched the phone from Nadia's hand, rereading the message.
"What the hell is this supposed to mean?" Zayn demanded. "Is this some kind of joke?"
"No," Nadia whispered, her voice barely audible. "I don't think it is."
Imran's smile had vanished, his expression taut. "What is Samir mixed up in?"
Aria felt a weight press against her chest—a blend of dread and guilt. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.