“Did you call him?” I asked.
Naina’s expression shifted. “Shef, I’ve been calling him since yesterday. His phone’s out of network. I’m worried. He’s never been this irresponsible. He always informs me, even if it’s just a text.”
She looked down. “He knows I get anxious. I don’t feel comfortable with our other housemates, and he never stays out without telling me. I thought maybe he was with you… maybe you guys were doing it, you know, shagging, and he felt awkward to let me know. But now…”
She looked up, eyes wide. “Now I’m scared.”
I nodded slowly.
Rob wasn’t just a friend.
He’d become something more — not romantically, but emotionally.
A constant.
A quiet support.
Someone who made the world feel less heavy.
“Naina,” I said,
“let’s wait till evening. If he doesn’t show up, we’l
