**Sophia’s POV**
I woke up checking my phone before my eyes were fully open. Still nothing real from Luca. That short message from yesterday felt like a wall instead of a bridge. I got ready for school in silence, the worry now a constant knot in my stomach.
Mum noticed during breakfast. “You’re pushing too hard on this project, Sophia. You look exhausted.”
“I’m okay,” I told her. “Just a lot on my mind.”
I left earlier than usual, taking a longer route with more people around. The feeling of being watched followed me anyway. I caught myself checking reflections in shop windows, but no one stood out. Still, the paranoia was starting to feel normal.
Riya was waiting at the gate. She didn’t even ask how I was. She could see it on my face. “Still no real word from him?”
“Only that one m
