Clarissa’s POV
Days passed with no word from Maya, and every hour without her felt like a stone added to the weight already crushing my chest. I barely slept. My body went through the motions, shower, dress, work but none of it felt real. Every call that came through made me jump, my pulse spiking so fast that it felt like nausea.
I kept my phone within reach even in the shower, terrified that the one moment I put it down would be the moment Maya needed me.
It was after a long week of silence and torture that the email finally arrived, it was nearly midnight. Since Maya’s disappearance, I hardly slept. I was always wide awake, watching my phone, hoping I would get a clue on Maya's whereabouts.
My vision blurred from exhaustion as I blinked at the notification, expecting another late-
